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Welcome to Mathematics at A level.

Mathematics is a rigorous and challenging A level that is valued by universities and employers. Studying mathematics will push you intellectually and develop your problems solving skills. When a student solves a mathematical problem that previously seemed insurmountable, it provides a real ‘buzz’ for the student that is unique to mathematics. You will study topics that will extend you naturally on from things that you have studied in your GCSEs such as coordinate geometry and algebra. You will also study brand new and exciting topics as well such as calculus and logarithms which are fundamental tools in higher level mathematics.

A common question asked by prospective students interested in taking A Level maths is “Is there a jump?”. The answer to that question is “Of course!”. It is important that students are of the mindset early on in the course to welcome the challenges that A Level mathematics presents and not to have a passive attitude towards their learning. The most successful students at A Level mathematics are those who adopt an independent attitude towards their studies and proactively seek to overcome their own misunderstandings. The mathematics department at Nonsuch does of course offer full support for all students on the course through its weekly help club, though it is important for students to take control of their own learning in the sixth form.

We hope you will enjoy studying A Level Mathematics.

The Mathematics Department

Mr G Murdoch – Head of Department

Mrs N Snelgrove – Second-in charge / Key Stage 4 Coordinator

Mrs A Buchan – Key Stage 3 Coordinator

Mr D Barrett – Teacher of Mathematics

Mr H Chan – Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs G Clarke - Teacher of Mathematics

Mr G Fox-Harris - Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs T Kapoor – Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs A Khan – Teacher of Mathematics

Mr M Leung– Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs F Patel – Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs C Ramadurai – Teacher of Mathematics

Mrs E Tandon– Teacher of Mathematics

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I require a new calculator for the course?

A new calculator will be required for the course due to the increased level of statistical functions required. The model required is the Casio fx-991CW.

Students studying Further Mathematics may wish to purchase the Casio fx-CG100 Graphic Calculator for the course.

How will I be assessed during the course?

There will be homework set over the duration of your two-year course. These will be expected to be completed to a high standard and students should adopt a studious and serious approach to any assignments set by their class teacher. Furthermore, there will be more formal in class examinations that will take place throughout year 12 and year 13. In May of year 12, there will be a formal examination that will cover the material learnt over the course of the year. Additionally, there are interim reports and parent’s evening where your teachers will provide feedback

Is AS Level Mathematics available?

No. Only the full A Level is available.

Will there be summer work?

At induction day, you will be given a transition document that focuses on 3 areas; core problem-solving skills, concepts that form the basis of A-Level problem solving and key terminology. This must be completed according to the criteria stipulated within the document and be brought to the first lesson. There will be an online assessment upon your return based on this summer material.

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The Structure of the course

Year 12 will correlate to Year 1 material with Y13 building on the concepts learnt in Y12.

Examinations

All external examinations will now take place at the end of year 13. There will be three papers each lasting 2 hours and each out of 100 marks.

Topic 1- Statistical Sampling
Topic 2- Data Presentation and Interpretation
Topic 3- Probability
Topic 4- Statistical Distributions
Topic 5- Statistical Hypothesis Testing

Topic 6- Quantities and Units in Mechanics
Topic 7- Kinematics
Topic 8- Forces and Newton’s Laws
Topic 9- Moments

Section A - Statistics

Section B - Mechanics

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Nonsuch is pleased to be able to offer Further Mathematics at A level. This is a separate A level to Mathematics and is suited to students who are extremely able at mathematics and want to deepen their interest in the subject.

There are four examinations at the end of year 13. There will be two compulsory papers in Further Pure Mathematics as well as a Further Statistics paper and a Further Mechanics paper.

Further Mathematics is a challenging A-Level that is highly regarded by elite universities. A strong Further Mathematics grade can be required as part of an offer for admission to Mathematics degree course. Additionally, Further Mathematics can be a strong supporting subject for UCAS applications for courses such as Engineering, Physics and other Mathematics rich subjects.

Students will be assessed internally with regular homework and tests over the 2 years with a major exam set at the end of year 12. Further Mathematics is a course designed for students with exceptional talent and interest in Mathematics and students will be expected to undertake a substantial amount of independent study to order to consolidate the material covered in lessons.

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Topic 1- Proof
Topic 2- Complex Numbers
Topic 3- Matrices
Topic 4- Further Algebra and Functions
Topic 5- Further Calculus
Topic 6- Further Vectors

Topic 1- Complex Numbers
Topic 2- Further Algebra and Functions
Topic 3- Further Calculus
Topic 4- Polar Coordinates
Topic 5- Hyperbolic Functions
Topic 6- Differential Equations

Topic 1 - Momentum and Impulse
Topic 2 - Work, energy and power
Topic 3 - Elastic strings and springs and elastic energy
Topic 4 – Elastic collisions in one dimension
Topic 5 – Elastic collisions in two dimension

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Topic 1 – Discrete Probability Distributions
Topic 2 – Poisson and Binomial Distributions
Topic 3 – Geometric and Binomial Distributions
Topic 4 – Hypothesis Testing
Topic 5 – Central Limit Theorem
Topic 6 – Chi Squared Tests
Topic 7 – Probability Generating Functions
Topic 8 – Quality of Tests

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There are a number of different areas in which you can begin to pursue mathematics this summer to prepare yourself for your A Level studies. Mathematics exists far beyond the classroom and we hope you consider looking at some of the following suggestions.

Gresham College

Gresham College is an institution that provides public lectures in the middle of London in a variety of different areas and these are filmed such that they can be viewed by the public for free at any point. The mathematics lectures are delivered by leading academics that explore how mathematics can be used to solve real world problems in a variety of intriguing areas.

Oxford University Public Lectures in Mathematics

This is a YouTube channel which has a mixture of university level lectures plus others that are more accessible for people with a general interest in mathematics.

UKMT

The UKMT challenges offer prospective A Level mathematics students some excellent options to look at in advance of Sixth Form study. Students are offered the opportunity to sit the Senior Mathematical Challenge, Mathematical Competition for Girls (new offer from UKMT) or the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls.