Courses / Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics
As with A-level Mathematics, Further Mathematics is a challenging and highly rewarding course that broadens and deepens your understanding and mastery of mathematics. It provides an incredibly useful underpinning for the study of courses with a high mathematical content, such as Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Geology etc… It is often a pre-requisite A-level for the study of Mathematics at the more prestigious universities.
If you choose this course you would benefit from:
- Experienced teachers who specialise in, and are passionate about, mathematics and its applications.
- A supportive environment with access to student workrooms and help and advice from the department’s teachers as required.
- A broad range of resources.
- A course designed to create independent learners fully equipped for the rigors of higher education and professional employment.
In the first year you will study:
- Coordinate geometry in both Cartesian and Parametric forms,
- Differential and integral calculus and their applications,
- Solutions to differential equations,
- Sequences and Series,
- Vectors,
- Trigonometry,
- Exponential and logarithmic functions,
- Statistics,
- Mechanics,
In the second year you will study:
- Matrices,
- Complex numbers,
- Advanced Integration,
- Advanced methods for solving differential equations,
- Advanced numerical methods,
- Hyperbolic functions,
- Polar coordinates
What will I be taught?
This course is taught around a mixture of tradition exposition, individual research and group investigation. Students may be asked to make use of materials on the college Moodle site as well as their own text book to research topics before they are delivered in class. This prior research is then assessed in class and activities follow which allow learners to explore the content in more detail and apply them to more advanced problems.
Classroom activities will include:
- Teacher exposition
- group work
- student led sessions
- written assessments
Based on research into how students learn best, each subject will set independent work to allow you to recap what you have done in the past, consolidate understanding for what you are studying in the present and develop the skills and experiences which will help you for the future. You can read more about the college’s approach to independent study here
The Past
Click here for the suggested ongoing revision activities in this subject which research has shown are most likely to boost your achievement
The Present
Each subject will set weekly homework tasks to help you consolidate your understanding and prepare for your next lesson. This work is typically set through Microsoft Teams, so you will have an electronic log of all your work, notes and feedback.
The Future
A key part of your independent work in this subject will be to prepare for a range of potential jobs and higher education courses when you leave us. To get started, look below at the top higher education courses and jobs which previous students of this course have gone on to do.
Further Mathematics is a required A-level for the study of Mathematics at the country’s top universities. It is a recommended qualification course for the study of Mathematics and Maths based courses at any university. It provides problem solving techniques and a logical approaches to thinking that are highly applicable to the study of, and work in, any academic field.
Former students have gone on to study Mathematics, Physics, Engineering and a wide variety of maths based courses in the physical and social sciences.
5 x GCSE grades 4-9 (incl. English Language)
Additional Requirements
8 in Maths
Not essential but it will help your success…
Commitment to working in an organised way and to developing good communication skills are highly desirable. A good work ethic is desirable.
Pairs well with Physics, Chemistry, Economics and Computing. Further mathematics is 2 A levels and is excellent preparation for studying a highly mathematical subject at university such as Physics, Engineering, Chemistry or Computer Science.
Teaching contact time is 4 hours and 20 minutes per subject. Other workshops will be available throughout the year including over some holiday periods. Students are expected to complete up to 4 hours of independent study to complete assignments, homework, extra reading and independent research.
100% exam
4 exams:
- Papers 1 and 2 consist of Core Pure Mathematics 1 and 2, both forming 25% of the course each.
- Papers 3 and 4 consist of Further Mathematics Option 1 and Option 2, both forming 25% of the course each.