Advanced level mathematics
Encyclopedia
Advanced Level Mathematics is a qualification of further education
taken in the United Kingdom
and occasionally in other countries as well. In the UK A-Level exams are traditionally taken by 18-year-olds after a two-year course at a sixth form
or college
. Advanced Level Further Mathematics
is often taken by students who wish to study a mathematics based degree at university.
Like other A-level subjects, mathematics has been assessed in a linear system since the introduction of Curriculum 2000
, whereby each candidate must take six modules, with the best score of these modules determining the final grade. Most students will complete three modules in one year, which will create an AS-level qualification in their own right and will complete the A-level course the following year with three more modules.
The two chosen modules for the final two parts of the A-Level are determined either by a student's personal choices or the course choice of their school/college, but commonly take the form of S1 (Statistics), M1 (Mechanics) or D1 (Decision Maths)
Not all schools are able to offer Further Mathematics, due to teachers not being qualified,
so to fulfill the demand extra tutoring such as from the Further Mathematics Support Programme is available.
Some students can also take a third maths qualitifation, "Additional Further Mathematics", which adds Further Pure 3 and five more modules for students to choose. Schools that offer this qualitifation usually only take this to AS-level, taking three modules, but some students can go further, taking the extra six modules to gain another full A-Level qualification.
The proportion of candidates acquiring these grades in 2007 are below :
The A* grade in maths is awarded to candidates who achieve an A (480/600) in their overall A Level as well as achieving a combined score of 180/200 in modules Core 3 and Core 4.
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
taken in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and occasionally in other countries as well. In the UK A-Level exams are traditionally taken by 18-year-olds after a two-year course at a sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
or college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. Advanced Level Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics is the title given to a number of advanced secondary mathematics courses. Higher and Further Mathematics may also refer to any of several advanced mathematics courses at many institutions....
is often taken by students who wish to study a mathematics based degree at university.
Like other A-level subjects, mathematics has been assessed in a linear system since the introduction of Curriculum 2000
Curriculum 2000
Curriculum 2000 was a reform of the A Level examination in the United Kingdom. It was introduced in September 2000 . An A Level now consists of four or six units studied over two years...
, whereby each candidate must take six modules, with the best score of these modules determining the final grade. Most students will complete three modules in one year, which will create an AS-level qualification in their own right and will complete the A-level course the following year with three more modules.
Overview
The basic A-Level course consists of six modules, four standard (C1, C2, C3, and C4) and two modules that can be chosen by the student or school/college, etc. The C1 through C4 modules are referred to by A-level textbooks as "Core" modules, encompassing the major topics of mathematics such as logorithms, differentiation/integration and geometric/arithmetic progressions, to name but a few.The two chosen modules for the final two parts of the A-Level are determined either by a student's personal choices or the course choice of their school/college, but commonly take the form of S1 (Statistics), M1 (Mechanics) or D1 (Decision Maths)
Further mathematics
Some mathematics students will choose to take an A-level in Further Mathematics which requires taking a further 6 modules to give a second qualification. The grades of the two A-levels will be independent of each other. Further Mathematics requires students to take two compulsory modules, Further Pure 1 and 2 (FP1, FP2), which are simply extentions of the four Core modules from the normal Maths A-Level. Four more modules need to be taken, and can include modules such as M2 (Mechanics), S3 (Statistics) and the Differential Equations module (DE), which used to be the Mechanics 5 module.Not all schools are able to offer Further Mathematics, due to teachers not being qualified,
so to fulfill the demand extra tutoring such as from the Further Mathematics Support Programme is available.
Some students can also take a third maths qualitifation, "Additional Further Mathematics", which adds Further Pure 3 and five more modules for students to choose. Schools that offer this qualitifation usually only take this to AS-level, taking three modules, but some students can go further, taking the extra six modules to gain another full A-Level qualification.
Results and statistics
Each module carries a maximum of 100 points towards the total grade and each module is also given a separate grade depending on its score. The number of points required for different grades are defined below:| Grade | Module (Out of 1) | AS level (Out of 3) | A level (Out of 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 80 | 240 | 480 |
| B | 70 | 210 | 420 |
| C | 60 | 180 | 360 |
| D | 50 | 150 | 300 |
| E | 40 | 120 | 240 |
The proportion of candidates acquiring these grades in 2007 are below :
Mathematics
| Male | Female | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 60093 | ||
| Grade A | 42.6% | 45.5% | 43.7% |
| Grade B | 20.8% | 22.2% | 21.4% |
| Grade C | 15.8% | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Grade D | 10.9% | 10.0% | 10.4% |
| Grade E | 6.4% | 5.0% | 5.9% |
| Grade U (FAIL) | 3.5% | 2.2% | 3.0% |
Further mathematics
| Male | Female | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 7972 | ||
| Grade A | 57.1% | 56.2% | 56.8% |
| Grade B | 19.4% | 20.2% | 20.3% |
| Grade C | 11.6% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| Grade D | 6.6% | 6.2% | 6.5% |
| Grade E | 3.6% | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Grade U | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.6% |
Criticisms
It has been suggested by The Department for Education that the high proportion of candidates who obtain grade A makes it difficult for universities to distinguish between the most able candidates. The 2010 exam session has introduced an A* grade that distinguishes between better candidates.The A* grade in maths is awarded to candidates who achieve an A (480/600) in their overall A Level as well as achieving a combined score of 180/200 in modules Core 3 and Core 4.