Mathematics
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Transitions

Year 9 → Year 10

At the end of Year 9, students are placed on either the Standard or Extended mathematics pathway for Years 10 and 11. This page explains how that decision is made and what it means.

Two pathways

Standard pathway

Covers all MYP Year 4 and Year 5 content. Assessment tasks are aligned to criteria A–D. Students are well prepared for AI SL or AA SL in the DP. The majority of students follow this pathway.

Extended pathway

Covers all Standard content plus additional extension material in algebra, functions and, in Year 11, early calculus concepts. Students are well prepared for AI HL or AA HL in the DP. Required for those intending to take AA HL.

How placement decisions are made

At the end of Year 9, the mathematics department makes pathway recommendations based on a combination of evidence gathered across Years 7–9:

  • End-of-year assessment. A formal end-of-Year 9 assessment covering the full Y7–9 curriculum.
  • Criterion performance. The student's overall profile across criteria A–D across the year, not just a single exam.
  • Work habits. Whether the student approaches challenge, persists, and uses feedback constructively — habits that matter more than raw marks at the HL level.
  • Student preference. Where there is genuine ambiguity in the data, student and family preference is taken into account alongside the department's recommendation.

Recommendations are discussed with the relevant coordinator. Families who wish to discuss a recommendation should contact the class teacher in the first instance.

What Extended pathway does and does not decide

Being on Standard does not close doors to strong DP outcomes. Many students who take AI SL or AA SL from a Standard background achieve grade 6 or 7. DP course selection happens at the end of Year 11 and is based on Year 10–11 performance, not solely on which pathway a student followed.

Extended pathway is a prerequisite for AA HL in the DP. Students aiming for AA HL who are not recommended for Extended should discuss this with their teacher as early in Year 9 as possible.