A Level Maths - how much of a jump from GCSE?

[MsRyanGosling]

DS 1 has opted for A level Maths because he is perhaps fancying computer science at uni. The few we looked at all ask for A level Maths. He is at his schools 6th form.

He is not naturally talented at Maths. He got a B at GCSE in yr 11 and a C on Foundation paper in yr 10.

He is also doing physics (A @ GCSE) , IT (A @ gcse) and Psychology. He has no problem with these so far.

However, his 6th form have decided that they will be tested every four weeks and if they don't pass will be kicked off.

Had the first test this week and he got 21%. Says only one person passed, this was a boy who got an A* at GCSE and the highest mark in the school. Teacher said he was expecting 80%.

What I think has happened is DS was in set 3 for Maths and appears not to have been taught some of the higher level stuff which the kids ( a and a *s) who were in set 1 were. Perhaps something to do with I think, if I understand it right, he was fast tracked in yr 10? and missed stuff due to that, but I might not be right about that.

So to get to the bloody point.

Once they get into the A level syllabus and work will he be taught things from scratch or is he screwed if he doesn't get the a* gcse stuff. Does that make sense?! He can do the maths in physics well enough.

I'm old enough to have done O levels, so maybe that's the difference - tbh I only took maths A level after being persuaded into it by school, so I definitely wasn't a particularly dedicated student

Dcs school do a finance level 2 certificate as enrichment which i think covers function al maths skills i think

Maths A-level is now easier than the 80s because they took out a substantial amount of content in 2004 and moved it to further maths. This is because when AS levels were introduced and curriculum changes made in 2000, loads of people failed maths and take-up plummeted. They had to make it easier in order to get more students to take it.

Then in 2006, GCSE maths was amended to remove the intermediate tier. The higher tier which used to be a 4 hour rigorous study of B-A* material is now watered down with 50% of the paper covering grade C and D content so the brighter kids are never really challenged and it's poor preparation for A-level. Schools are starting to make up for this by entering top sets for additional maths qualifications to try to bridge the gap.

Yes, our A/A* students nab that grade in year 10 and do Further Maths GCSE in year 11 - I think it is GCSE anyway, it seems to have a funny top grade (A hat?) but, anyway, those doing it have said it has been a help in the transition to A level.

Math genius here... Not bragging, just a fact... Got A's at maths and further maths... Maths was a proper pain in the ass (further was fun)... Physics a-level overlapped a bit with Maths (mechanics section)... maths A level is (was 20 yrs ago at least) no place for B GCSE (unless proper extenuating circumstances)... He will need to work his ass off to hang with the Astar pupils... He's right that's its useful for CompSci later at Uni but not if he gets less than a B. probably a good thing he is shocked at the beginning... He has no time to waste.

Trust anything you see typed by noblegirraffe.

S/he knows what s/he is talking about.

I have followed her on other sites, s/he's the dog's bollocks

maybe even those noblegiraffe

Thanks