Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Nat 5 Application of Maths

3 replies

MessyNDepressy · 03/11/2025 21:30

DS13 is in S3 at school (Scotland) and has been put into this class instead of just Nat 5 Maths. I didn’t know it even existed until he told me this evening but it looks like it’s for kids who they don’t think will do well at Nat 5 Maths and is basically a lower level/easier course. It seems like Higher Application of Maths isn’t accepted to get on to many University courses. Can students do Nat 5 Maths after doing Application of Maths so they can go on to do Higher? I don’t really understand it and am currently feeling pretty negative about it - it just seems pointless, why wouldn’t he just do Nat 4 instead, then Nat 5?

He’s always done well at Maths and gets good reports. Generally gets good test scores - I know because he sends me photos of them to get an extra few £££. If anyone had ever said he was struggling I would get him a tutor. I’m not some kind of tiger mum but we live in a deprived area, I’m a single mum who struggles and I know good qualifications will help him do better in life.

OP posts:
TheChristieAffair · 03/11/2025 21:51

Are you sure he isn’t doing both? My kids did both as they did well in Maths

Spanglybangles · 03/11/2025 23:46

My DD did both as well. However, I work in a secondary school and kids can indeed do Apps of Maths, then Nat 5 if they choose. It was implemented in our school to try and ensure more kids got some kind of maths qualification.

Meredithspants · 03/11/2025 23:50

It’s not a lesser qualification as they’re both Nat 5 but it may be that some university courses could specify Nat 5 maths over Apps… if he did N5 Apps in S4 could he do N5 maths in S5 if he wants to? But yeah DDs school did Nat 5 in both maths and maths Apps (they hadn’t done the Apps course- just got put in for the exam) and now she’s doing higher Apps even though she got A/B in both the N5. The Apps is good for social subjects as it includes statistics etc. It’s definitely not an “easy” option- it’s just not theoretical maths like algebra etc.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread