help with further maths aqa gcse

[gcsehelps]

Dd has been entered for further maths as getting a 9 in maths mocks. Apparently she plans to teach it to herself at half term as it has not been taught in school! Is this feasible? How much overlap is there?

Just looking for resources to help her. Is it a level 2 and not a GCSE? Any suggestions of best resources? Ideally split into paper 1 and 2 as she has 5 days free after last GCSE before paper 2 further maths to just prepare for paper 2.

As a level 2 will the result be on the certificate with other AQA GCSE subjects or on a separate certificate? Thank you

Thank you. If we reimburse school will they be ok? DD is doing maths, physics, further maths and computing A levels. However when she applies to uni/employers she wont have A level grades. I guess even a 7 at further maths wouldnt look great as employers wont know how bad her school is.

It's a separate certificate - the boards group equivalent qualifications, so all GCSEs on one; L2 further maths on another. DS did it last year and AQA F Maths is on a separate certificate to his other AQA GCSEs. It's a L2 and not a GCSE because the full range of 9-1 grades aren't available - only 9-6, I think.

And the L2 Further Maths looks good, even if she only gets a 7. All qualifications taken have to be declared on the UCAS form, so simply pretending it didn't happen wouldn't be an option. However, she should then use her personal statement to explain that she was self-taught - and that will definitely impress admissions tutors as evidence of her drive, application, and aptitude. Or her tutor in 6th form can mention it in her reference or extenuating circumstances section of the UCAS form.
If her school is really poor (RI Ofsted or below; low profession to university or poor results) that is picked up and taken into account when they apply.

DS got a 9 in his maths and a 7 in his FM. He found FM much harder than maths, and he found it difficult to find resources with practice questions that were as difficult as the exam questions. He was taught FM at school but still struggled.

He did A-level maths and FM is more like the early stages of that. I definitely wouldn't think someone could learn it in half term. I'd be amazed if she got a 7.

Can you get her a tutor if she really wants to do it?

Thanks for all the advice. I looked at a tutor but too late really and to be fair dd seems to learn much better by herself with videos of topics needed and past papers. If you can only get a grade 9 to 6 what do you get if it is below a 6? I dont think dd will be applying to uni as we have too many children close in age to help her financially.

That would be a shame, as she seems academically able.
There are places like the Sutton Trust who can help with education access.
She could look into specific subject grants, take a gap year to earn and save.

I think she is hoping for an apprenticeship so will continue studying, hopefully getting 9s in everything except english and further maths and hopefully top grade A levels as doing subjects she loves and hopefully somewhere with better teaching, or even a physics teacher!

She doesn't need to do GCSE further maths

It's A Level further maths they want for relevant university degrees

A degree apprenticeship would be great. She gets her degree and money.

At DS secondary he decided not to do FM GCSE because he didn't want to stay after school to do it

He's now just about to take FM A Level and is predicted A star

He will happily tell your DD there is absolutely no point doing FM GCSE is she's not taking maths as an A Level

It will be extra, time and stress that's completely unnecessary and should focus her time on her other subjects

she is taking maths as an a level plus physics and further maths.

school have already put her in for level 2 further maths as she is working at a 9 on the gcse so we would have to ensure school were ok about her not sitting the exam ie see if they would accept reimbursement for their fees

@GHGN Dd just finished further maths and could do the whole paper!! Not sure that has disrespected maths and she says learning FM did not impact on any of her other GCSEs. Glad she made the decision to go ahead despite some negativity here. Some kids are used to having to self teach if they dont have the advantage of a good school. However I think that drive will stand her in a a far better position for life and I am far more proud.

@gcsehelps that's fantastic news! You should be so proud of her. There is massive overlap from the GCSE FM and A-level Maths, so it was absolutely worth doing, as it will get her A-level studies off to a flying start and boost her confidence in starting sixth form.
She is clearly a very talented mathematician. Do hold on to what I said earlier about making sure that it's clear in every application or reference that she has been self-taught in this qualification.
Wishing her a restful summer - the FM GCSE feels like it's on the 98th of June, it's such a long haul

I'm really glad it went well. Well done to your DD!

Thank you. I am so much more proud of the self teaching (for high level topics in all subjects really) than any results achieved at a good school. Even in their gcse maths revision lessons they were given booklets aiming for a 7 to "top" set. It will set her up for future education/uni far better than having everything taught at grammar school and be a great boost to self esteem to know she has done it herself. Totally unfair education system though. Very glad exams are over. She has found herself work experience with a top company in a couple of weeks.

That’s great news OP!

I can see you took my comment personally but it was said objectively.

Let me ask you this question. Let’s say she did very well with one week of self study and gets a good grade in August. Does that mean that the guided 120 hours by AQA is over the top, teachers don’t know how to prepare their students because they need hours of teaching, doing papers and mock exams?

If she does not do well, would you come back here and admit that it was a bad decision?

@GHGN you have an odd attitude. My DC did nothing like 120 hours of preparation for this and got an A^.
My younger DC was told by his tutor that he could prepare for the exam in about half a term (weekly lessons and a little bit of homework).
Do you want the OP’s child to do badly?
It’s really not a hard exam for children who are good at maths.

@GHGN Surely 120 hours is average. Some kids will need far more or never be able to do further maths. Some will need all your skills of teaching and more. However I explained that DD finds maths very easy and it has become apparent she just seems to be able to pick it up instantly. She has been through the questions/answers online since the exam and is still very confident that she could do it so there is no concern about about not getting a great grade. Generally good mathematicians know exactly what marks they got after going through the papers online. Just because she can do it doesnt mean that average kids dont need 120 hours. It feels you have a really negative attitude to self teaching. She would need more than average teaching for English and likely never be able to do creative writing fluently. They all have different strengths.

If she hadnt been getting 8s on past papers she wouldnt have taken the exam and I would have repaid the school for the entry fee so there was no risk of a "bad" decision as future employers would never know she was entered but didnt sit the exam. She is at a school where further maths is not expected and high grades in any subject are rare so employers wont expect it.