11-16 maths curriculum
The maths curricula for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 in state-funded schools in England have been specified
by the government.
GCSE Mathematics
Most students in state-funded schools and colleges are entered for the GCSE Mathematics qualification at the end of Key Stage 4.
GCSE Mathematics has a Foundation Tier (grades 1 – 5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4 – 9). It is offered in England by the following awarding bodies:
The DfE Subject content and assessment objectives for GCSE in mathematics provides further details about the qualification.
The following maths-related qualifications are sometimes taken alongside and in addition to GCSE Mathematics:
- GCSE Statistics
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This GCSE focuses on how statistics are used in real life and is particularly useful preparation for students taking A levels in subjects that involve handling data and interpreting statistics, such as psychology.
It’s offered by AQA and Edexcel, and further details are available on the AQA
and Edexcel websites. - Level 2 certificate in Further Mathematics
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This qualification, offered by AQA, provides an introduction to the maths studied in AS/A level Mathematics. It is designed to stretch and challenge high achieving mathematicians who are expected to achieve top grades in GCSE Mathematics.
Further details are available on the AQA website
. - FSMQ Level 3 in Additional Mathematics
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This Free Standing Mathematics Qualification (FSMQ) is a level 3 qualification. It also provides an introduction to the maths studied in AS/A level Mathematics. It’s designed to provide enrichment for students who have a thorough knowledge of the content of Higher Tier GCSE Mathematics, ideally those on track to achieve grades 7-9. It’s offered by OCR.
Further details are available on the OCR website
.