SES A Level Course Guide 2024

Mathematics Edexcel

MATHEMATICS

Mathematics A-Level offers a wealth of benefits, including developing fundamental skills, increased university and career opportunities, the ability to solve real-life problems, mathematical fluency, cognitive development, personal growth, and a strong foundation for future academic pursuits. It is a subject that nurtures critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills, making it a valuable asset in numerous areas of life and is an increasingly sought-after qualification. As part of the course, you will take a much deeper look at aspects of the IGCSE syllabus and explore new concepts, such as logarithms and probability distributions. The course consists of two main focuses, Pure and Applied, in a ratio of 2:1 and taught by two teachers who will focus on the Pure content in the Lower Sixth before starting the Applied content in the Upper Sixth. The Pure course builds around the algebra, calculus and trigonometry introduced at IGCSE Level, whilst the Applied course of Mechanics & Statistics is introduced from a basic level and moves into Bayesian probability, hypothesis testing, kinematic modelling and connected particles. The Casio CG50 graphical calculator is used throughout the course and is a fundamental part of our teaching. We require pupils to achieve a grade of 8 or above at IGCSE as the course builds immediately on some of the more difficult IGCSE content.

Common university courses for pupils with A Level in Mathematics:

• Economics • Engineering • Accountancy and Finance • Medicine

• Physics • Chemistry • Mathematics • Computer Science

The course is assessed at the end of the Upper Sixth with the following examinations:

COMPONENT

ASSESSMENT

CONTENT

Two 2 hr examinations

• Proof • Algebra and Functions • Coordinate Geometry • Sequences and Series • Trigonometry

Pure Mathematics

• Calculus • Vectors

One 2 hr examination

Part A: Statistics: • Data Presentation and Interpretation • Probability • Statistical Distributions • Hypothesis Testing

Statistics and Mechanics

Part B: Mechanics: • Kinematics • Forces and Newton’s Laws • Moments

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