What is Core Maths?

The ‘Core Maths’ qualification is designed to better prepare students for the mathematical demands of study, employment and life. The Core Maths initiative is a major part of the government’s plan to increase participation and raise standards in mathematics – the ambition is for most students to continue studying mathematics to 18 by 2020. The course has been developed with employers, universities and professional bodies as valuable preparation for university study and employment.

Why Core Maths?

There has been a tremendous amount of coverage in the Media recently about the UK’s gap in basic Maths skills. Only 20% of students study Maths beyond GCSE in the UK – the lowest rate in leading developed countries in the world; in Japan, this figure is 85%. This puts young people in the UK at a major disadvantage in a global job market.

The Higher Education STEM project, investigating the mathematical and statistical requirements in undergraduate disciplines, reported that many students arrive at university with unrealistic expectations of the mathematical and statistical demands of their subjects which leads to a lack of confidence and anxiety by the students.

Who is it for and why should I study Core Maths?

The new Core Maths qualification has been designed to maintain and develop real-life Maths skills and is for students who have passed GCSE mathematics at level 5 or above but have decided not to study A Level Mathematics. It builds upon and strengthens existing skills and focuses on using and applying mathematics to solve problems relevant to their everyday lives. It will also help with other A Level subjects – in particular with science, geography, business studies, psychology and economics.

The skills developed in the study of mathematics are increasingly important in the workplace and in higher education; studying Core Maths will help you keep up these essential skills. Most students who study Maths after GCSE improve their career choices and increase their earning potential.

Will it be recognised by universities and employers?

Core Maths is a new course but already several universities have come out in strong support of it. A wide array of subjects now recognise the importance of statistics and so a Core Maths qualification will help you hit the ground running at university.

Employers from all different sectors are also firmly behind the Core Maths qualification. Many roles in today’s workplace require high levels of budget management and problem-solving skills; Core Maths will be a useful tool in equipping you with these skills.

The qualification is equivalent to an AS Level in terms of UCAS points

Course Outline

Compulsory content covers the analysis of data (data collection, calculation of statistics such as mean and standard deviation, statistical diagrams), personal finance, estimation, critical analysis and use of spreadsheets. There are further options which would depend on your other subject choices and include more advanced use of statistics and graphs.

The course will be studied for 4 lessons a week for the first year only. Students will sit two question papers of equal demand that are 90 minutes long.

Entry Guidelines

Grade 5 in GCSE Maths.

A Level Further Mathematics provides a great opportunity for enthusiastic and capable mathematicians to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. It is taken in addition to A Level Mathematics (the combined course of Mathematics and Further Mathematics is sometimes referred to as “Double Maths” and consists of two course choices, having twice as much teaching as a single A Level course).

About this subject

A sports drink says on the label “This makes you run faster”.

In A Level statistics you would look for evidence to see whether this statement is true or not. You would collect data: athletes timed before and after the sports drink and then do a Hypothesis test to see whether this claim is true.

Using and understanding data is becoming increasingly important in many areas of study and employment. Understanding of statistics is a crucial skill, and this course aims to give students the tools needed to help them prepare for higher education and the workplace. It involves the collection, analysis, interpretation or explanation and presentation of data. It is the branch of Mathematics which is used in situations involving variability or uncertainty, such as weather forecasting, finance or assessing the effects of medicine.

A Level Statistics might appeal to a student seeking to pursue the study of a numerate post-16 subject but not wishing to study pure mathematics. It sits well with subjects such as A level Biology, Psychology, Geography, Geology, Sociology, Business Studies and Economics. The emphasis is on using and applying statistics; appropriate interpretation of contexts and the outcomes of statistical procedures will be required.

Our expectation is that many of the calculations will be performed using a calculator. There will be an emphasis on interpretation of the results, i. e. using the results you have found to find trends, make predictions and draw conclusions.

Students with an A Level in Statistics will find their skills to be valuable when taking degrees in Anthropology, Biology, Business Studies, Geography, Geology, Psychology, Sociology and other subjects. You may be surprised at just how many interesting jobs there are for statisticians, such as an Actuary, Accountant, Environmental Statistician, Government Statistician, Sports Statistician, Pharmaceutical Statistician, Biometrician, Forensic Statistician, Health Service Statistician, Medical Statistician, School Teacher and University Lecturer. Statistics is now used so widely that many employers would see a qualification in Statistics as a distinct advantage.

What is Mathematics?

• Is it seeking out patterns, and using them to formulate and prove new conjectures?
• Is it finding connections between related concepts, such as algebra and graphs?
• Is it about providing useful models of real world phenomena, which can then be used to provide insight or make predictions about nature?
• Is it a human activity which is part of everyone’s life?

Mathematics is all these things and more, which is why it is such a valuable course at A Level. Applicants interested in Maths may also be interested in Further Maths, Statistics or Core Maths.

