if you did gcse further maths do you think i will struggle with a level further maths without having done gcse further maths? im predicted a 9 in normal gcse maths and i think i got that in my exams.
personally no not at all - the stuff in gcse further maths builds some supports for a level maths, but none for further maths. the FM a-level content will be, for the majority, completely separate from anything you've seen prior. also if you're predicted (and you're gonna get) a 9 then i'm sure you'll smash it
Thank you for the great video! Did you use your textbook for A level maths and answer the questions in there? I would mostly just answer the exam questions from the textbook and then use pmt topic questions and I will soon start doing past papers from pmt . (I'm in Yr 12). Is that a good approach? I've got my AS mocks at the end of June.
I used my textbook for question yes, alongside PMT just like you! That all sounds great to me - practicing past papers and PMT topic questions is definitely what will help you the most with exams and then I liked the textbook questions to keep everything fresh in my mind. Best of luck for your mocks!
Thanks. When did you start past papers for further maths and how did you space them out? Theres only papers from 2019 and above on pmt so i feel like id finish them all before my first exam. Is this something you recommend or did you leave any papers closer to exam day or even between core pure 1 and 2 exams ?
I would save the latest available paper until a few days before the exam as a final practice, but I probably wouldn't save the other ones. If you feel like you know the content I personally would start on the past papers asap. I spaced them out linearly up to about a week before the exam so I could cram in some content last minute. Also there's an extra 'mock' past paper in the back of the edexcel textbooks if that's the exam board you're doing :)
hi first of all thank u sm for the vid it was so helpful! :) i have an unrelated question, im just wondering if you've ever performed 'badly' in class tests (as in Bs, Cs etc) even as an A* student? im asking because i was predicted 3A*s in phys maths and chemistry but yr13 physics hit me like a bus and i got a C in a recent test, as well as maths which i got a B (objectively not the worst grades but from my predicteds defo a fall from grace) these were the first tests i took in yr13 and i do have a few months till the real deal but i feel very downhearted abt this lol, and dw if your answer is no thats totally okay but i wonder if you have any advice for me? Thanks again and sorry for the wall of text😅💗
Hey! I personally never had that happen, but one of my close friends who was super clever achieved a C grade on both papers in their Maths mock in January of Y13 and then went on to get a couple marks off an A* in the final exam! Sometimes, you can just get unlucky or you're really not present on the day or maybe it's that there's a core skill or a few skills that you need to improve on that is causing you to lose a lot of marks (i.e. I always lost all my marks from silly mistakes and someone I know always lost all their marks because they weren't great at manipulating equations). These and so many more causes are really easy to fix! If you're an A* student then it's unlikely that you lost those marks because you don't understand anything. It's natural to feel downhearted when you don't achieve what you wanted, but you're predicted those grades for a reason and you can definitely achieve them. A few months until exams is actually a really long time for you to get to where you want to be - best plan of action is to keep going and see how it pans out 💖
hi, im doing a levels next year and im on chapter 7 on the pure maths book. When you said that the geometric calculator is recommended to buy are you saying for maths or furthermaths?
Hi! I'm sorry I can't be of any assistance - I tactically avoided STEP by doing MAT in 2022 and NSAA in 2023. If you have any specific questions though, I know plenty of people who did STEP who I can ask for you :)
I am going to attend maths for my Alevels...i m selecting pure math 1,2,3,4 with mechanics and statistics. What should u choose with further pure math?
I did Decision as my other FM module, but I think all the modules are pretty stand-alone (so one of them isn't going to be easier just because you're doing further pure with it). I think decision was really fun though, so I would recommend, although if you did further mech or stats that would help you with your regular maths :)
studying privately would allow you to work at your own pace, which would definitely be an advantage as you don't have to waste your time in a classroom learning about something you already understand. I guess the only con would be motivation if you were studying completely independently in making sure that you're staying focused and on track, but if you're someone who is on top of things or you have a tutor i don't see any issues really. maths is a good one because there's loads and loads of online resources and exam advice
I am currently in Year 12 studying Mathematics Edexcel A-Levels as a private candidate. I was wondering if the maths Extended Project Qualification was mandatory in order to complete the maths a level, or if it is just a choice to do that option.
It's a lot of hard work haha! I did all of my research section over the summer holiday between Y12 and Y13, then I set aside an hour or two every evening last thing to work on the EPQ. I had to be strict with the time I was giving to the EPQ because it felt "less important" than my other studies but over 4/5 months I managed to finish it (although I did pull 4 all nighters the week before it was due). Even though it's a good experience, I definitely would drop it if you think it's interfering with your A-Levels, especially if you're doing 4. The only real way you can balance them all is by making sure that when you work on your EPQ, you shut off all distractions and just sit and work for the hour because otherwise its gonna eat up your entire life :(
hi! i am definitely not naturally gifted, but my parents were very keen for me to do well at school my whole childhood which probably gave me a slight advantage. obviously if you are naturally gifted then you'll have to put less work in, but i think both the maths and further maths a-levels are more than achievable with time :)