Sevenoaks School

Founded over 500 years ago, Sevenoaks School is now a leading HMC British independent school with over 1000 pupils. It is beautifully situated on the edge of Sevenoaks town and adjoins the 1000-acre Knole Park. Its 70-acre campus environment is often compared with that of a university and boasts, among other attractions, two recently constructed classroom blocks, a world-class Performing Arts Centre and a modern sports centre. The school is also perfectly positioned for easy access: 30 minutes and one hour by car from Gatwick and Heathrow airports respectively and a 30 minute train journey from the centre of London. The school’s lively and cosmopolitan Sixth Form consists of over 400 pupils, many of whom live abroad and during term time reside at the school in modern boarding houses on the school campus.

Mathematics at Sevenoaks School

Sevenoaks has been teaching and administering the IB for over 30 years. In 1999 it took the decision to become an all-IB Sixth Form school by September 2006; now all 440 Sixth Form students are studying for the IB Diploma. They draw on a wealth of experience from teaching staff who are fully familiar with the syllabuses and the academic standards required to achieve success in the IB Diploma.

In 2011 32.9% of students at Sevenoaks achieved a grade 7 in Higher Level Maths compared with a national average of 11.2% and a worldwide average of 8.8%. In addition 89% of students were awarded grade 5 or above. In Standard Level the equivalent percentages at Sevenoaks were 30.2% grade 7s and 77.4% grade 5 and above.

The Summer IB Maths Preparation Courses 2012

These courses are aimed at students who from this September will be embarking on the IB Higher Level or the Standard Level course in Mathematics without having studied Maths beyond IGCSE or GCSE or who have encountered difficulties with a Maths course (such as Additional Maths or AS modules) part or all of which they will have already studied.

The purpose of the courses is to assist these students with the challenging transition to Maths HL or Maths SL.

The courses will address the following topics:

• A review of algebra, coordinate geometry and trigonometry
• Polynomials; the factor and remainder theorems
• The binomial expansion and its applications
• Further trigonometry; trigonometric identities and equations, Trigonometry in 3 dimensions
• Differentiation; differentiation from first principles, finding tangents and normals and stationary points
• Integration; indefinite and definite integration and areas under a curve
• Applications of calculus to kinematics

The Structure, Dates and Times of the Revision Courses

There are two courses, each covering the same material. You are invited to apply for either of the two courses.

Course One will run from 8.30am on Sunday 19 August until 3.45pm on Tuesday 21 August.
Course Two will run from 8:30am on Wednesday 22 August until 3.45pm on Friday 24 August.

Each course will include a total of 16.5 hours of tuition and teaching. Classes will start at 09.00 and conclude at 16.00 for the two full days and finish at 15.45 on the final day. There is an hour for lunch (provided as part of the cost) in the middle of the day.

Students are also expected to complete approximately two hours of work on the two evenings when there are classes the following day.

The Residential Option

Those attending a Maths course will have the option of taking up residence any time between 16.00 and 21.00 on the night before the course starts and will stay a total of three nights for each course. Students will be accommodated in one of the school’s boarding houses. All residents will be accommodated in bed-sitting rooms where there will be facilities to work in the evening. A member of the school’s academic boarding house staff will be on permanent duty during the course and be responsible for residents. Breakfast, morning and afternoon refreshments, lunch and an evening meal will be provided in the school’s central dining room.

The Non-residential Option

Those who live or can find accommodation close enough to the school to enable them to attend a course on a non-residential basis may prefer to attend as day students. They will also be given morning and afternoon refreshments, and lunch.

Use of School Facilities

Whether as a residential or day student, those attending a review course will have access to the school’s outstanding facilities, including the library to assist with the research for the Extended Essay, and the Sports Centre. For fresh air and exercise there is the wide expanse of school playing fields adjoining the main school campus.

Cost of one Preparation Course

Boarding students  £570
Day students  £400

In the event of cancellation before 2 July 2011, £100 is non-refundable. If we are informed of cancellation after 2 July none of the fee will be refunded. The last date for receipt of payment is Monday 30 July.

How to apply

Please download and complete the IB Mathematics Preparation Course application form and return it to the Course Director, Nigel Haworth. You must complete and return both sections; that is

• the course application, with the appropriate payment
• the ‘Terms and Conditions’ form signed by both the student and parent

Acknowledgement of the receipt of these two forms will be sent immediately and will then be followed, shortly before the course starts, by a letter providing more details of the course arrangements.

Each course requires a minimum enrolment of four students. In the unlikely event of there not being enough students to fill a course, applicants will be informed as much in advance of the start of the course as possible. Applicants may then choose another course, or receive a full refund of course fees.

Methods of Payment

Either Personal cheques, made payable to ‘Sevenoaks School’ and sent to:

Nigel Haworth, Course Director, IB Easter Revision Courses,
Sevenoaks School, High Street, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1HU, UK

Or Bank transfer (copy of bank receipt to be attached to application form) to:
IBAN: GB30 NWBK 6019 0225 8480 70
BIC: NWBK GB2L XXX
Nat West Bank
67 High Street
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 1LA
Sort code: 60-19-02
Account No: 25848070

Please be sure to include the reference ‘IB Maths Preparation Courses’, and the name of the student in upper case letters.

Insurance

It is recommended that students are fully insured for medical treatment and loss or damage to their personal property while they are completing a course. It is also advisable to insure against late cancellation, in case of illness for example.

Other information

We regret that the school will not make transport arrangements for subscribed students to and from airports or other public travel points.

Accommodation in school property for residential students is available only for the nights specified.

Nigel Haworth, Course Director
email: nth@sevenoaksschool.org