Maths A Level - Dd can't keep up with the Asian Students

She should type examsolutions into Google and she will find a website that has videos of every possible topic in A level maths. There are also links to past papers and video solutions of past exam paper questions. She should watch the videos of all the topics she finds tricky.

If you can't find it, message me and I will send you the link

If it's a single maths A level class, it seems a bit crap to be going beyond the level of half the class (and the teacher!) in an attempt to keep the other half occupied.

It does sound like your daughter could be doing more to help herself (there are some maths teachers on YouTube as well, e.g. Mr Hegarty - sometimes just hearing someone else's explanation can be really helpful), but it also sounds like someone needs to tell this teacher to calm down and stick to the syllabus. And provide enrichment material as necessary, rather than as a starting point.

I don't feel comfortable complaining and like to keep things positive if possible

Hmm ... I failed Maths O' level - but I'm pretty sure that within half an hour I could find half a dozen brilliant maths websites that would cover the whole of your DD's syllabus. She has an academic scholarship - why can she not do the same? Why do you have to find them for her?

And you say she's missing the maths clinics because she doesn't want to let down the sports team?

Perhaps you both need to be more proactive? She needs to focus on what needs prioritising and you need to be in constant dialogue with the school and pin them down to a clear explanation of their aims. It's not necessarily a question of complaint - but finding the best way forward so that an academic scholar can fulfill her potential there and do the school credit.

DCs found that Khan Academy was really useful when they needed to revise/improve certain areas of Maths.
One DC was in a small class with several Asian (Thai) students and learnt a lot from them (both Maths and work ethic!)
Your real problem is the poor Maths teaching which is difficult to solve ... but Maths is certainly a subject where spending more time and working through as many problems as possible helps.

I wouldn't pay for my DC to do A level maths with a teacher who had a psychology degree. (While private schools can hire who they want, one of the selling points of my DC's school is that they are taught by teachers who have degrees in relevant subjects.)

On the other hand, putting together comments from OP: all the maths teachers in the school are hopeless so no point attending maths clinics; the homework is too hard so no point trying it. And OP's DD doesn't like mymaths, so doesn't do the suggested practice questions on mymaths either. If this is a well-respected private school, I find it hard to believe that the maths department is really that poor - some of the blame has to taken by the pupil not doing homework or going to clinics.

Dd needs to spend more time trying to find solutions to her problems than sitting around moaning.

That sounds spot on-it is possible to sail through GCSEs hardly doing anything outside school but at A level that's not really possible any more. Your dd needs to decide if she actually wants to carry on with maths or not, and if she does she has to start treating it more seriously than she is at the moment. It doesn't sound like the teacher is necessarily doing a stellar job but unis won't make allowances for that when she gets her results. There are lots of past papers, notes, worked examples etc on the website below. Exam boards are less relevant in maths than other subjects. Any questions she tries (aqa, edexcel etc) will be good practice.
www.physicsandmathstutor.com/maths-revision/

Is her academic scholarship dependent on her attending all the practices? It seems daft that a struggling student wouldn't be taking opportunities for extra help.

Why set work above A level? Who does this uness it is further maths? He should teach to an agreed lesson plan and syllabus. I would ask the Head of 6th Form if he is actually teaching the syllabus. No-one can work beyond the syllabus if they have not built up their knowledge so this is utterly ridiculous for the ordinary students. I would say A* is good enough preparation for A level (what else is there for the vast majority?) but the iGCSE did have further elements in it that were A level standard. The best girls at my DD's school were accelerated beyond GCSE and AS. Is there another class she could go into where the pace is slower?

This may, also, be a problem with changing school. It takes a while to settle into the teaching styles of new schools. It sounds like she is not used to sitting alongside Asian Maths whizz students. My DD found their intelligence in maths and science daunting, but held her own. If they have just arrived for 6th form, they can keep themelves to themselves. Most did at my DD's school and didn't really help anyone or join in with anything. The school loved their results and their money though!

I would not be impressed with a Head Teacher who cannot sort this out! They may be lovely and approachable but they are fobbing you off! Nicely.

Unfortunatly I think it sounds like the maths teaching is quite poor & you need to look st moving your dd whilst it is still possible.

Many of the other kids probably did further or additional maths at GCSE (and got A^) which will be helping them bridge the gap.

Your DD needs to work harder, do lots of practice questions until she does get it and use MyMaths, tough shit if she "doesn't like it."

Having said that, my boys are at an independent school, ALL the maths teachers have maths degrees and I'd be inwilling to payimpressed if they didn't.

This happened to my dh 25 years ago. Massive leap between GCSE and A level. He ended up changing subject.
Can you buy the revision guides for further maths and the a levels from amazon? It's also really easy to find practice questions on line for whichever subject you're revising and youtube is great for tutorials.
My son hates Mymaths too, but there's plenty of other stuff available if you look for it. Your dd just needs a bit of oomph to go find it.

