The Mathematics department will be offering three courses: Mathematical Studies Standard Level, Mathematics Standard Level and Mathematics Higher Level.

Mathematical Studies ~ Standard Level
This course caters for students with varied backgrounds and abilities. More specifically it is designed to build confidence and encourage an appreciation of Mathematics in students who do not anticipate a need for Mathematics in their future studies. Students embarking on this course need to have studied at least intermediate GCSE Mathematics and achieved a grade B

The nature of Mathematical Studies is such that it concentrates on Mathematics which can be applied to contexts related as far as possible to other subjects being studied, to common real-world occurrences and to topics that relate to home, work and leisure situations. The programme includes a feature unique to Sixth Form Mathematics at Bexley Grammar School: a piece of written work based on personal research, guided and supervised by the teacher. This project provides an opportunity for students to  carry out a mathematical investigation in the context of another subject in the curriculum, a hobby or interest of his/her choice using skills learned before and during the Mathematical Studies course. This process allows students to ask their own questions about Mathematics and take responsibility for a part of their own course of studies in Mathematics.

The students most likely to select this subject are those whose main interests lie outside the field of Mathematics, and for many students this course will be their final experience of being taught formal Mathematics. All parts of the syllabus have, therefore, been carefully selected to ensure that an approach starting with first principles can be used. As a consequence, students can use their own inherent, logical thinking skills and do not have to rely on standard algorithms and remembered formulae. Students likely to need Mathematics for the pursuit of further qualifications should not choose this course.

The Mathematical Studies course consists of the study of the following topics:

•    Number and algebra
•    Sets and logic
•    Geometry and trigonometry
•    Statistics and probability
•    Functions
•    Financial mathematics
•    Introductory differential calculus

All students studying Mathematical Studies Standard Level will be required to have access to a graphical calculator. The model we shall be using is the Casio FX 9850 GB PLUS and this can be obtained from the school Finance Office at the start of term.