Notre Dame RC School
Looseleigh Lane, Derriford,
Plymouth, PL6 5HN
01752 775 101 | ndsixth@ndonline.org
AS
A2
Exam Board AQA
Exam Board AQA
Mathematics
If you have >>
5 GCSEs at grade C or above, have studied and enjoyed GCSE Mathematics and gained a pass at grade
B or above.
You can >>>
apply to enrol on the Mathematics Course at AS level and then progress to A Level on successful
completion of the AS Course. For those who wish to follow an AS there is an option to do this in Year 12 or
13.
This will mean >>>
you will have gained a valuable and broad based qualification in Mathematics.
This course will appeal to any student who >>>
wishes to study mathematics, engineering or physics at university or who simply enjoys challenging their
mathematical understanding.
You will >>>
study three modules for AS level and a further three if you proceed to A2.
Units are assessed in June.
Two units are based on the Application of Mathematics. These are either Mechanics, Statistics or
Decision. Mechanics is beneficial to those students studying A Level Physics and is particularly useful for
engineering/scientific careers, whilst statistics and decision is useful for business/journalism,
biology/medical careers.
Pure Mathematics is the mathematics of techniques: it is learning how to solve equations; it contains the
essence of generalisation; it is looking at trigonometry and seeing applications well beyond the simple
triangle; it is a subject called 'calculus' which is at the centre of advanced mathematics. These elements
are introduced in the Core modules.
Mechanics consists of applying mathematics to forces and to motion. Students will have experienced
some mechanics in GCSE Science and will have learned of the effects of forces on objects, meeting such
terms as acceleration and velocity. A Level will expand these experiences and introduce the mathematics
necessary for describing and explaining what causes motion, this links with Physics and Engineering.
Statistics is normally taken to mean the collection, presentation and interpretation of data. Students will
by now be familiar with probability and frequency distributions. A Level will explore the theory of these
www.ndonline.org
Notre Dame RC School
Looseleigh Lane, Derriford,
Plymouth, PL6 5HN
01752 775 101 | ndsixth@ndonline.org
distributions in order to be able to make predictions. This supports and challenges work covered on a
Geography and Biology course.
Decision covers a number of technologies which are important in the solution of large-scale organisational
and business problems. Much of the underlying theory has been around for some time, but its range of
application has been greatly widened by the development of computers.
Fundamental to decision mathematics is the notion of an algorithm, which is a set of instructions – a sort
of recipe – which can be blindly followed to obtain the solution to problems of a given type.
Course Modules are >>>
»
»
AS is comprised of Core 1, Core 2 and one of Statistics/Mechanics/Decision
A2 is comprised of Core 3, Core 4 and one of Mechanics/Statistics/Decision
With this subject you could >>>
enter virtually any Higher Education course which has a scientific or statistical element. The qualification is
also highly regarded by most employers in similar fields. In short this is one of the most valuable A Level
courses on offer.
For more information contact >>>
Mrs L Davies
Email ldavies@ndonline.org
www.ndonline.org