Mathematics

Key StageQualificationCourse CodeExam Board
KS4GCSEEdexcel Maths 1MA1Edexcel
KS5A LevelEdexcel Maths 7537Edexcel
KS5A LevelAQA Further 7367Edexcel

Mathematics is used in many aspects of everyday life. Sometimes this is obvious, such as when you go shopping or when you go on holiday. However, mathematics also teaches you a lot of other very important skills. These include the ability to structure and solve problems, work logically and make sense of complex information.

Many careers require Mathematics. These can be as varied as banking, teaching, engineering and working in a shop. Mathematics can also help you in other subject areas at GCSE and also if you want to go on to higher level study. A good GCSE grade is essential for most university courses.

For all these reasons Mathematics is not an optional subject and everyone will study it throughout Years 9, 10 and 11.

What makes a good mathematician?
The people who do well in Mathematics are those who are well-organised, methodical and who think carefully about what they are doing. They must not give up when things go wrong but try again with a new approach.

Hegarty Maths Replaced with Sparx Maths

We are pleased to announce that the Hegarty Maths website is being replaced with the improved Sparx Maths site. Sparx Maths is owned by the same company but is a much improved platform for the online homework.

Pupils will complete 45 minutes (KS3) to an hour (KS4) of homework each week and must obtain 100% to pass their homework. The help video clips are still available and pupils must still write their working in their homework booklets.

Year 10 will commence using the new Sparx website after the Christmas break in term 3.

Year 9 will commence using the new Sparx website after February half term in term 4.

Years 7 and 8 will commence using the new Sparx website after the Easter break in term 5.

Please contact your child’s teacher should you have any questions.

Years 10 & 11

Course Content
There are two tiers of entry to Maths GCSE. The following grades are available in each of the two tiers:
Higher Level: 9,8,7,6,5,4
Foundation Level: 5,4,3,2,1
The new GCSE course has a greater emphasis on problem solving, functionality and mathematical thinking. In the GCSE, students will have to select and apply mathematical methods in a range of contexts. They will also have to interpret and analyse problems and generate strategies to solve them.

How will you be assessed?
The GCSE course is linear and the assessment time has increased to four and a half hours. You will sit three exams at the end of Year 11 each of which is one and a half hours. There is no coursework in GCSE Mathematics.

Sixth Form (Core Maths- AS Level Only)

In Core Maths, you will learn about the application of maths to real-life problem solving in contexts such as Data Analysis, Interest Rates and Taxation and Estimation. The course is taught in year 12 and the exams are taken at the end of year 12 so that they don’t interfere with A Level exams and the end of year 13.

Compulsory contentAssessment
Unit 1: Analysis of data
Unit 2: Maths for personal finance
Unit 3: Estimation
Unit 4: Critical analysis of given data and models		(Unit 1,2 and 3)
Written exam, 1 hour 30 minutes
50% of AS Level
Optional Content
Unit 1: The normal distribution
Unit 2: Probabilities and estimation
Unit 3: Correlation and regression
Unit 4: Critical path and risk analysis
Unit 5: Expectation
Unit 6: Cost benefit analysis
Unit 7: Graphical methods
Unit 8: Rates of change
Unit 9: Exponential functions		+
(Unit 4 of compulsory content, Unit 1,2 and 3 of optional content)
Written exam, 1 hour 30 minutes
50% of AS Level
OR
(Unit 4 of compulsory content, Unit 4,5 and 6 of optional content)
Written exam, 1 hour 30 minutes
50% of AS Level
OR
(Unit 4 of compulsory content, Unit 7,8 and 9 of optional content)
Written exam, 1 hour 30 minutes
50% of AS Level

Sixth Form (Mathematics)

UnitAssessment
Unit 1: Overarching themes
Unit 2: Proof
Unit 3: Algebra and functions
Unit 4: Coordinate geometry in the (x,y) plane
Unit 5: Sequences and series
Unit 6: Trigonometry
Unit 7: Exponentials and logarithms
Unit 8: Differentiation
Unit 9: Integration
Unit 10: Numerical methods
Unit 11: Vectors
Unit 12: Statistical sampling
Unit 13: Data presentation and interpretation
Unit 14: Probability
Unit 15: Statistical distributions
Unit 16: Statistical hypothesis testing
Unit 17: Quantities and units in mechanics
Unit 18: Kinematics
Unit 19: Forces and Newton’s laws
Unit 20: Moments
Unit 21: Use of data in statistics
(Any content from 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3 % of A Level
+
(Any content from 11,17,18,19 and 20)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level
+
(Any content from 12,13,14,15 and 16)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level

Sixth Form (Further Mathematics)

UnitAssessment
Unit 1: Proof
Unit 2: Complex numbers
Unit 3: Matrices
Unit 4: Further algebra and functions
Unit 5: Further calculus
Unit 6: Further vectors
Unit 7: Polar coordinates
Unit 8: Hyperbolic functions
Unit 9: Differential equations
Unit 10: Trigonometry
Unit 11: Numerical methods

You will also study a variety of Statistical and Mechanics topics including Continuous distributions, Further Hypothesis testing,
Centre of Mass and Circular Motion.		(May include content from 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 11)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level
+
May include content from 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 11)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level
+
(Paper on Discrete and one paper on Statistics)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level
OR
(Paper on Statistics and one paper on Mechanics)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level
OR
(Paper on Mechanics and one paper on Discrete)
Written exam, 2 hours
33.3% of A Level