5 Tips for Getting the Top Grade in A-Level Maths

You’ve done brilliantly at GCSE and you’re all pumped up, ready for the challenge that lies ahead. Or are you? Here are 5 tips which, if followed, will give you the best chance of getting the top grade in A-Level Maths.

1. Know the basics – well!

There are certain topics that make up what I call the “A-Level Mathematician’s Basic Toolkit”. In the same way that you wouldn’t be too impressed with a tradesperson unfamiliar with how to use a spanner, screwdriver or drill, there are some things that you have to know like the back of your hand if you want to solve increasingly complex problems. These include:

• surds and indices – simplifying, rationalising the denominator

• algebraic manipulation – solving equations, rearranging formulae, algebraic fractions, simultaneous equations

• quadratics – factorising, completing the square, using the quadratic formula

• inequalities – linear and quadratic

• curve sketching – straight lines and quadratic functions

• coordinate geometry – finding the gradient and equation of a straight line

Your teacher will probably spend anywhere between two to three weeks recapping some of this material, but the sooner you master it, the more comfortable you’ll feel accessing the rest of the course.

2. Revise everyday, because practice really does make perfect.

The word “revision” can mean lots of things to lots of different people. To me, it means reviewing material on a consistent basis and that involves starting from the first day of term in September.

The general advice for Sixth Formers is to spend 4-6 hours per week for each subject on extra study, in addition to any classwork and homework commitments. While that may sound like a lot, a good idea is to break it down into smaller, more manageable bits – aim for 45 minutes to an hour’s worth of supplementary Maths every day. This could be anything from additional questions on a particular topic, to spending time with a tutor to attempting past exam questions.

I would argue that most of the material covered in A-Level Maths involves “mechanical” problem solving i.e. learning a variety of techniques and practising them relentlessly until you are ready to apply them in a reasonably wide range of contexts. That is to say there isn’t a great deal of imagination involved…practice hard and you’ll find the exams relatively easy! Simply reading your notes will not help; you need to get stuck in. Get hold of some additional textbooks besides the one recommended by your exam board as this will give you access to a larger bank of questions.

Also, set some time aside each month to go over the material covered in the previous month. This will help you to commit important ideas to your long-term memory.

3. Don’t use up past papers too soon.

Past papers are a valuable, finite resource and should not be used when learning a topic for the first time. Always attempt questions from worksheets or textbooks first in order to familiarise yourself with the concepts and then try a past paper under timed conditions. When marking papers, use the mark scheme and mark harshly! If in doubt, ask your teacher or tutor.

4. Seek help whenever you need it.

There’s no such thing as a daft question, so don’t be afraid of asking! If you’re stuck on anything then you must ask your teacher/tutor/a classmate before the issue snowballs and completely buries your confidence. It is much easier to fix one or two problems encountered in a single week than to reconstruct an entire half term’s work! Keep Post-It notes with you when you study so you can highlight any areas of concern and flag them up immediately.

5. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

A-Level Maths presents a steep learning curve and it’s important to remember that different students will progress at different rates. You will more than likely have one or two high flyers in your class whose easy grasp of every concept will occasionally make you doubt yourself. It’s perfectly normal for the average student to have to revisit material multiple times until it sticks. The key is to set high standards for yourself and take small steps forward each day. In my experience, it’s not always the “smartest” students that get the top grades, but those who manage their time well, stay focused and remain diligent until the very end.

Good luck and, above all, enjoy your time learning Maths! If you are in need of a helping hand then I’d love to hear from you!