Additional maths (OCR)

SomersetBrie · 2023-07-20T09:42:49+00:00

DC has been offered AdMaths as an option after school from September (Y10). He's top set maths but not amazing at maths, probably middle of class. Is this worth doing? I feel it is, he's interested in mathsy careers so might want to take A Level maths. He's predicted a 7/8 and more maths might help. However, I don't want to distract him from actual maths or his other subjects. They've been told the exam is optional at the end (he's already decided that he doesn't want to take exam.......)

Marisquita · 20/07/2023 13:46

It feels a bit topsy-turvy thinking about taking on more content when his GCSE maths is looking good but not brilliant (albeit not yet Y10 so some time in hand). If he were my child I’d be wanting to ensure that he has his underlying maths as secure as possible before taking on extra. Could he do some work over the summer to that end (we use CGP Mathsbuster which is all online and very reasonable at £12.99 for a 3-year licence) and take the final decision on AdMaths in September?

PollyHolly · 20/07/2023 14:41

Our school offers Further Maths to top set but the numbers doing it slowly reduce over the 2 years. This is not seen as a problem - the attitude is there's no harm in starting but it's firmly a 10th or even 11th choice for many students, so if it's not working, give it up.

Managing the volume has a big part of GCSE studies for mine, but it varies a lot from school to school - what the homework load is like, whether they are already squeezing triple science into the same teaching time as others do double, how the individual student copes with their personal load. For us these are more significant factors than maths ability, and harder to predict. I tend to think learning more is good if it doesn't stress you out, and you can stop if it's not working.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 20/07/2023 14:53

Thanks for your responses.
I believe, but am not sure, that AdMaths is less of a step away from GCSE maths than Further Maths is. I don't think we'd be considering FM as that feels like a whole extra subject. He's not doing triple science, that's offered as an option rather than squeezed into double science time, and he prefers other subjects.
He likes computer science and I am thinking that he might therefore have to do a Maths A Level, and I guess if he does AdMaths, he'd have a better idea at the end of Y10 if it was an option.
We are told "spaces are limited" which is why he might sign up now rather than wait til September. There is no way on earth he'll do any extra work in the summer. His 7/8 is based on the minimal amount of work he puts in at the moment.

OP posts:

Rummikub · 20/07/2023 14:57

I think grade 7/8 is brilliant. It’s an A/A*.

if it’s offered then seems like a
good idea to take it as he is potentially interested in A level maths.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 20/07/2023 15:04

I'd be thrilled if he got a 7/8 - I think it is brilliant!
However, there are some kids who are just totally acing every test and he is not one of those.
I don't want to distract him from GCSE maths by having him spend time on some other maths, but I think approaching the work and not having to do the exam (school were very clear the exam is optional) might be the way to go.

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Rummikub · 20/07/2023 15:08

Yes agree with doing the work and deciding later. That’s what my dd did (Tho she sat it, but without feeling the pressure)

Noodledoodledoo · 20/07/2023 16:40

On a quick look OCR Additional Maths is pretty similar to AQA Further Maths at level 2 (GCSE). I'm not an expert as never delivered the courses though.

It will be new content but at his ability will enhance his normal lessons. With it being optional I'd definitely go for it and keep an open mind. We have lots who do the whole course and don't do the exam.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 20/07/2023 16:47

On further reflection, as it is a Level 3 course, I think it may be beyond his ability in Y10.
Speaking to him after school now, he's not as keen as he was when he first heard about it, and there is no point in forcing him to do it.
I might just wait until September and see what happens then. Right now, it's school's out and not the time to be thinking about another extra subject!

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Dido2010 · 20/07/2023 16:47

HI @SomersetBrie !

Universities generally like the best possible GCSE results across all subjects. As such, I would focus your son on his actual formal GCSE subjects, even if he's a bit bored by repeated revision. And I would challenge him to raise his predicted grade to a clear 9 and to score 100% in his Maths Mock Exam(s) and the actual GCSE Maths Exam. His eventual score will be important to his school in advising whether he should go on to take A Level Maths.

He can do lots of extra maths privately after his GCSEs, perhaps helped by some guidance from school.

noblegiraffe · 20/07/2023 16:47

I believe, but am not sure, that AdMaths is less of a step away from GCSE maths than Further Maths is.

Additional maths is more difficult than Further Maths. FM is a level 2 (GCSE level) qualification where Add Maths is level 3 and attracts UCAS points.

If he's predicted a 7/8 then tbh he is probably better spending his time on the GCSE content and getting his maths grade as high as possible If he wants to do A-level maths.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 20/07/2023 16:53

Dido2010 · 20/07/2023 16:47

HI @SomersetBrie !

Universities generally like the best possible GCSE results across all subjects. As such, I would focus your son on his actual formal GCSE subjects, even if he's a bit bored by repeated revision. And I would challenge him to raise his predicted grade to a clear 9 and to score 100% in his Maths Mock Exam(s) and the actual GCSE Maths Exam. His eventual score will be important to his school in advising whether he should go on to take A Level Maths.

