Mathematics

Course summary

There are lots of good reasons for choosing to study Maths at A-level. For the Scientist, the Engineer, the Economist,… those reasons are clear. But, because of its intrinsic logic and beauty, the subject also sits comfortably alongside what is basically an Arts or a Languages combination. So we fi nd choices like English, History and Maths, or Latin, Greek and Maths, as well as various permutations around those themes. The course changed in 2017, and now any candidate in Single Maths will cover common material in Pure Maths, Mechanics and Statistics, regardless of exam board. Two-thirds of the work is in Pure Maths, with the rest being shared equally between Mechanics and Statistics. The other change in 2017 was that questions were set with less structure. Candidates were required to think for themselves far more than had been the case in previous years. The upshot of this is that some students fi nd the course very demanding. Hard work alone in not enough. In order to be successful a candidate needs some natural talent. In 2019 a pass grade could be achieved with a mark of only 13% - a pretty depressing experience for anyone operating at that level. Nationally we have already seen a significant decline in the numbers opting for Maths at A-level, and it is anticipated that the trend will continue.