Mathematics & Further Mathematics

There are two types of A Level Mathematics courses on offer at the School; both courses follow the OCR B (MEI) linear specification.

These courses have been developed by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) and are assessed by OCR. This is a well-established partnership that provides a firm foundation for curriculum and qualification development.

The specifications;

• Encourage students to develop a deep understanding of mathematics and an ability to use it in a variety of contexts. • Encourage students to use appropriate technology to deepen their mathematical understanding and extend the range of problems they can solve. • Use pre-release data in statistics to enable students to develop an understanding of working with real data to solve real problems. • Include mathematical comprehension in the assessment to prepare students to use mathematics in a variety of contexts in higher education and future employment.

A Level Mathematics models and statistical hypothesis testing.

OCR A Level in Mathematics B (MEI) builds from GCSE and IGCSE Level Mathematics and introduces calculus and its applications. It emphasises how mathematical ideas are interconnected and how mathematics can be applied to model situations using algebra and other representations, to help make sense of data, to understand the physical world and to solve problems in a variety of contexts, including social sciences and business. It prepares students for further study and employment in a wide range of disciplines involving the use of mathematics. This is a two year linear qualification with no optional content.

A Level Further Mathematics

OCR A Level in Further Mathematics B (MEI) is both deeper and broader than A Level Mathematics. It is designed for students with a real enthusiasm for Mathematics. As well as building on the algebra and calculus introduced in A Level Mathematics, the A Level Further Mathematics core content introduces complex numbers and matrices, fundamental mathematical ideas with wide applications in mathematics, engineering, physical sciences and computing. This is a double A Level course requiring you to commit to continuing with four A Levels. A Level Further Mathematics prepares students for further study and employment in highly mathematical disciplines that require knowledge and understanding of sophisticated The course can be slit into three main areas: Pure Mathematics includes proof, algebra, graphs, sequences, trigonometry, logarithms, calculus and vectors. Mechanics includes kinematics, motion under gravity, working with forces including friction, Newton’s laws and simple movements. Statistics includes working with data from a sample to make inferences about a population, probability calculations, using binomial and normal distributions as

mathematical ideas and techniques. If you are Assessment takes place at the end of the course in the form of three two hour examinations.

considering the Further Mathematics course you must not only be very able in Mathematics, but also have a great commitment and enjoyment of the subject. The qualification comprises of one mandatory Core Pure examination of two hours and forty minutes which makes up 50% of the total marks. The non-core content includes different options that can enable students to specialise in areas of mathematics that are particularly relevant to their interests and future aspirations. These include additional mechanics, statistics or pure options as well as numerical methods and modelling with algorithms. Candidates have the choice of one major and one minor optional paper or three minor papers giving them the choice between breadth or depth.