He can do lots of extra maths privately after his GCSEs, perhaps helped by some guidance from school.

I think this is the right advice for us.
This morning I was just happy he was invited to do the course so that maybe clouded my judgement on the right path.
If he does need to do A Level maths, he can worry about that when he's a bit more mature and it's more realistic to think he'll do some extra work through Y11 than that he will do it now.
Last thing I want is for AdMaths to put him off maths totally and send his GCSE grade down.

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Original poster

SomersetBrie · 20/07/2023 16:54

noblegiraffe · 20/07/2023 16:47

I believe, but am not sure, that AdMaths is less of a step away from GCSE maths than Further Maths is.

Additional maths is more difficult than Further Maths. FM is a level 2 (GCSE level) qualification where Add Maths is level 3 and attracts UCAS points.

If he's predicted a 7/8 then tbh he is probably better spending his time on the GCSE content and getting his maths grade as high as possible If he wants to do A-level maths.

Thanks. I am realising this now I have read a bit more about it.
It's a slightly strange choice by the school to offer it - bog standard comp, there won't be large numbers in the class predicted 9s.

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Rummikub · 20/07/2023 16:58

I think this is one of the issues of having grade 9- it devalues the old grade A / 7. So a 7 isn’t seen as good enough.

Ib1234567 · 24/07/2023 18:46

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

MaryleboneParent · 29/07/2023 23:59

My daughter is sitting OCR Add Maths next summer. Her maths teacher has recommended using C1 & C2 of the old A’level maths papers, to revise from. Approx half her year will take it, so around 60. Hope that helps.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 30/07/2023 12:03

MaryleboneParent · 29/07/2023 23:59

My daughter is sitting OCR Add Maths next summer. Her maths teacher has recommended using C1 & C2 of the old A’level maths papers, to revise from. Approx half her year will take it, so around 60. Hope that helps.

What year is your daughter in? Is she taking it alongside GCSEs in Y11?

For my son, I just can't see the wisdom in starting AddMaths at the same time as he starts his GCSE course (Y10).

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BonjourCrisette · 30/07/2023 12:14

DD did Add Maths this year. She really enjoyed it, more so than GCSE. She is a big fan of calculus though and there was quite a lot of that. It is harder than Further Maths GCSE but actually, the extra work and harder questions really fed through to her normal GCSE work which was obviously a lot easier in comparison. DD is not doing Maths A Level and won't be doing anything maths-based later on but she did find it both interesting and useful. She also found it fairly difficult in parts despite being likely to get 8 or 9 at GCSE.

I would suggest doing the work and seeing how he gets on this year. If he is interested in doing Maths A Level, and possibly something maths-based for a degree I think it is definitely worth giving it a shot and seeing how it works out. If he's finding it much too hard, it might be worth thinking carefully about Maths A Level.

MaryleboneParent · 30/07/2023 13:07

She started it in summer term of year 9, I think. All of year 10, but she has covered all of the GCSE work at school already. It’s taught at school. Top 2 sets and 1 of the middle sets. If she takes maths & further maths A’levels, the OCR means that they sit A’level maths in year 12.

Hercisback · 30/07/2023 13:11

I'd consider whether he is wanting to go on and do A level maths at his current school. If he's in a class where all/most of the class have done Add maths and he hasn't, he's at a disadvantage from day 1. I teach a class like this and one of the two students that didn't do add maths has dropped maths after a year.

It will support him in getting a grade 9 as the skills needed (especially algebra) crossover with top end GCSE.

Original poster

SomersetBrie · 30/07/2023 14:16

Hercisback · 30/07/2023 13:11

I'd consider whether he is wanting to go on and do A level maths at his current school. If he's in a class where all/most of the class have done Add maths and he hasn't, he's at a disadvantage from day 1. I teach a class like this and one of the two students that didn't do add maths has dropped maths after a year.

It will support him in getting a grade 9 as the skills needed (especially algebra) crossover with top end GCSE.

Having parked AddMaths for now, I think that this is a really good point.
I'll see if I can find out in September, how many are doing it.
I mentioned above that DS would only be doing A level maths to facilitate another subject (maybe computing, maybe physics) rather than with any plan to take it further than that. And he can see how he gets on with the GCSE course. I think he is better at maths than comes across - he's likely to make a mistake adding 4+2 having done some fairly complex maths earlier in the question. But he might never sort that out!
He did say to me (typically) that he would do it if his friends were. This at least means that if lots of people are doing it, and some of these are his friends, that he will give it a shot.

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MargaretThursday · 30/07/2023 19:23

Admaths, as Noble says, is more advanced and a better step towards A-level than Further maths.
If he's thinking about doing A-level maths, then it's not a bad idea for him to start the classes, but check if it's too much work on top of his GCSEs that he can drop it again.

Dd said that at the 6th form she went to, it was fairly quickly evident who had done Admaths and who had done further maths in her A-level groups (she had 3 different A-level groups pure/mechanics/stats all have different people in) and the further struggled much more with the step up.