Last updated: 13 Jul 2009

QCA consulted on draft criteria for AS/A levels in mathematics, further mathematics, use of mathematics and use of statistics between Friday 17 April and Friday 10 July 2009. This consultation has now closed.

Following the consultation, the criteria will be amended before being published by Ofqual and the other regulators. Awarding bodies will then develop new specifications for accreditation by the regulators. It is proposed that new specifications in mathematics and further mathematics will be taught from September 2012 and new specifications in use of mathematics and use of statistics will be taught from September 2011.

Please contact QCA if you have any queries about this consultation.  

This page contains information about the consultation and links to the consultation versions of the criteria and the consultation questionnaires.

• Background information
• Current arrangements
• Mathematics requirements for other qualifications
• Proposals for consultation
• ACME position statement
• Consultation documents

Background information

AS/A levels are regulated against AS/A level qualification criteria and subject criteria.

AS/A level qualification criteria give broad rules on the structure of AS/A levels and their assessment and grading.

AS/A level subject criteria ensure that there is comparability between specifications for subjects offered by more than one awarding body. Subject criteria:

• give the general aims of studying the subject at AS/A level
• outline the core content that is essential to all specifications
• indicate which competences should be assessed (the assessment objectives)
• indicate the balance of assessment instruments to be used in assessing the qualification (the scheme of assessment).

Qualification development and regulation

QCA is responsible for developing the criteria (with DCELLS in Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland).

Awarding bodies (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA) are responsible for developing AS/A levels to meet the criteria.

Ofqual is responsible for accrediting and regulating specifications against the criteria (with DCELLS in Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland).

Changes to AS/A levels in 2008

Following a remit from DCSF (then DfES) in 2005, QCA reviewed the AS/A level qualification and subject criteria for nearly all AS/A level subjects. This review led to the accreditation of new AS/A level specifications for first teaching in September 2008.

The AS/A levels introduced in 2008 address the DCSF remit by:

• reducing the burden of assessment (most subjects were reduced from six to four units)
• incorporating 'stretch and challenge' into A2 assessments, including tighter arrangements for synoptic assessment
• introducing the A* grade.

Mathematics subjects were not included in review of A levels introduced in 2008 as revised mathematics specifications had been introduced in 2004 following the introduction of Curriculum 2000 specifications, and this would have involved two changes in rapid succession. These subjects are now being put through a similar review process as part of a review of mathematics provision at level 3 (level 3 of the National Qualifications Framework).

Timeline

It is proposed that:

• specifications in use of mathematics and use of statistics and free-standing mathematics qualifications should be introduced in September 2011 to ensure that they are available at the same time as the phase 4 Diplomas and the Extended Diploma
• specifications in mathematics and further mathematics should be introduced in September 2012 to align with the changes to the key stage 4 programme of study and the revised GCSE in mathematics being introduced in 2010.

Current arrangements

Mathematics and further mathematics

Currently, A level mathematics and further mathematics are both six-unit qualifications. Each qualification has its own pure mathematics units but they draw from a common pool of applications units which may include units in mechanics, statistics and decision mathematics. This results in six routes to A level mathematics.

Although the current arrangements are simpler than the Curriculum 2000 model, there are some remaining issues:

• The various routes to A level mathematics, whilst equivalent, are not perceived as equivalent by all centres or end users.
• In order to allow candidates to take more than one type of applications unit, candidates may certificate A level mathematics with four AS and two A2 units This makes mathematics unique among A level subjects and has resulted in different arrangements for awarding the A* grade for A level mathematics, with A* awarded on the basis of performance on the A2 pure mathematics units only, which means very good performance on an A2 applications unit will not contribute to A*.
• Arrangements for grading candidates who take both mathematics and further mathematics are uniquely complex because of the shared applications units, with these units being 'moved' between the two subjects to maximise the candidate's grade in each subject and then to maximise the UMS in A level mathematics.
• Some assessment objectives (AO4 and AO5) have very low weightings and there is limited coverage of proof and mathematical argument (in AO2).

Although there is potential choice of applications units in A level mathematics currently, evidence suggests that the choice if often made by the school or college delivering the qualification, so students themselves may not have any options. Some higher education institutions have indicated that they would prefer all students to follow the same course so that they know that all have a more comparable mathematical experience.

Use of mathematics and statistics

The current AS in use of mathematics and AS/A level in statistics both follow a similar approach, concentrating more on the applications of mathematics.

Mathematics requirements for other qualifications

There are increasing demands for different aspects of mathematics to support other qualifications. Other A levels have always required the use of certain aspects of mathematics, for example physics requires mechanics, and biology, psychology and sociology require statistics.

Many Advanced Diploma lines of learning involve the use of mathematics. Many Advanced Diploma lines of learning involve the use of mathematics. The Extended Diploma is also being developed for all Diploma lines of learning for introduction in 2011. The Extended Diploma at Advanced level will require learners to complete an additional extended core of mathematics, English or ICT and an extra component of additional and specialist learning.

More information about the Diploma

Proposals for consultation

To address issues with the current arrangements and the mathematics requirements of other qualifications, QCA consulted on proposals for the following ‘suite’ of level 3 mathematics qualifications:

• AS/A level in mathematics
• AS/A level in further mathematics
• AS/A level in use of mathematics
• AS/A level in use of statistics (this is a change from the current title of statistics)
• Level 3 Free-standing mathematics qualifications (FSMQs).

AS/A level mathematics

Summary of proposals

• AS and A level mathematics should be stand-alone qualifications with no units shared with further mathematics
• A level mathematics should consist of four units (two at AS and two at A2)
• The pure mathematics content should be prescribed and remain generally as at present
• The applications content should be prescribed, covering aspects of mechanics, statistics and decision mathematics, and building on the pure content, particularly at AS; the applications content should comprise between 33% and 40% of the AS and A level
• There should be a greater emphasis on problem solving, modelling and mathematical communication, building on the key stage 4 programme of study and GCSEs in mathematics being introduced in 2010
• There should no longer be a requirement for a non-calculator paper
• There should no longer be a list of formulae to memorise

These proposals will:

• remove the need for the complex grading arrangements for students taking both AS/A level mathematics and AS/A level further mathematics
• ensure there is a balance of AS and A2 units in A level mathematics
• enable the A* grade to be awarded in the same way as all other subjects
• meet the requirements for 'stretch and challenge'
• allow some examinations to be longer and provide better opportunity for setting less structured questions
• allow links to be made more easily between pure and applied content
• provide students with equality of opportunity and a common basis for progression.

AS/A level further mathematics

Summary of proposals

• A level further mathematics should continue to exist of six units
• Pure mathematics content should be prescribed, comprising one-third of the AS and one-third of the A2
• The content of AS level further mathematics should not be dependent on the content of AS level mathematics
• Students should be able to select from a wide range of pure mathematics and applications units to meet their own needs
• There should be a greater emphasis on problem solving, modelling and mathematical communication

These proposals will:

• avoid disruption to the teaching of further mathematics in general and in particular to the work of the Further Mathematics Network which has achieved success in increasing uptake of this subject
• give clearer commonality between specifications
• meet the requirements for 'stretch and challenge'
• allow students to specialise by taking units which best meet their needs
• continue to allow concurrent teaching of AS further mathematics with AS mathematics as at present.

AS/A level use of mathematics, AS/A level use of statistics and Free-standing mathematics qualifications (FSMQs)

Summary of proposals

• AS/A level use of mathematics and AS/A level use of statistics should both be comprised of six units
• AS/A level use of mathematics and AS/A level use of statistics should both make use of the same common pool of units, namely FSMQs
• FSMQs will be available at AS and/or A2 level in at least the following areas:

  Calculus

  Mechanics

  Finance

  Decision mathematics

  Statistics

• AS/A level use of mathematics should have a wide choice of units. AS use of mathematics should consist of one compulsory unit in algebra, plus any two AS FSMQs. At A2, students should take the A2 calculus FSMQ, a controlled assessment unit and one other A2 FSMQ. The units may be selected to best relate to the student's programme
• AS/A level use of statistics will not contain options. AS use of statistics should consist of one compulsory unit, which will be a controlled assessment, plus two AS statistics FSMQs, with a similar structure at A2. The controlled assessment unit will require students to carry out two tasks, one on a topic from each of the FSMQs. These tasks may be contextualised in the student's other studies and/or interests

More information on current FSMQs is available on the AQA and OCR websites.

These proposals will:

• allow students to tailor their mathematics programme to meet their own needs and/or support their interests
• benefit students who need certain types of mathematics to support one or more of their A levels or to support a particular Advanced Diploma line of learning
• help schools and colleges to offer the full range of qualifications more easily.

ACME position statement

The Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME) has produced a position statement on level 3 mathematics. A number of the recommendations made by ACME chime with the proposals in the consultation. The position statement can be viewed on the ACME website.

Consultation documents

Currently, there are only subject criteria for AS/A levels in mathematics. These proposals will require separate subject criteria for each of the four AS/A levels.

Criteria documents

The draft subject criteria for AS/A level mathematics, further mathematics, use of mathematics and use of statistics can be downloaded from the 'Related documents' section on the right-hand side of this page.

Consultation questionnaires and monitoring form

There were five separate questionnaires for this consultation. There was a questionnaire on overarching issues for level 3 mathematics qualifications and separate questionnaires on each of the draft subject criteria. The overarching issues questionnaire dealt with the suite of qualifications and how the individual qualifications relate to each other. The four other questionnaires contained specific questions on criteria for individual subjects.

A pdf version of each of the consultation questionnaires can be accessed from the 'Related links' section on the right-hand side of this page.