Maths

Taught at The Westwood Academy & Kenilworth Sixth Form

Exam Board: AQA

Assessment Method:

100% Examination

Why Should I Follow This Course?

You should follow this course if you have a desire to extend your mathematical thinking and really enjoy the subject. The course builds strongly upon skills developed during GCSE Maths, particularly the use of algebra, so you must be fluent in these skills. You must also be prepared to think! You will have to solve problems by drawing on a number of mathematical topics and be prepared to persevere with some lengthy solutions.

What Teaching and Learning Methods Will Be Used?

You will probably be taught in a similar way to your GCSE course. There are aspects of teacher led work, textbook work and investigative work. An initial induction programme and assessment will be used to highlight any gaps in your GCSE knowledge. Written homework tasks will usually be set after each session. In addition, a great deal of independent work is required to achieve outstanding results and you will be expected to consult regularly with staff, both in and out of lessons.

What Will I Learn?

You will study 2 main areas of Mathematics

• Pure Mathematics which will build upon your knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, graphs, sequences and vectors, as well as introducing you to some new topics such as calculus and logarithms. This will be two thirds of the assessment.

• Applied Mathematics which is a combination of two distinct areas: Statistics, which will build upon and extend your knowledge of interpreting and comparing data, as well as looking in more depth at probability. An in-depth analysis of a large Data set is also included. Mechanics which will cross over into Physics, with the study of kinematics, forces, moments and statics.

Where Will This Qualification Take Me?

Apart from further study of Mathematics, many university courses depend on the subject. For example, Science, Medicine, Computing and Engineering based courses use a great deal of mathematics. Subjects such as Geography, Psychology, Economics and Business make use of Statistics. Mathematics is also a requirement for Finance and Accountancy training.

Entry Requirements:

GCSE Mathematics Grade 6.