FURTHER MATHEMATICS
Examiniation Board: EDEXCEL
What will I study
Further Mathematics has become an increasingly popular subject for keen and gifted mathematicians. It is a modular course consisting of three units taken in Year 12, for an AS, and a further three units taken in Year 13 to complete the A level.
In Year 12 students study two Decision Maths units, D1 and D2, which introduce a relatively new area of business mathematics concerned with optimisation and project management. The third unit is the extension Pure Maths unit, FP1, which introduces, amongst other topics, matrix algebra, proof and complex numbers. At the end of Year 12, students who successfully complete the course will be awarded an AS in Further Mathematics.
Students who continue into Year 13, and complete a full A Level in Further Mathematics, will study three further extension units, in Pure Maths, Statistics and Mechanics.
What are the opportunities after A level?
Students wishing to apply for the very best universities, especially for courses in Mathematics and Engineering, will have a greater chance of gaining a good offer if they have studied Further Mathematics. Once at university, students also find that they cope much better with the courses having had some prior experience of the extension topics. As with the Mathematics A level, Further Mathematics students have the potential to earn higher salaries when they enter employment.
What are the entry requirements?
Because of the demands of the course, students are expected to have achieved an A* in GCSE Maths. Students with a high A grade may be considered after discussion with the Department. It is also an advantage, but not a requirement, for students to have studied Additional Maths in Year 11. This course is a SECOND qualification in Maths and runs along side the Mathematics A level. Students opting for this course MUST ALSO CHOOSE MATHEMATICS AS AN OPTION IN ANOTHER BLOCK.