YEARS 10 and 11

 

YEAR 10

Overview:
In year 10, students will begin working towards their GCSE qualification in mathematics.  They will have the opportunity to sit the exam to gain the full qualification in November 2012 (year 11).  This will allow them to use the rest of year 11 to improve their grade and re-sit in June 2012.

 

Provision for gifted and talented students:
Students that achieve a grade A* in November 2012, will then be able to access an additional mathematics qualification (exam board/specification TBC).  This is higher than a GCSE level qualification, designed to extend students’ mathematical understanding and bridge the gap to A Level mathematics.

 

Specification:
Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics A (Linear) – 1MA02
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse10/maths/maths-a/

 

There are two tiers of entry: Foundation (Grades C-G), Higher (Grades A*-D)

 

 

 

YEAR 11

Overview:
In year 11, students will complete their GCSE qualification in mathematics.

In year 10 students began working on a modular GCSE course.  Students sat unit 1 (in June 2011), worth 30% of their GCSE and unit 2 (in March 2011) also worth 30% of their GCSE.  To complete this modular course and be awarded a GCSE in mathematics, students must sit the unit 3 exam (worth 40%).  This is not available to sit until the end of the year (June 2012).

In order to provide students with an opportunity to gain a full GCSE qualification before the end of year 11, they will be entered for a ‘linear’ GCSE course.  They will sit two papers in November, each worth 50% of a full GCSE in mathematics.  This means that by January (when results are released), every student will have secured a GCSE in mathematics.

After sitting the November linear GCSE exam, students will continue studying maths with a view to improving upon the grade they have achieved.  At the end of year 11, they will either complete their modular GCSE by sitting unit 3 in June OR have another attempt at the linear GCSE in June.  Students sitting unit 3 (modular) in June, may wish to re-sit unit 1 and/or unit 2; they have opportunities to do this in either March or June.

The linear and modular GCSEs are completely equivalent; the only difference is the examination structure.  We have chosen to have a flexible approach to exam entry in order to ensure that every student is able to meet their full potential in GCSE mathematics.  Students will ‘keep’ the highest GCSE grade they achieve (i.e. either the grade they achieve in the linear entry in November OR the grade they achieve by completing their modular GCSE in June OR the grade they achieve in the linear entry in June).

 

Provision for gifted and talented students:
Students that achieve a grade A* in November 2011, will then be able to access an additional mathematics qualification (exam board/specification TBC).  This is higher than a GCSE level qualification, designed to extend students’ mathematical understanding and bridge the gap to A Level mathematics.

 

Specification:
Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics A (Linear) – 1MA02
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse10/maths/maths-a/

• First available in June 2012.  To replace the previous version of the qualification (1380)

Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics B (Modular) – 2MB01
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse10/maths/maths-b/

• Unit 1 and 2 already completed.  Unit 3 available June 2012.  Re-sit opportunities in November 2011, March 2012 and June 2012.

Edexcel GCSE in Mathematics (Linear) - 1380
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse-leg/maths/1380/

• Available to sit in November 2011 and March 2012

For all exams/specifications there are two tiers of entry:
Foundation (Grades C-G), Higher (Grades A*-D)