The Student Room Group

Should I do GCSE Further Maths?

Well my school is holding an after school club where ppl in set one can do optional gcse further maths. The problem is, I don’t really want to do it, and I’m not eager to do it either. But I feel like I have to do so bcos I’m in top set and even my friend who is in a lower set begged my teacher to let him do it and now he can. Him doing this made me feel that I need to do it too. Even though it’s optional and I don’t have to. I don’t rly want to either. What should I do?

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If you don’t want to do it, you won’t work for it so maybe won’t get the best grade so no point
you don't need to do it. no one will care about gcse further maths- specify further up
Reply 3
Original post by Berrydo
Well my school is holding an after school club where ppl in set one can do optional gcse further maths. The problem is, I don’t really want to do it, and I’m not eager to do it either. But I feel like I have to do so bcos I’m in top set and even my friend who is in a lower set begged my teacher to let him do it and now he can. Him doing this made me feel that I need to do it too. Even though it’s optional and I don’t have to. I don’t rly want to either. What should I do?


i did further maths GCSE. The papers get harder each year and if you want to do it, you're gonna have to concentrate a lot on FM because it requires you to think near as much as an alevel student. On a brighter side, it can open you upto doing A level further maths, which can be useful in certain courses and it can make alevel maths easier for you, as you would have already covered a good solid part of it.

I personally feel that if you can dedicate yourself to maths and spend a little extra time on it, then you should do it. But if you sincerely feel that you cannot handle maths at a higher level or have no intentions of doing any maths related course in the future, then don't do it.

Hope that helped :smile:
Original post by brownguytorule
i did further maths GCSE. The papers get harder each year and if you want to do it, you're gonna have to concentrate a lot on FM because it requires you to think near as much as an alevel student. On a brighter side, it can open you upto doing A level further maths, which can be useful in certain courses and it can make alevel maths easier for you, as you would have already covered a good solid part of it.

I personally feel that if you can dedicate yourself to maths and spend a little extra time on it, then you should do it. But if you sincerely feel that you cannot handle maths at a higher level or have no intentions of doing any maths related course in the future, then don't do it.

Hope that helped :smile:


I do want to go into either law or science, but I feel like I would rather focus more on my main subjects instead. Also do I rly need further maths??
if you're really comfortable with maths and are gonna get a grade you are happy with, then go for it! but you don't seem that bothered by not doing it, so it may be best to concentrate on the other subjects. maybe go to one session to see how it goes?
Original post by Berrydo
I do want to go into either law or science, but I feel like I would rather focus more on my main subjects instead. Also do I rly need further maths??


Are you going to be doing A-level maths?
Original post by Charliewiz
Are you going to be doing A-level maths?


Yes I am planning to
Original post by Berrydo
Yes I am planning to


If you are doing A-level than do it because the further maths GCSE is basically the first year of a-level so it is extremely useful.
Original post by Charliewiz
If you are doing A-level than do it because the further maths GCSE is basically the first year of a-level so it is extremely useful.


But I want to d the a level stuff when it comes to a level, not gcse. ://
Original post by Berrydo
But I want to d the a level stuff when it comes to a level, not gcse. ://


You won't have to spend much time on furthed maths as the grade boundries are so low, that you can get an A* with 60%
Original post by Charliewiz
You won't have to spend much time on furthed maths as the grade boundries are so low, that you can get an A* with 60%


Oh wow but it means it must be hard tho. I don’t know. I don’t rly want to do it.
Original post by Berrydo
Well my school is holding an after school club where ppl in set one can do optional gcse further maths. The problem is, I don’t really want to do it, and I’m not eager to do it either. But I feel like I have to do so bcos I’m in top set and even my friend who is in a lower set begged my teacher to let him do it and now he can. Him doing this made me feel that I need to do it too. Even though it’s optional and I don’t have to. I don’t rly want to either. What should I do?


No point in doing it if you don't want to. Not all schools offer it so it isn't necessary or expected in order to do any form of maths further on. You should never put yourself through a course if you don't think you'll enjoy it.

If you want to do more maths but don't want to do the further maths course, you could consider stuff like the UKMT challenges (assuming you're years 9-11, you should start with the Intermediate Challenge). The questions are interesting and they don't require much prior knowledge but they can be challenging.
Original post by Berrydo
Oh wow but it means it must be hard tho. I don’t know. I don’t rly want to do it.


It is quite fun and can't you drop it if you don't like it.
Original post by Charliewiz
It is quite fun and can't you drop it if you don't like it.


Yeh I can but I’m really stressed and don’t want to do it... does it matter if I don’t? Does it mean that I’ll be worse at maths than other ppl who have taken further maths?
Original post by Berrydo
Yeh I can but I’m really stressed and don’t want to do it... does it matter if I don’t? Does it mean that I’ll be worse at maths than other ppl who have taken further maths?


There's one person in my maths A-level lessons who hasn't taken further maths and he is finding it much harder and has to put in alot more work. So i guess you can do the work now or do it during your alevels.
Original post by Charliewiz
There's one person in my maths A-level lessons who hasn't taken further maths and he is finding it much harder and has to put in alot more work. So i guess you can do the work now or do it during your alevels.


Yeh I guess but my sister didn’t do gcse further maths and she did a level maths and still got an A (before a* existed)
Reply 17
Okay, I’m currently taking further maths at gcse and it’s a subject that you have to revise for or you simply wont get the grades. It is a step up from gcse maths giving an insight into a level and it makes u smarter if anything. And make gcse maths seem a little more simpler. Its also more formulaic and less logical. However if u aren’t planning to fo maths at a level and won’t enjoy it don’t do it it will simply waste ur revision for other subjects and if im honest it won’t change the sixth form or university u apply to. GCSEs aren’t what ppl look into too much
I'd disagree. I'm doing Further Maths AQA GCSE right now and in my mocks I've achieved an A* Distinction with no revision. Unless you find maths difficult, you would not really have to do much work other than a practice paper or 2 the day before the exam to get your brain in to a math setting and maybe fill in any small details. At the end of the day, all you're doing is moving letters around and following logical rules.
Original post by x.beheshta
Okay, I’m currently taking further maths at gcse and it’s a subject that you have to revise for or you simply wont get the grades. It is a step up from gcse maths giving an insight into a level and it makes u smarter if anything. And make gcse maths seem a little more simpler. Its also more formulaic and less logical. However if u aren’t planning to fo maths at a level and won’t enjoy it don’t do it it will simply waste ur revision for other subjects and if im honest it won’t change the sixth form or university u apply to. GCSEs aren’t what ppl look into too much
Reply 19
Original post by Materol
I'd disagree. I'm doing Further Maths AQA GCSE right now and in my mocks I've achieved an A* Distinction with no revision. Unless you find maths difficult, you would not really have to do much work other than a practice paper or 2 the day before the exam to get your brain in to a math setting and maybe fill in any small details. At the end of the day, all you're doing is moving letters around and following logical rules.


Im not sure if we covered the same topics we did a lot of calculus, trigonometry and mechanics which required a lot of new learning, my qualification was additional maths OCR I think, maybe it depends on the exam board

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