why study this subject? If you enjoy mathematics and are confident with the work you have done so far at GCSE, A Level Mathematics could be the course for you. Students enjoy its challenge, its clarity and the fact that you know when you are right. The solution of a problem has excitement and satisfaction. Mathematics is good training for the mind, helping to develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills – the kind of analytical processes that have helped solve problems of all kinds for thousands of years. It is a demanding and challenging subject but it can be an extremely rewarding one if you are prepared to put in time and effort. Mathematics is classed by the Russell Group Universities as a facilitating subject for maths and science-based degree courses. The course provides a broad and widely applicable base of mathematical knowledge, including rigorous treatment of calculus and proof alongside statistics and mechanics, preparing learners for a wide range of destinations in higher education and employment. All aspects of the course are compulsory. It emphasizes how mathematical ideas are interconnected and how mathematics can be applied to model situations mathematically, using algebra and other representations, to help make sense of data, to understand the physical world, and to solve problems in a variety of contexts, including social sciences and business. The mechanics element of the course strongly supports students studying physics. A new feature of A Level maths will be to use a large data set of pre-released material, which will be used throughout the course. It will be necessary for students to purchase a new calculator with specific functions that will allow them to work with real data and explore it with appropriate technology.