“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try” - Gail Devers

Yesterday was A-Level results day – probably one of the most important days in the lives of all 18 year-olds so far! With GCSE results day looming, your sons or daughters might be considering taking maths for A-Level, depending on how they do at GCSE.  So here’s our Q&A with A-Level Maths expert Pete Davies to help the decision process!

For all those thinking about taking A-Level maths in September – is it difficult?

Obviously, the mathematics gets more demanding, as with any A-Level subject. Students who were confident and successful in GCSE maths normally make the transition to studying A-level easily enough.

Do you need a certain grade in maths GCSE to be able to do it?

This will depend on the school or college that you are applying to study A-Levels at. You will probably find that most places ask for a grade 7 or above. I have known students do very well at A-Level after getting a grade 6 however.

If a student didn’t follow a Further Maths Level 2 course alongside GCSE  – are they at a disadvantage?

The Level 2 course is a good preparation for A-Level as it introduces some A-Level topics like calculus. A student who has been successful at GCSE will not be disadvantaged. The school or college will have to teach these topics anyway, and they will tend to pick up the new knowledge quickly.

What topics are included in A-Level maths, and what are the weightings of each topic?

Two thirds of the A-Level course is Pure maths. This develops areas like algebra and trigonometry from GCSE, and introduces a number of new areas of maths, like calculus and logarithms. The rest of the course is split between Statistics and Mechanics. Every student has to follow the same course, though there are differences in how the Exam Boards assess their candidates.

Are the exams spread out throughout the 2 years, or are they all at the end?

All students will take their A-Level examinations at the end of Year 13. There are three exams, each two hours long, and calculators are allowed throughout. Some schools and colleges expect their students to take the AS examination at the end of Year 12, but not all. This does not count towards the A-Level assessment.

What’s your top piece of advice for a student just starting out with A-Level maths?

Always ask the teacher to explain or elaborate on a piece of maths that you have not fully understood. It is important that your understanding of the maths is secure at each stage. The relationship between student and teacher is different now, and teachers should welcome questions from students.

For any students halfway through A-Level maths and struggling – what tips do you have?

It depends on what is causing you to struggle. Maybe you are not working hard enough to practice the topics that have been taught – do more practice! Maybe you are not asking for help or explanation enough – ask more, or find good explanation online. Maybe the quality of teaching is not great – think about getting a tutor!

What’s the best way to learn / revise A-Level maths?

The trick with learning is to take some new learning in maths, and then practice hard at putting that new skill or understanding into practice, and applying it to lots of questions. That’s how you build up your experience of being able to understand what a question is looking for, and which piece of maths is needed.

What’s A-Level Further Maths all about? Should you do that too?

It’s more challenging than normal A-Level, and takes things deeper. You get more choice of units to take so you can specialise more, for instance, in Statistics maybe. If you are thinking of doing a degree in Maths, Further Maths A-Level is definitely an advantage. If you absolutely love maths, you will also love it!

Which professions require A-Level maths?

No career or profession will demand that you have A-Level maths. For some, particularly in areas like engineering, technology, accountancy and statistical research, having a maths A-Level is valuable. Even in careers like architecture, law and psychology, an A-Level in maths is looked on favourably.

How could an A-Level maths tutor help?

The role of a tutor is varied. In a one-to-one tuition session, a tutor can explain things and respond to questions more effectively than might happen in a classroom. A tutor might have a different way of seeing or explaining a piece of mathematics that might make more sense. They can pinpoint where a piece of understanding is lacking, and remedy this.

What advantage does taking A-Level maths have when it comes to University application?

Maths is regarded as a “facilitating subject”, particularly by Russell Group Universities. They value the qualities that undertaking an A-Level in maths will develop in a student. These include the ability to analyse a situation intelligently and see a clear picture, and to problem solve.

Which other subjects go well alongside A-Level maths?

Maths A-Level will often sit alongside Science A-Levels. They are a natural blend, for instance in how Maths and Physics both look at things like forces. Maths A-Level also fits in very well with a range of other A-Levels, including Social Science subjects like Psychology, where the ability to analyse a problem and see a path to a solution is important.

Do I need any special equipment?

You will need to upgrade your calculator. Many schools and colleges recommend that you buy a graphical calculator, but the Casio Classwiz calculator achieves just about everything you need at A-Level, and costs around £30.