Further Maths A Level
Course Overview
Further Maths acts as a perfect bridge between A Levels and university education, helping you to develop the skills required to work at degree level in any subject. Encounter fascinating concepts, such as the complex roots of equations, right from the start of our Further Mathematics course. You will study advanced mechanics and statistics, as well as solve intricate problems and explore new mathematical ideas.
You will be taught in two dedicated groups throughout your time at college, one for Maths and one for Further Maths. Our course is structured so that you can learn complex further maths topics from the start of the year, working at a faster pace and at greater depth.
In Year 1, you will study the following compulsory topics from Further Pure Maths: complex numbers, roots of polynomials, matrices and applications, proof by induction, series and the use of vectors to solve problems with lines and planes in 3D. You will also be studying topics from two applied options, Statistics and Mechanics. The statistics and mechanics will develop the ideas introduced in the mathematics course and also bring in some additional topics.
In Year 2 there is a greater focus on the compulsory Further Pure Maths with topics covering: advanced complex numbers, series and calculus methods, polar coordinates, hyperbolic functions and differential equations. In statistics, we study more advanced theoretical probability and hypothesis tests. In Mechanics, we study elastic strings and collisions in 2D.
Students studying both maths and further maths have an excellent choice of careers, many in well-paid professions. Further maths is also highly regarded by many top universities for mathematics, science and engineering courses, as well as computing and economics.
Year 1 Modules
- Core Pure Mathematics
- Further Statistics 1 and Further Mechanics 1
Year 2 Modules
- Core Pure Mathematics 1
- Core Pure Mathematics 2
- Further Statistics 1
- Further Mechanics 1
Key Info
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Five GCSEs at Grade 5 including:
- Grade 7 in GCSE Maths
- Grade 6 in 2 GCSE Sciences or GCSE Double Science
- Can only be studied as a 4th subject alongside Maths A Level
Assessment
- 100% Exam
- Exam Board: Edexcel
35
Total students
12
Average class size
Why choose this course?
You will enjoy Further Maths if you are a strong mathematician, who enjoys complex problem-solving and exploring new mathematical ideas such as complex numbers. Further Mathematics is taken in parallel with the Mathematics A Level course, so you will relish the prospect of 9 hours of lessons per week.
Further Maths is difficult, but lots of individual support is available because the classes are relatively small. The main support is via drop-in workshops and detailed formative feedback throughout the year.
We also take part in the Senior Maths Challenge, senior maths team challenge and attend the Maths inspiration talks at the University of Cambridge. Other events include the problem-solving day at the Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP) and the exploring Maths conference for year 12 students at Royal Holloway College, London.
Skills you'll gain
Further Maths can be a challenge, even for the most able students, but the rewards are high. This subject is out of reach of all but a select few – less than 2% of all A level candidates take Further Maths, so you are really setting yourself apart. It is therefore a very impressive qualification and can open doors to courses at top universities which might otherwise be out of reach. It will also make life a lot easier in Maths related courses once you get to university.
After Long Road
Further Maths is required on many degrees with a high Maths content, such as Engineering, Physics and Economics. Even if it’s not a requirement for entry, you will find that a lot of students on these degree courses have done Further Maths A level. If you know this is the route you want to take, it’s a good idea to take Further Maths to set yourself up for your degree and ensure you start off armed with knowledge.
Students who recently completed their courses with us are studying:
- Mechanical Engineering at Imperial
- Physics at Manchester
- Mathematics at York
- Computer Science at Durham
- Biology at Nottingham
- Medicine at Plymouth
I felt that Further Maths would stand out on my CV and help me get the apprenticeship I want to take. The different topics are very interesting, and it’s exciting that there’s so much to learn!
