A level further maths modules (edexcel)

Hi all,

I’ve just finished year 12 and have a long summer ahead of me. As I intend to study either physics or natural sciences at uni, I know further maths will be very useful. I’m currently taking maths, physics and bio, and would like to learn further maths over the summer.

My school offers further maths, but I took an EPQ instead. However, in hindsight, further maths would be more useful. I’ve spoken with my teacher about studying it over the summer, but my school is currently changing exam boards from AQA, so they don’t have any edexcel further maths textbooks yet (since no one in my year or the year above actually took it) and won’t do until September, so are there any good resources people use?

Since I plan to self study, I’m wondering which modules I’d have to do, and which are optional and compulsory. I know there is core pure 1 & 2 - are they both compulsory? And are they the only compulsory modules? The other modules I’d like to take for paper 3&4 is Further Mechanics 1 and 2, since I take physics I imagine it should be relatively straightforward for me (more than the others at least!) and will be most helpful if I want to study physics at a higher level.

So TLDR: which FM modules are compulsory?
Which combination of optional modules do you need to take?
Any good resources for self teaching FM? Online, preferably free.

Thanks in advance

Core Pure 1 and 2 are both compulsory. For your other two modules, you can take two '1' modules e.g. Further Statistics 1 and Decision 1, or a '1' module and its corresponding '2' module e.g. Further Pure 1 and Further Pure 2. So you can't do Further Statistics 1 and Further Pure 2, for example. Core Pure 1, Core Pure 2, Further Mechanics 1 and Further Mechanics 2 would be an acceptable combination. However, one piece of advice I will give you is to not underestimate the difficulty of further maths. None of it is 'relatively straightforward' even for some of the most capable students. The amount of work you have to do in further maths to get the same number of marks as maths in an exam is much more. Even if you find the content easy, the exam pressure is no joke.

For further maths, you are required to do both the core pure papers and two elective modules (though you can do more, but I wouldn’t recommend it as there is usually no benefit to doing so).

The elective modules are:

Further Pure 1
Further Pure 2
Further Statistics 1
Further Statistics 2
Further Mechanics 1
Further Mechanics 2
Decision 1
Decision 2

Note that you can only take {named discipline of maths} 2 if you are already taking the corresponding {named disipline of maths} 1.

So CP1, CP2, FM1 and FM2 is a perfectly valid combination and one I’d recommend for physics at uni.

As for resources, BicenMaths and Physics and Maths tutor are great.

Thank you for the reply and the recommendations! I use PMT for exam papers but am not sure whether it’s good for learning the content or just for revision? Do you think it covers the ideas in enough detail?

As for BicenMaths, never heard of it, but I’ll definitely check it out!

im doing fm atm, cp 1 and cp 2 are compulsory, others are optional. fm1 and fm2 is a good selection, but what I remember I think resources of fm2 are quite scarce as i don't think many take fm2, i could be wrong tho. for resources, stick with the textbook and see where u go from there.

also make sure youve learnt year 2 normal maths before y2 cp

Thanks for the tip! I haven’t done Y2 maths yet, but you’re right that for differential equations etc. it may be a good idea to be familiar with Y2 content, so I’ll definitely do that since I actually have a Y2 maths textbook.

I don’t have a further maths textbook, but for Edexcel are there any you would recommend? Which ones do you use?

You need both the CORE (not further) pure books (year 1 and year 2) and the respective books for the two elective modules you plan on taking (so FM1 and FM2).

Generally your school should provide these books, so I’d recommend you wait and see which ones they can give you before going out of your way to buy any, since they are expensive.

Thank you for your reply and for clearing things up. I understand where you’re coming from and have no doubt further maths will be challenging. I’ll definitely struggle (and probably come to TSR for help, to be honest) and I didn’t mean to insinuate in any way that it’ll be easy.

But I think in the scheme of things - pretty much learning an A level myself - it’s easy to forget just how hard it will be when you’re just thinking of the ‘ideal end result’. So, I appreciate the reminder!

I will check with my teacher next week, but last I spoke, she said they only have the AQA spec FM textbooks, and she hasn’t gotten around to ordering the edexcel FM textbooks yet (they’re currently moving exam boards), since the soonest she will need those is September and there are currently no sixth formers taking FM, so it wasn’t urgent.

Cheers, thanks for the advice!

By the way, this might not be totally related, but do y’all think it’ll be too much harder to do Edexcel FM while doing AQA maths at a level? I know AQA and edexcel FM are different but how about normal core maths?

Cheers, thanks for the advice!

By the way, this might not be totally related, but do y’all think it’ll be too much harder to do Edexcel FM while doing AQA maths at a level? I know AQA and edexcel FM are different but how about normal core maths?