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Mathematics : Higher GCSE
GCSE Maths Higher is designed for students aiming to achieve a Grade 6 or above. The usual entry requirement is a Grade 4 in GCSE Maths. Students entering UK mainstream education from home education, overseas schools or Steiner schools may also be accepted following an assessment of their mathematical ability. This course is ideal if you need a higher GCSE Maths grade to meet university entry requirements, support progression from a T Level, or move on to A Level courses that require GCSE Maths at Grade 6 or above. If you achieved a Grade 4 on the Foundation tier and are aiming for a Grade 5, we recommend resitting the Foundation examination rather than taking this course.
What will I study in Mathematics : Higher GCSE?
You will study all the topics included in Foundation Maths, but with lots more algebra! As with Foundation, the higher syllabus is broadly split into the following sections: number, algebra, geometry, statistics & probability. The key difference is that the algebra section is significantly more complicated than at Foundation level.
Whist familiar skills such as fractions, ratio and percentages are still present, we consolidate and extend topics at the upper end of the Foundation syllabus such as trigonometry, standard form, quadratic & simultaneous equations, and graphs. These algebraic topics will also feature heavily in the T level Engineering course, so they will be highly relevant to you if you're also studying that subject.
Entry Requirements
Grade 4 in GCSE Maths
How will I learn?
When learning Maths, you need to do lots of practice to help embed the techniques and concepts. Consequently, lessons and homework assignments will involve lots of practice questions! We have specially designed workbooks to ensure that all classes progress through the topics at a similar rate and to an appropriate depth.
To help us all hit the ground running we will set the summer Flying Start homework which has practice questions on various topics you will have studied previously, such as percentages, ratio, equations and geometry. We will provide you with links to video tutorials so you can get help on these topics as needed.
In the final 4-5 weeks of the course, our focus turns to completion of past exam papers. By completing past papers you not only become more familiar with the kinds of questions that you will be set in your exam, but you also become significantly more adept and confident at answering those questions.
How will I be assessed?
There will be 3 exams at the end of the year.
One non-calculator paper and two calculator papers.
Each paper is 90 minutes long.
There will be a formal mock exam in February which will give you the experience of what it's like to sit an exam at Cirencester College.
Are there any costs involved?
Much like when you were at school, you will be expected to have a geometry set (ruler, protractor, compasses) as well as a pen, pencil and eraser.
You are also expected to have a scientific calculator. As a minimum, you should have a Casio FX-83GT CW or FX-85GT CW. If you would like a calculator which has some additional functions which will help you with quadratic and simultaneous equations, we recommend getting a Casio FX-991CW. If you need to buy one they typically cost about £15.
Device Requirements
1. Cirencester College is offering ‘Bring Your Own Device’ guidelines, in order to encourage digital literacy and make the most of how digital devices can support learning in the classroom and independent study. Please find below some specific guidance for this subject but do be aware that each subject will have it’s own guidance. If you are taking more than one course (eg A levels, GCSE etc), check the guidance for each subject carefully. If you do decide to invest in a device, consider something that will cover the requirements of all the courses you are taking. Also, bear in mind that some students change their mind about the courses they are studying within the first few weeks of year one; after this time programmes of study should be settled.
2. In Higher GCSE Maths, students can get by without anything more than a phone. Pen and paper will do for most purposes if BYOD is not feasible. Note, there may be times when not having a device other than a phone is limiting in some way; but these can generally be navigated by using a machine (desktop / laptop) at home or in a study space in college. Students will need to have an organised and flexible approach to manage this. There are a number of laptops available for short-term loan at college, but availability on any given day is not guaranteed.
3. A device with a larger screen than a phone would make some ‘things’ easier eg downloading and completing a revision paper, research task, creating a PowerPoint. We also find that the ability to hand-write with a touch screen /stylus is useful for drawings, writing equations and formulae etc. For this reason, if students are investing in a device, we’d recommend a tablet with stylus or a touch-screen laptop. A tablet with stylus rather than a laptop is sufficient and probably relatively inexpensive (compared to a laptop).
4. Windows machines are preferable to Apple (macOS) in STEM subjects. Lecturers use windows and will use this platform to demonstrate processes, tasks etc in the classroom. We find the range of machines (incl. touchscreen) and software available, alongside budget considerations make windows the preferred option. However, it is entirely possible to use a Mac instead if that is your preference; you may just end up with questions about how to manage software in the mac ecosystem which can take a bit more time to resolve.
Information about what device may be required for this course, where available, can be found on our Bring Your Own Device guidance page.FAQs
Can I study this course if I already have a grade 5?
Yes. You can study this course so long as you have at least a grade 4 in (Higher syllabus) Maths already, and hope to improve your grade. You may be aiming to improve a 4 to a 5, a 5 to a 6, or a 6 to a 7. You may even be aiming to improve a 5 to a 7 (although this is a big jump to make in such a short timeframe). If you currently have a grade 4 in Foundation and are aiming to increase it to a grade 5, you should study the Foundation course instead, perhaps with a view to sitting the exam in November.
Which calculator do I need?
As a minimum, you should have a Casio FX-83GT CW or FX-85GT CW.
If you would like a calculator which has some additional functions which will help you with quadratic and simultaneous equations, we recommend getting a Casio FX-991CW.
How many lessons are there per week?
From November onwards, there are three 90 minute lessons per week of GCSE Maths Higher.
When do I sit the exams?
This is a one year course, so you sit the 3 papers (one non-calculator and two calculator papers) in May/June of your first year on the course.
Why am I expected to study Higher GCSE Maths alongside my Engineering course?
If you are enrolling onto the Engineering T Level course with a grade 6 or less in Maths, then due to the mathematical demands of the Engineering course and the Engineering industry more generally, you will need to keep improving your mathematical skills in order to make a success of your future career prospects.
Skills such as Pythagoras, Trigonometry, Quadratic Equations, Rearranging Formulae, Standard Form, Volume Area & Perimeter, and analysis of Graphs are skills that you will need in your Engineering course and your future Engineering career. By studying them in Higher GCSE Maths you will be reinforcing these skills and thereby becoming much more fluent in them, ready to apply them in context within Engineering.
Do I need a specific electronic device to study GCSE Maths?
An absolutely essential piece of kit is a scientific calculator (at least similar to Casio FX-83GT CW).
In terms of a computing device such as Smart Phone, Tablet, Laptop, etc, we can split this answer into necessary/optional as follows:
Necessary - you will need a device that can do the following:
- Access emails
- Use our virtual learning environments, Moodle and Canvas
- Access particular websites such as www.MathsGenie.co.uk
- Access files such as pdfs and word files, to see past papers, model solutions, etc.
Optional - students who can do these things on a device may find things easier:
- Have a larger screen to view more of a document at once / view it at a bigger scale
- Write onto their screen, so you can annotate pdfs and make digital notes rather than always using paper-based materials, for example.
- Keep your notes organised digitally so you have easy access to them (especially if they sync with a Smart Phone)
For notes and most classroom-based work, a normal laptop (without a writeable screen) will not be very helpful except as a larger screen to see files. Maths requires lots of writing equations and drawing diagrams, for which hand-writing is important. Even students who are allowed to type in exams almost always opt not to do this for Maths exams.
In addition, research about memory shows that people remember things better if they handwrite the notes rather than typing.
If you choose to get a device for your College studies, we would recommend that you get one with a touchscreen. This could be a tablet or a laptop with touchscreen.
Awarding Body
EDEXCEL
What can I do after I have taken this course?
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