Why Study This Subject?

Mathematics is a fascinating subject which is of great importance in its own right. It also has wide-ranging applications in industry, business, finance, science, technology and many other subjects. Maths qualifications can help you towards a future career in all of these areas. It is also vital for many university courses particularly those in science, computing and economics.

Studying Mathematics will help you to develop crucial skills which are highly valued by universities and employers, such as the ability to think logically, solve problems and communicate complex ideas effectively.

What is A Level Mathematics?

You will have taken Mathematics at GCSE level, studying number, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.

At A Level, we will take all of these topics to the next stage, and introduce many interesting and important new concepts.

Why Study This Subject?

If you are enthusiastic about studying the past, reflecting upon key historical issues and controversies, then choose History at Greenhead College. We are a vibrant department, willing to engage you in our studies of Medieval, Early Modern and Modern History. If you too are fascinated about the world around us, and wish to gain a deeper understanding of social, political and economic change across these periods, then choose this subject as one of your A Levels. History provides you with the contextual knowledge to make sense of today’s world.

History is a challenging and rigorous A Level that is respected by employers and universities alike and complements most other A Level subjects. Our students do well in the subject with many deciding to study it further at degree level (including Oxbridge). Former students have gone on to pursue careers in law, publishing, journalism, accountancy, the navy, medicine, drama, the civil service, construction, archaeology and education including history teaching.

History is a broad subject that allows you to develop your analysis of historical sources and essay writing skills with greater depth and precision. You will read more widely, enlarging your vocabulary to help form coherent and well-reasoned arguments. Class discussions and debates are integral to our lessons as we are interested in your thoughts and ideas about historical controversies. Our teaching of the subject will involve group work, personal study, role play, quizzes, timed essays, videos, source analysis, podcasts, presentations and an opportunity to attend conferences and visits to historical sights. We currently run trips for our medievalists to either the Loire Valley or Normandy; and for modern students we visit Russia, exploring the key cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow.

The department also offers enrichment opportunities to study topics as diverse as Ancient Greece and Rome, the Vikings, Archaeology, the Tudors, the English Civil War, as well as visiting Auschwitz as part of the Holocaust Trust programme. We are keen to broaden your historical horizons to make the subject interesting and relevant to your lives.

Why Study This Subject?

The OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate in Health & Social Care is different from A Level courses because the emphasis is just as much about developing your skills as it is about gaining knowledge.

Equivalent to a full A Level, and consisting of six units over a two year period, the course is graded Distinction, Merit or Pass. This qualification will provide students with a broad overview of the Health & Social Care sector as they develop a deeper insight into the factors that affect individuals throughout their life, the roles and responsibilities of those working in this field, and the ways in which high quality care is provided.

Why Study This Subject?

Politics is a subject that tries to explain the society in which we live. It is not an abstract academic discipline, remote from everyday life. It is relevant to almost every aspect of the world around us. Politicians are responsible for the public services we use and how they are organized and funded. The decisions that affect our schools and colleges, our health service, transport network and armed forces are all political decisions. Our rights and responsibilities as citizens – the power of the state over us and our ability to choose and influence those in authority – also form part of politics.

• How fair and representative is our voting system?
• How do people organize themselves to put pressure on the government?
• How powerful is Parliament?
• What are the main differences between the political parties and where do their ideas come from?
• How successful has international cooperation been in tackling issues like climate change, human rights and global poverty?

If you are interested in these and similar questions, then this is the subject for you. There will be a chance for you to express and argue your own political views, but you should also be aware that these views will be challenged and you will have to learn about, and sometimes argue for, views with which you may disagree.

Politics is a rigorous and long-established A Level, which is accepted by both universities and employers. Past students have gone on to study at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as a wide range of other universities. Many choose to continue studying Politics or related courses such as International Relations or Global Politics, or combine it with subjects like History, English, Philosophy, Sociology or Economics. Politics fits in well with many other A Level subjects and is used for entry to a wide range of degree courses. Former students have gone on to work for MPs and members of the House of Lords, the civil service, ‘think-tanks’ and research groups, in teaching, business and banking.

Why Study This Subject?

Geology is not just about rocks. It is a multidisciplinary science that investigates the processes that happen on the earth’s surface and within it, and considers how the earth has evolved through time and potentially how it will into the future.

Geologists use this science to explore and exploit our water, mineral and energy resources; to predict volcanic and earthquake hazards; to try to prevent landslides and to protect our natural environment. Geology is also used during the construction of civil engineering projects such as buildings, tunnels and roads.

Why Study This Subject?

Geographers acquire a wide range of skills, such as atlas and map work, report writing, understanding the attitude/values of decision makers and data analysis. Geographers are good at networking and teamwork and the Department is at the forefront of using ICT in teaching and learning.