Maths GCSE higher level

This is an intensive, 27 week evening course (from mid Sept 2010 to early Summer 2011) to prepare you to take a Higher Level GCSE in Maths.

The Higher Level GCSE Maths exam covers grades D to A*. However due to time constraints, the course covers material and skills up to grade B only.

Learners aiming to achieve grade A/A* will need to study the additional material independently, as well as purchasing an additional textbook.

Entry Requirements:

This is a very demanding course and you will need a good grounding in maths to study Higher Level GCSE.

Ideally you should have already achieved at least a grade D in GCSE Maths in the past. If you have not taken GCSE maths before, or did not achieve a Grade D previously, you may still be able to join the course, providing the standard of your maths is satisfactory (see below for more information).

Alternatively we recommend that you enrol on the Maths GCSE (C Grade) Course (see additional information sheet)

Examinations:

The Higher Level GCSE consists of two exams, each worth 50% of the final GCSE mark.

These exams are taken on nationally set days in late May/early June

• non – calculator paper (1¾hours long)
• calculator paper (1¾hours long)

Classes:

There is one 3 hour lesson each week:

Thursday 6.30pm-9.30pm at the North Kingston Centre (OLCSN3)         

The Topics:

The topics fall into 4 main areas: Number, Shape and Space, Algebra and Data Handling.

Books and Equipment:

Textbook: Oxford Maths GCSE Foundation Plus (ISBN 978-0-19-915088-5) price £17.50

Scientific  Calculator (this will be discussed at the start of the course)

Geometry Set

Time management:

The pace of this course is very brisk, and in addition to attending ALL the classes, you need to commit approx 4 hours a week for private study to achieve a good grade.

Please ensure that you have sufficient free time to put in this extra work before you apply to join the course

Preparation for the course:

You will need to have basic Numeracy skills as per the Adult Core Curriculum Level 1.  As a very rough guide, you will need to know all your times tables by heart, be able to perform long multiplication and long division, be confident at dealing with the following: fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and proportion and metric measurement (all without a calculator!)

Due to the time constraints of the course, and the number of topics to get through, we just do not have the time to spend very long on these basic number skills, so brush up on them as soon as possible.

How do I enrol?:

You must complete a GCSE assessment at the Open Learning Centre (OLC)  which will be marked by a tutor.  A registration form will then be issued which will enable you to enrol at any Kingston Adult Education Centre during office hours.

Please note: priority enrolments will be given to current OLC learners.  Short numeracy courses are available at the Open Learning Centre in the Summer term and will enable you to brush up on your maths skills and take a free National Numeracy Test in preparation for the GCSE Maths course.