Bunny - not quite true about 11+. I'd say the hardest questions on 11+ maths are at an equivalent level to grade C GCSE, but not all of them. Also there are some topics included at GCSE not included in 11+.

The teacher does indeed need to teach to the curriculum and that means spending time teaching the OP's child and those like her first and foremost to keep them up to standard. If that means the more advanced kids are bored or need to be given other work to do quietly during lessons, then that's what needs to be done.

Our niece had a similar problem with A level German. She got A at GCSE and was in a very small group of less than 10 doing A level in the school's sixth form, with just one other "British" pupil, all the others either being German themselves (it was a boarding school) or with a German parent, so they were head and shoulders above my niece from day 1. The teacher concentrated on them because they were the majority and they were being taught in a completely manner because they had to "dumb down" their answers to pass a British A level in a subject they knew inside out so were bring taught how to pass the exam rather than being taught the subject. My sister had countless phone calls and emails with the teacher but it didn't improve, then she started talking to the HOD, again, nothing, and finally the head, who likewise did nothing. Eventually, she withdrew her daughter and took her to a different school where she excelled again.

Whilst talking/complaining to the school seems the sensible answer, in a lot of cases, the school just ignore you and do what they want anyway.

Sadly an A at maths GCSE is just a mediocre grade

A maths teacher/tutor we know says that the 11+ Maths papers are similar to the GCSE foundation, so passing the 11+ at aged 10 is roughly equivalent to a C grade at GCSE level six years later, so, yes, it's not particularly hard to get a top grade in Maths.

(Ps I think the A* grade being described as mediocre is perhaps in comparison to similar, but not the same, qualifications at similar ages in other countries. Sadly, it's true for a lot of countries, and a lot of subjects)

If what your dd says is true, then I'd be very cross and go in guns-a-blazing.

I'd make sure it is exactly as she describes it first though, as it is far from uncommon for students not doing as well as others to say "the teacher is rubbish, doesn't know how to teach etc etc"

If what she has said is verifiable, then she'd be right. But check first.

Is echo everyone else in saying it is a big jump from GCSE to A-level... I took the 3rd year of GCSEs many moons ago and we were still taught the same O-level syllabus regardless to take away that gap! I do think however Maths is probably one of the few subjects where you can teach yourself as doing examples is best way to learn!!! There must be more than one maths teacher at the school?? If she feels she can't talk to her teacher could she go and speak to head of maths? If she is motivated to get on top of the issue she could ask for revision worksheets.... And then use the clinics to force him to explain bits she needs.
One other thought.... Not sure how the A-level she is doing is structured but it may be the stuff she is doing so far has been more conceptually difficult for her.... Eg I never got Stats anywhere near as easily as mechanics (this continued all the way through.... I did double maths and maths degree.... First time penny dropped on stats was doing stats course on my MsC which was aimed at non maths bods!!!)

It sounds like you dd may have just done what was needed to pass her GCSEs, where as many other students will really study the subject giving them a big head start on a levels.

Hmmm. My dd the Chinese girl in the class is forever helping her non Asian friends in maths. Her non Asian friends are always helping her with her MFL and Humanities subjects. My suggestion is make friends with the Asians save money on the tutor. O btw maths is not only the preserve of the Asians. My dd's best friend is Russian and she is also top of the class. Although if the Asians have just stepped of the plane. Yes in China they are about 3 years ahead. That said they understand how to answer the question but may not be able to apply the concept unless taught.

Op, as one person has already said, in many independent schools they take math GCSEs in y10 and y 11 is indeed bridging.year 12 is still hard for those who have been in the English system.

In DS's school it is noticeable that
a) the far eastern and e European kids work far far far harder than the English ones. I mean they spend hours during the week and at weekends sorting out what they don't understand until they do.
B) the school takes in more at 6th form. The far eastern ones may already have done the AS curriculum. And they have nearly all spent four taught hours a day doing maths before they came. Before homework.

It is hardly surprising they do much better.

Your daughter however should do all the extra the school provides. Only then should you complain, unless you have witnesses to show he does not know his subject, not just your dd. She will also have to spend a lot of time really focusing on it.

Sorry if this sounds tough, but it is the reality. If she does she will go back to enjoying it and a maths ALevel is the most valuable. But it is also the one has had the most increasing uptake, for that reason and the pressure to find teachers is high.

Grumpy- my dh did geology at school, definitely a subject.

Teachers often end up teaching outside their speciality, my original degree and PGCE is in MFL.
I now teach English (not in the UK)
I am now more comfortable teaching English than MFL as I familiar with the syllabus and content.

I doesn't make me a bad teacher, but you do need a well organised department and good support for non specialists

hoping no one ever asks me to teach maths