Introduction The Core Maths initiative is a major part of the government’s plan to increase participation and raise standards in mathematics. The aim is to ensure that by 2020, the vast majority of all students in post-16 education continue to study some form of maths. Core Maths is the name of the suite of new Level 3 qualifications that provide an alternative pathway for students who choose not to study A-level Maths. Each Core Maths qualification is half the size of an A-level, and includes 80% Higher-tier content from the reformed 2015 GCSE Maths and 20% from A-level Maths. It is designed to help prepare students to be competent and confident in using maths in their studies, careers and lives, and is particularly useful for students studying A-levels such as Geography, Psychology, Sciences, and other technical and vocational qualifications. It carries UCAS points equivalent to an AS level, counts in the 16–19 Level 3 maths performance measure and as the maths element of the new TechBacc performance measure.
About AQA Level 3 Mathematical Studies This teacher guide accompanies the Collins AQA Level 3 Mathematical Studies Student Book and will help you to deliver the AQA Certificate Level 3 Mathematical Studies specification (Core Maths) for first examination from June 2016. The Collins Student Book is approved by AQA. The qualification is linear, which means that students will sit all the exams at the end of their course. The course is assessed entirely by two written examinations: one assessing compulsory topics and the other assessing a chosen option. Using the specification references, the compulsory content is:
3.1 Analysis of data
3.2 Maths for personal finance
3.3 Estimation
3.4 Critical analysis of given data and models (including spreadsheets and tabular data).
In paper 1, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 are assessed. You will notice that 3.4 is not assessed in paper 1; instead, it is assessed in each of the chosen optional papers. The optional content comprises:
3.5 The normal distribution
3.6 Probabilities and estimation
3.7 Correlation and regression
AQA Level 3 Mathematical Studies (Core Maths) 4 Teacher Guide – Introduction
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