How much harder is Further Maths Alevel than Maths?

I thought I'd offer a slightly different perspective. I didn't do further maths but I do have a maths degree from a Russell Group university. We caught up the further maths curriculum quite easily in the first term of the degree. Maths is a bit like that, if you are lucky enough to be gifted at it, it is very easy, if not, it is a slog!

Naturally gifted mathematicians (someone who has always been at the top of class/ year group and who can get the top grade - a 9 - without hard work) won't struggle with further maths but personally I preferred not to narrow down my options at 16.

Good luck with the grades - hopefully it's all been sorted now and your DS will get his 9.

20 years ago - if GCSE maths was a doddle and you started looking at the Maths A-Level syllabus in year 11 because you were bored with the triviality of the GCSE syllabus then it's worth doing further maths.

if GCSE felt like it was the "right" level of challenge and stretch for it to be some work for you and not too easy, then just the ordinary A-Level would be the right next step. depending on the specific board the school uses, one could do a half-way option by doing an A-level in maths that had modules in pure maths and applied mechanics, and then separately an AS in statistics. then you get 1.5 A-Levels without having to tackle the more challenging higher level stuff.

I remember my best mate and a couple of others finding it extremely hard! They did the A level in one year then the further maths the next.

I got an A in GCSE Maths but dropped out of A level maths after a term as I was predicted an E

In hindsight I worked bloody hard for that A at GCSE and I’m certainly not a natural mathematician.

Interesting responses. DS plans on taking double maths A level as long as he gets at least an 8 in his GCSE tomorrow. He has very comfortably got 9s in mocks so is expecting a 9.

His school do 9 maths lessons a week but do the normal maths A level content in yr 12 and then the further maths content in yr13 taking both exams at the end of year 13.

My daughter got a level 9 in GCSE maths along with all her other subjects. She found maths GCSE “easy” She is exceptionally good at self teaching and can figure out moth mathematical problems by herself. She gave up further maths in the November of year 12 as the workload and the level of the maths was not worth the risk of her dropping a grade. Her maths teacher said forget further maths unless you are planning on taking maths at degree level.

Do you mean how much harder is further maths A level than maths A level?

Significantly. A-level maths is also a big step up from GCSE. I would only recommend it to talented mathematicians who get a grade 8 or 9 at GCSE.