Mathematics

At the heart of Mathematical study is the development of the faculties of logic, reasoning and independent thinking. In the Mathematics Department we aim to help all boys to progress within the curriculum but, equally, we work to develop the confident thinking that is the natural outcome of mathematical studies. At the same time we hope to foster an appreciation of the intrinsic elegance of mathematical ideas along with a recognition of their central role in many disciplines. We therefore emphasise the importance of numeracy along with the ability to model real-life problems in a mathematical context.

Boys in Year 7 start by recapping basic numeracy before beginning to build the core topics of algebra, geometry and statistics. This is built upon in Year 9, along with the introduction of trigonometry and set theory.

Around half of the boys in Year 9 follow an accelerated course, making a start on IGCSE work, with around three classes then taking IGCSE alongside Additional Mathematics in Year 11 with the rest focussing on IGCSE alone at the end of Year 11. The aim is for boys to always feel that they are doing mathematics for its own sake and hopefully enjoyment, however, and not just for an examination. In the Upper School boys can chose from A level Mathematics with mechanics or statistics, AS Further Mathematics (one and a half A levels) or full Further Mathematics. Provision is made for the top students to study topics well beyond the syllabus, with extra lessons and outside speakers, including former students of the College, giving talks and masterclasses.

Students regularly choose to participate in the various national mathematics competitions on offer over the year, including the Junior, Intermediate or Senior Mathematics Challenge with the best students going on to the follow on rounds, the Olympiads. Boys also enter national team challenges, plus the London wide ‘Hans Woyda’ mathematics competition involving a team of boy from across the year groups. Boys also produce a yearly mathematics magazine, DC Mathematica, containing articles by students and staff.

Recent achievements

The College Senior Maths team came 4th (out of 38) in the Senior UKMT Maths Team Challenge.

Feb 2018
The Year 10 team come second in the Maths Feast team competition.

Dec 2017
Artem Baryshnikov was awarded a distinction in the recent British Mathematical Olympiad Round 2, the third round of the Senior Challenges, placing him in the top 30 or so students nationally.

Dec 2017
The Hans Woyda team came top of their local group in the first round of the Hans Woyda competition.

Nov 2017
Andy Li is awarded second prize in the Mathematics Gazette student problems in the November 2017 edition.

March 2017
Five distinctions in the Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad, with three boys in the top 100 nationally, Jensen Tong, Andrew Ng, Simon Xu, with Simon Xu also in the top 50.

2014 - 2016

Senior Mathematics Challenge (around 150 boys) followed by several boys through to the British Mathematical Olympiad.

Hans Woyda (local Mathematics competition) – Dulwich won the Plate Competition in 2014 and 2016.

UK Senior Team Challenge (four Upper School boys) – Dulwich won the Regional Heat in 2015, and came third in 2016.

UK Junior Team Challenge (four Middle School boys) – third in 2014 and fourth in 2015.

Several boys received mentions in the quarterly national Mathematical Gazette for their entries to the student problems.