How essential is A level further maths for Oxbridge Medicine?

For some background at GCSE I got ten 9s and for A levels I'm doing biology, chemistry and maths (I'm hoping to achieve A* A* A*)
I've recently been told by our Oxbridge lead that in order to study medicine at Cambridge or Oxford you need to be taking further maths because apparently even though this isn't specified on the entry requirements, they expect you to take further maths if your college offer it and since our sixth form apparently has a very good further maths department I should be taking it. He says that in the last 3 years only one student from our school got an interview without taking at least AS level further maths and the three successful applicants took the full Further maths A level.
I've looked at the entry statistics and out of all successful applicants to Oxford last year only around 16% actually took further maths (some didn't even take maths!) which makes me wonder if this is really that important. I was under the impression that the extra free time I can spend on supercuriculars, work experience, volunteering, UCAT study ect would be more valuable.
He suggested that I ask the maths department of I can still take further maths now (I'm not really keen on this) or to take the AS level in year 13.
If Oxbridge isn't really realistic are imperial or UCL still viable with my subjects?

For some background at GCSE I got ten 9s and for A levels I'm doing biology, chemistry and maths (I'm hoping to achieve A* A* A*)

I've recently been told by our Oxbridge lead that in order to study medicine at Cambridge or Oxford you need to be taking further maths because apparently even though this isn't specified on the entry requirements, they expect you to take further maths if your college offer it and since our sixth form apparently has a very good further maths department I should be taking it. He says that in the last 3 years only one student from our school got an interview without taking at least AS level further maths and the three successful applicants took the full Further maths A level.

I've looked at the entry statistics and out of all successful applicants to Oxford last year only around 16% actually took further maths (some didn't even take maths!) which makes me wonder if this is really that important. I was under the impression that the extra free time I can spend on supercuriculars, work experience, volunteering, UCAT study ect would be more valuable.

He suggested that I ask the maths department of I can still take further maths now (I'm not really keen on this) or to take the AS level in year 13.

If Oxbridge isn't really realistic are imperial or UCL still viable with my subjects?

For some background at GCSE I got ten 9s and for A levels I'm doing biology, chemistry and maths (I'm hoping to achieve A* A* A*)
I've recently been told by our Oxbridge lead that in order to study medicine at Cambridge or Oxford you need to be taking further maths because apparently even though this isn't specified on the entry requirements, they expect you to take further maths if your college offer it and since our sixth form apparently has a very good further maths department I should be taking it. He says that in the last 3 years only one student from our school got an interview without taking at least AS level further maths and the three successful applicants took the full Further maths A level.
I've looked at the entry statistics and out of all successful applicants to Oxford last year only around 16% actually took further maths (some didn't even take maths!) which makes me wonder if this is really that important. I was under the impression that the extra free time I can spend on supercuriculars, work experience, volunteering, UCAT study ect would be more valuable.
He suggested that I ask the maths department of I can still take further maths now (I'm not really keen on this) or to take the AS level in year 13.
If Oxbridge isn't really realistic are imperial or UCL still viable with my subjects?

AFAIK it's arrant nonsense.