New maths and further maths A Levels

I think it all comes back down to KS2, where good work is often done. I wonder whether the KS2 SATs could test Levels 4-6 with a 5b or 5c expected of the 'average' student instead of 4b. That would grant crucial extra time at KS3 for harder topics to be brought in earlier; with the necessary foundations.

Do you have any idea how this will work? Will the 1 grade require higher than 90% for the current A* or will it effectively be a renaming? I can't see the highest grade being pushed lower than it currently is.

Isn't this the real issue? I think there were two fundamental problems with the current Maths A-Level. The first is that even with Further Maths, they are just not adequate preparation to get into a maths course in a top university (hence the prevalence of STEP). The second is that it is failing even as a facilitating subject for quantitative courses at university.

The proposed reforms go some way in helping with the second problem (note that the changes to the actual content are minor, but there are encouraging signs the exams will differentiate more). As long as participation doesn't drop, this can only be a good thing.

But we're kidding ourselves if we think that we are stretching our brightest with the current system. For those who are aiming to study maths at university, the current content is nowhere near as helpful as it should be.

There are huge chunks of content which would both be challenging and helpful to a wide range of people. For example, learning to count properly (permutations/combinations, inclusion-exclusion principle, using De Morgan's laws, pigeonhole principle etc.) could be a starting point for both mathmos and those who do stats, so that they get a proper feeling for probability. Similarly, modular arithmetic is a hugely interesting topic that can be taught straight out of GCSE, not least because it starts of very simply.

Why not create multiple courses which properly meet the needs of those who take maths at A-Level? This should include viable and respected alternatives for people who won't (or shouldn't) take A-Level maths in its current form - my gripe extends both for the brightest and weakest in maths. As a nation we need to get over this culture of A-Levels being the only qualification worth having pre-university and actually help people gain the skills or education that will help them in the long-run.

You have it back to front. Grade 1 is the lowest.

Roughly:

Current grades G and F = 1
Current grade E = 2
Current grade D = 3
Current grade C = 4 and 5
Current grade B = 5 and 6
Current grade A = 7
Current grade A* = 8 (bottom 50%) and 9 (top 50%)

The 'pass' grade of a 5 (even though they are all pass grades!) will be set something like two thirds of the way between the current C grade boundary and the current B grade boundary.

Have you seen the
4=Good GCSE
5=International Standard
description?

No. Where did you see this?

Well the development alongside the A Level or the Core Maths is intended to provide suitable material for those who are weaker than A Level

As for STEP - 'twas always so - in the good old days we took S levels

Though, of course, in my day even fewer studied double maths than do so now

Isn't this the real issue? I think there were two fundamental problems with the current Maths A-Level. The first is that even with Further Maths, they are just not adequate preparation to get into a maths course in a top university (hence the prevalence of STEP).

I saw that there was concerns on this thread (I think from Mr M) as to how useful the Core Maths qualification is. What we need is a concerted effort to develop that qualification to help out our students. We don't need the exam boards creating qualifications for the sake of it, without the support and recognition from society. Without that recognition, people will always dismiss it because it isn't an A-Level.

I saw that there was concerns on this thread (I think from Mr M) as to how useful the Core Maths qualification is. What we need is a concerted effort to develop that qualification to help out our students. We don't need the exam boards creating qualifications for the sake of it, without the support and recognition from society. Without that recognition, people will always dismiss it because it isn't an A-Level.

and thank god for centralising exam boards! Having students saying that they want to take Edexcel because it's the "easy" exam board can make teaching sessions a pain sometimes

thanks for that interesting post. could you say what will be the implications for the MEI board ? are they likely to survive as a separate provider ?

MEI's income is not dependent on A Level mathematics (and there is no reason to believe they won't be a big player for the new A Level anyway). They are contracted to run the Further Maths Support Programme and raked in a tidy few million for developing Gower's ideas into the Critical Maths element of the new Core Maths qualification. You don't need to fear for their future!

Too many children are pushed through too much maths too quickly

So we have level 4 students who do not really know how numbers work, what fractions mean, etc

You seem to support Mr Gove's philosophy of "do more" rather than "do it well"

It would be much better for students to study maths at a slower pace so that they actually understood it - that way we would not have to spend so much time re-teaching things that have been taught quickly but in a rote way rather than an understanding way

Not all of the boards have released their Core Maths courses

I have seen a lot of the research that has gone into the development of this idea and am expecting there to be some good courses that will deliver exactly what HE needs

1.2% of A Level mathematics candidates took STEP II last year. It isn't prevalent.

The Core Maths specifications are yet to be approved but they will be as Ofqual will not dare to embarrass the Government.

The only drafts that have been published are from OCR MEI and you will find links below. OCR have not submitted their own specifications but AQA and Edexcel have.

Quantitative Problem Solving

Quantitative Reasoning

I have seen a lot of the research that has gone into the development of this idea and am expecting there to be some good courses that will deliver exactly what HE needs

in the good old days we took S levels

As for STEP - 'twas always so - in the good old days we took S levels

Though, of course, in my day even fewer studied double maths than do so now

The Core Maths specifications are yet to be approved but they will be as Ofqual will not dare to embarrass the Government.

The only drafts that have been published are from OCR MEI and you will find links below. OCR have not submitted their own specifications but AQA and Edexcel have.

Quantitative Problem Solving

Quantitative Reasoning

Did I read somewhere that the new Core maths qualification would be a "certificate" and not an A level, and therefore there was some worry about people taking it up, or have I imagined this?

But if it isn't what higher education requests of students

Did I read somewhere that the new Core maths qualification would be a "certificate" and not an A level, and therefore there was some worry about people taking it up, or have I imagined this?

But it is - the content has been driven by HE