Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

A level maths - any experience?

20 replies

mrsmaturin · 26/08/2014 21:46

Dd originally planned to do two science A-levels plus History and Eng Lit. She has her eye on a science based degree which needs two sciences for applications. In discussions earlier last year her school suggested she think about maths instead of one of the arts subjects. She was not too keen at first but then enjoyed working for Further Maths GCSE. She's come out with an A* in Maths and A in Further Maths. Her plan is now to ditch English and do Maths instead. I'm fine with that except in all honesty I can't imagine anybody enjoying maths. It's just so alien to me.
Can anybody say something to reassure me? A candidate who does well as she did at GCSE is likely to do well at A-level too isn't she?

OP posts:
Stealthpolarbear · 26/08/2014 21:48

Of course
Plenty of people enjoy maths and it's a good subject to study

Stealthpolarbear · 26/08/2014 21:48

And well done to her

TheOriginalWinkly · 26/08/2014 21:51

My experience is a bit out of date now, but I got the same results in GCSE maths and further maths as your DD, and I loved my A Level maths course. I got an A, with 100% in 2 of the 4 papers. Plus it took a lot of strain out of the other science A Levels which had a reasonable maths content.

SwedishEdith · 26/08/2014 21:52

Depends. I know of someone who was all As and A*s for gcses - top 5 results in school pupil - who has failed Maths AS. So, not always predictable

Stealthpolarbear · 26/08/2014 21:54

But that's true of any subject
I suspect the best predictor of performance is previous performance

Fuzzymum1 · 26/08/2014 21:58

My eldest got an A for GCSE, hated sixth form and barely worked at all and failed AS maths. My second son is much more studious and has just got an A* in maths - he plans to do Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths.

A friend of mine loves maths and is currently half way through a maths degree with the OU which she is doing purely for fun!

Vicky5910 · 26/08/2014 22:01

Oh I love maths :D I did it at a-level and degree level. Being female with maths qualifications is very rare and in demand, and if she is happy to work hard and put in effort at home as well as at school, then she will be fine! X

noblegiraffe · 26/08/2014 22:03

If she wants to do science, then she absolutely should be doing maths A-level. She will need it! I teach many teenagers A-level maths and many of them enjoy it. Those that don't particularly enjoy it appreciate its importance. Maths is the only A-level with a proven link to increased future earnings (10% higher!).

Why not read this www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elizabeth-truss-on-support-for-maths-and-science-teaching which discusses the importance of maths A-level, especially for girls.

And if she did well at maths and further maths GCSE, then she is facing the best possible start to her A-level. The problem with students failing at AS is usually the huge jump from GCSE to A-level, especially if they only got an A at GCSE, but your DD got an A* and also the further maths GCSE which is designed to bridge the gap. An ideal candidate.

Bluecatinabox · 26/08/2014 22:37

Maths is fantastic fun! Go on let her have a go. By the way it has been shown (according to the BBC) that people who have a maths A level go on to earn more as well! A win/win I say.

Original poster
mrsmaturin · 27/08/2014 00:06

This is encouraging thanks. It was the Further Maths that really sold her on it tbh - she found she enjoyed tussling with it. I guess I'm just a bit surprised. She wants to look at Oxbridge/Russell group unis so there is no doubt I think that a solid Maths AS will help her application and she still has the History for a bit of balance (that's rich coming from me - somebody who did only Arts A-levels! Grin)

OP posts:
summerends · 27/08/2014 01:45

She may end up / be better off doing maths as a full A level rather than History if she wants to apply for science degrees (even more so if she is doing physics).

kittybelle · 27/08/2014 02:37

Agree best STEM degrees need Maths - and Maths will keep many more doors open for her as well as be a great support for other sciences at A level esp physics.

I was looking at course content for a few STEM degrees and a big chunk in Yr 1 was a module "Maths for Science"

Look at it as like someone who enjoys cross words - the challenge, the problem solving etc.

BOFster · 27/08/2014 02:52

I've just seen this quotation from the great Facebook page I fucking love science :

“Let's face it; by and large math is not easy, but that's what makes it so rewarding when you conquer a problem, and reach new heights of understanding.”

Danica McKellar

hellsbells99 · 27/08/2014 07:42

DD1 has just finished AS maths and has loved it - "it's either right or wrong - you know where you are with maths".
DD2 is just about to start AS maths - her favourite subject.

BeckAndCall · 27/08/2014 07:52

what kind of science degree does she waant to do OP?

If its physics or engineering, she absolutley needs maths A level. Less prescriptive for biology or chemistry or medicine but still very usual. Many degrees have a full first and sometimes second year of maths eg incl my DDs biochemistry mixture. It just makes it harder if you haven't done A level

has her school given any advice? its hard to believe someone hasnt told her that she would be disadvantged without it?

DoctorDonnaNoble · 27/08/2014 08:01

Speaking as an English teacher who has had a year 11 form 4 times now and gone through the A Level options several times, if a student is capable of doing Maths A Level AND doesn't throw up at the idea of doing Maths for another two years, I would always recommend doing it.
It's not just useful for Science degrees. When I went to Reading University, 1997, the two biggest failure/drop rates in the Arts Faculty were Economics and Psychology - both required a Maths module in year 1. One of my mates had to switch to Philosophy as he failed the Maths module twice.

Original poster
mrsmaturin · 27/08/2014 09:16

School suggested it - but then they also suggested she should do medicine , which she absolutely does not want, because she'd earn more so I wasn't crazy about their career advice. She's interested in Biomedical Science which (we checked directly with admissions at two RG unis) does NOT insist on Maths but needs two sciences. The advice from the unis was to pick two other subjects she enjoyed - which she has, that just now happens to include Maths so all good I guess.

OP posts:
kittybelle · 27/08/2014 20:40

Look at the Biomed degree syllabus for each year - when I looked at Engineering degrees - a big part was Maths for Science - and she might be better placed to pass this unit if she has done at least AS rather than not looked at a number since she was 16...

scissy · 27/08/2014 21:13

She'll be fine, as others have said, it's generally useful for most science degrees as even if they don't insist on maths A-level there will usually be a maths module in the 1st year, which will definitely be harder if she's not done A-level. Also, the content of maths A-level is generally far more interesting than GCSE (less numeracy, more 'maths') - she might even find she enjoys this side of maths much more and go on to do it degree level! I know several people this happened to, including me Smile

Noodledoodledoo · 29/08/2014 13:46

I'm fine with that except in all honesty I can't imagine anybody enjoying maths. It's just so alien to me.

There are lots of us who do love it!!! Although I am biased as a Maths teacher.

To keep my brain working during my mat leave I have set myself the challenge to complete all the A level texts to refresh my knowledge as I don't teach it and really want to when I go back after Mat leave - I have covered the work when I did my A level and my Degree but that is pushing 20 years ago so a little rusty!!

To me its a challenge and something fun!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page