By Jamie Duffield, Head of Maths
Have you ever had a middle‑of‑the‑night moment of doubt?
Recently, I found myself wide awake, wondering whether mathematics might one day become obsolete. With calculators, smartphones and now AI handling so much of our thinking, it’s a fair question: do children still need to learn maths?
As I took a few deep breaths and checked the clock, I realised I had exactly three hours, forty‑two minutes and seven seconds before my alarm would sound. In that moment, I realised, maths is everywhere. It is the invisible force driving the binary code (0s and 1s) of the technology we hold, and it shapes every single day of our lives. It underpins the decisions our children will need to make every day. Reassured, I drifted back to sleep the old-fashioned way - by counting sheep.
Technology can process numbers. But it takes human thinking to interpret them and decide how to use them and that problem-solving is exactly what we develop at Great Ballard.
From Maths Lessons to Real‑World Capability
At Great Ballard, we deliberately design lessons that go beyond routine calculation. Students are regularly asked to apply their understanding in unfamiliar situations, make decisions and explain their thinking clearly.
This might involve:
This approach develops much more than exam technique. It builds independence, resilience and intellectual confidence. Skills that are all essential not just for GCSE success but for life beyond.
A Defining Strength: Financial Confidence for Life
A distinctive feature of our unique curriculum at Great Ballard is our focus on financial literacy.
Through our Year 9 -11 Achieve Diploma programme, delivered in partnership with the London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF), students develop a practical understanding of money and decision-making, including:
This is a significant and growing strength of the school. In 2025, 86% of pupils completed a financial qualification, following 100% participation the previous year, and we are working towards full participation again with the current cohort.
In addition, our senior forms continue to run their own student enterprise businesses, getting hands-on experience with stock-control, investment, profit and loss in the real-world.
By the time they leave us, pupils are not just mathematically able, they are financially aware, confident and prepared for real life.
Stretching Potential at Every Level
We are committed to ensuring that every pupil is both supported and challenged appropriately.
For our most able mathematicians, this includes opportunities such as studying GCSE Statistics a year early in Year 10. In 2025, 100% of these pupils achieved Grades 7–9, reflecting both strong teaching and a culture of academic ambition.
Across the cohort, outcomes reflect secure understanding and progress, with 100% of pupils achieving Grades 4–9 in GCSE Maths.
Our focus is always on helping each pupil fulfil their potential through carefully judged challenge and expert support.
Maths in the Age of AI
As AI continues to evolve, the importance of maths is only increasing.
The future will belong to those who can:
These are mathematical habits of mind and cannot be replaced by technology.
At Great Ballard, we explicitly develop these skills, ensuring students are prepared not just for exams, but for a complex and rapidly changing world.
More Than a Subject, A Foundation for Success
Maths at Great Ballard is about more than results alone. It is about building the confidence, clarity and capability that underpin success in school and beyond.
Because when students learn to think mathematically, they also learn how to approach challenges, make decisions and realise their potential.