Subject Lead for Mathematics: Mrs Tracy Boswell
Tracy.Boswell@wyeschool.org.uk
Mathematics by Mr Leon Morris
Maths was always my favourite subject throughout school as I found finally solving a challenging problem to be extremely satisfying. Mathematics is all about spotting logical patterns and following systems to use and apply them. I was not entirely sure what I wanted to study at university when I chose my A Levels, however, knew that Maths was a great option as a facilitating subject. Maths is not just important in its own academic respect, but also to gives you key life skills such as numeracy, data analysis, logical thinking, and problem-solving.
Why Study Mathematics?
Mathematics is one of the oldest subjects studied by mankind, yet there are more mathematicians alive today than in the rest of history put together. It is a challenging, beautiful, and practical subject, which plays an essential part in our society. You may be considering a career for which Mathematics is needed or for which it may be useful. The good news is that even if you do not know what you wish to do at the moment, Mathematics fits well with both arts and science subjects and is very highly regarded by higher education institutions and employers.
Course Description
At A Level, you have the opportunity to explore much more of Mathematics, both in its pure form and as a subject with a wide range of practical applications. We hope that you will come to love mathematics as a creative discipline full of wonder and excitement, an activity that is intrinsically rewarding. You will study pure mathematics and applied mathematics including statistics and mechanics. The A Level in mathematics is a linear course with no optional modules.
Beyond A Level
Whatever you want to do after school, Mathematics A Level is very highly regarded. Those who have studied mathematics are able to solve problems creatively, think logically and abstractly, are rigorous, and (of course) have facility with numbers.
At university you could study Mathematics alone, beginning with a broad range of mathematical areas and specialising later on, or you can combine Mathematics with a remarkable diversity of other subjects, for example Physics, a Modern Foreign Language, Biochemistry, Economics, Humanities and Psychology. Alternatively, you may wish to study a mathematics-related subject such as Physics, Veterinary Science, Computing, Engineering, and Medicine.
Entry Requirements
The step up from GCSE to A level Mathematics can be daunting. In order to access the A Level material, it is important to work to a minimum GCSE Grade 6 for Mathematics on the Higher tier. For Mathematics A Level, a good understanding and enjoyment of the harder GCSE level algebra content is vital.
Technical Details
Exam Board: Edexcel
Qualification Type: A level
Course Title: Mathematics
Specification Code: 9MAO
External Exams (end of Year 13): 3 exams, 2h each, 33.3% each
Link: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/mathematics-2017.html