A-Level Maths and Further Maths at Watford Grammar School For Boys

Reasons why you should study maths. Because it is a useful A level to have for University degrees and future careers. Because you are good at it. Because you enjoy it!

Highest starting pay by degree SubjectPayNeed maths? Medicine£31,000Preferred Dentistry£29,000Preferred Operational Research £29,000Yes Chemical Engineering £28,000Yes (some further maths) Biotechnology£26,000Helps Vet£26,000Helps Economics /Finance £26,000Most require

If you are really good at maths or are thinking of studying maths, economics, engineering or physics at a top university then you should study maths and FURTHER MATHS

Why? Further maths broadens and deepens the maths covered. It introduces new topics such as matrices and complex numbers. These can be vital for maths-rich degrees in areas such as sciences, engineering, statistics, economics and computing as well as maths itself. You will study more maths that’s relevant to your university course to give you a head start. Some prestigious universities now require a further maths qualification or prefer students who have studied further maths to at least AS level.

Maths is the most popular (numerically) A- level course in the school. This year in the lower sixth: 150 students are studying maths 60 students are studying further maths

Maths and Further Maths Maths and Further Maths count as ONE option but lead to TWO A2s at the end of the sixth form. You study Maths to A2 level in addition to three other subjects at AS in the lower sixth form. You study Further Maths to A2 level in addition to three other subjects in the upper sixth form. In Year 12, you study Maths and Further Maths for 6 lessons each week (one more than the maximum for other subjects).

What do you study in the Lower Sixth? Pure maths (C1, C2, FP1) algebra number trigonometry calculus numerical methods complex numbers matrices Mechanics (M1) motion in a straight line force Newton’s laws of motion Decision (D1) algorithms linear programming graphs and networks Statistics (S1) descriptive statistics permutations and combinations discrete random variables probability correlation between variables

Maths and Further Maths Lower Sixth : Maths and Further Maths AS C1, C2, FP1, D1, S1, M1 modules There is no coursework Homework – 5 hours per week Upper Sixth : Maths and Further Maths A2 C3,C4, FP2, S2, S3, M2, M3 modules Begin modules in June 2015 There is no coursework Homework – 5 hours per week

Examination schedule May/June lower sixth C1, C2, FP1, D1, M1, S1 Maths and Further Maths AS completed May/June upper sixth C3,C4, FP2, S2, S3, M2, M3 Maths and Further maths A2 completed (Further maths AS requires FP1 plus 1 more module to give 9 in total)

Entry requirements for further maths Entry requirement for further mathematics option is an A* in GCSE mathematics. If you wish to choose further maths just choose further maths on your option form - you do not need to choose maths as well

A2 and AS maths grades in 2014 UEDCBAA*Total AS maths AS further maths A2 maths A2 further maths

AS maths grades ABCDEUTotal

Reasons why you shouldn’t study maths. You don’t enjoy it. You are not very good at it. You are not prepared to work hard and practice maths!