Edexcel A level Maths exams

[JAMM]

My Ds 2 is currently doing his A Levels and was really upset yesterday after his 2nd maths paper... he found it really hard and a lot on the paper was Further Maths work apparently so another of his friends who studies further maths told him. The first paper was the same. His year is the first year for this curriculum and I’m afraid they haven’t got it right. I know some years have to be the first to try out the new curriculum in subjects but it seems to always be his year ie new grades on gcse
It’s really knocked his self confidence and came home nearly in tears. He works so hard and his predicted grades are A A B but he now thinks he’s not even going to pass... he has his last maths exam tomorrow and I’m struggling to build him back up again...
Anyone else in the same boat?

[Stardust5]

Hi, my DS is currently doing A level exams not in Maths though but a number of his friends are and they have said exactly the same as your DS, they found it really hard and also think they have not done well. I guess if everyone is in the same boat the grade boundaries will be lowered so your DS might have done better than the thought. Hope tomorrow’s exam goes better for him.

[DisneyWannabe]

My DD1 is sitting ALevel Maths this year and has found the paper challenging. As we were experiencing some issues with the teaching at her sixth form we have had a tutor for her since October and thankfully the tutor has covered so much more than the teachers did (especially the mechanics part). She said that without that extra tutoring she thinks she would not have done at all well.

I think it’s wrong that when they change the curriculum that the teachers don’t seem to be given the correct support, training or time to be able to teach it correctly. Our kids don’t stand a chance if they are not taught what they need to know ☹️

[Cricket19]

My ds is doing Edexcel Maths and yesterday's paper was very difficult. Lots of comments on other websites - apparently the questions were worded in a way that is used in Further Maths. From what I've read, most of those doing FM found the paper ok but anyone else struggled as the teaching style is different. Also, the 15 mark question was virtually the same as in an international paper from a few years ago - just had 1 or 2 changes.

[dubletrub]

Yes my daughter found it so difficult she came home and said she has now failed maths thanks to edexcel. Just hoping it has lowered the grade boundaries for them, disgusting of them to use further maths language and questions and demoralise all the students who cant do further maths ☹

[Leanne1977]

Another unhappy parent and young adult here! My DS thought it was an awful paper and is pretty sure he’s going to fail. Why on Earth they do this to students I really don’t know. It’s not fair on them!

[WhereIBelong]

Hmmm... ? DD's friend said some of the Maths was challenging, and it was hard sometimes to decipher where to start, but it was fine and nothing came up that they had not been taught.

[sophiepop]

Originally Posted by Leanne1977

Another unhappy parent and young adult here! My DS thought it was an awful paper and is pretty sure he’s going to fail. Why on Earth they do this to students I really don’t know. It’s not fair on them!

See more...

I was just going to post those exact words. My Daughter has had 3 of her A levels that were really based around another subject that she didn't take. Reading the websites so many people are complaining about it too so I know its not just Soph.

There seems to be a bit of a theme this year. Same as GCSE's really. They had to lower the pass rate of the higher maths to 18%, its crazy!

[Hopefulholiday]

It’s very frustrating isn’t it, my ds is doing A Level maths but MEI which I think is OCR. The paper was new last year and for the AS last year some of the kids in the other maths class were told information the day before the exam that certain resources that were expected in the exam weren’t going to be etc. DS who is normally laid back came home in a panic and we had tears, terrible preparation for them.
It seems the teachers were really unclear on the exam and they had only been provided with one specimen paper, doesn’t seem fair when so much rests on A Levels results.

[JAMM]

I think he feels a little better knowing that a fair few students also struggled with the paper... lets hope the exam board take on board what has been said and mark accordingly!

Good luck to everyone sitting paper 3 tomorrow... here’s hoping it contains questions from the curriculum they have studied