fmsp gcse problem solving resources

Rhaglen Gymorth Mathemateg Bellach Cymru Further Maths Support Programme Wales

• Why study Further Maths?
• University Courses
• FMSP Wales Catalogue
• GCSE Revision Videos
• GCSE Boost Videos
• KS5 Revision Videos
• KS5 Flipped Videos
• Student Events
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• Mathematician of the Month
• Women in Maths
• Offering Further Mathematics
• Promoting Further Mathematics

Curriculum Support

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• Why study Maths?
• Why choose Further Maths?
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• What FMSPW does

Additional Mathematics

We have created a Desmos course which teachers can use to teach WJEC Additional Mathematics . This is available to all teachers who are registered with us.

FMSPW Scheme of Work

This is a full resources Scheme of Work for Mathematics and Further Mathematics A levels. Available to all state schools and colleges in Wales. For links, please  register  with FMSPW 

Included in the SoW are:

• Programmes of Study, split into 4 half terms
• A Master MindMap showing connections from GCSE through to Further Mathematics A2
• A Master Spreadsheet with Learning objectives, prior knowledge & dependent topics
• Sub-topic plans with Pedagogy and other resources
• Exercises & teaching resources
• 3 sets of Practice Papers
• Flipped Classroom Powerpoints and Videos for Further Mathematics
• Flipped Classroom Powerpoints and Videos for Mathematics (completion planned for Sept 2021)
• Exam Question Revision Videos for Mathematics A level
• Revision Videos for Further Mathematics A level
• PL Powerpoints for Further Mathematics

A-level Videos: Mathematics and Further Mathematics

The AS Mathematics Revision Videos are worked answers to the title exam questions but as well as showing a ‘model answer’, we use the questions and add alternative solutions, proofs etc. to develop your understanding and to help you to prepare for A2 study.

The A2 Mathematics Revision Videos are worked answers to the title exam questions but as well as showing a ‘model answer’, we use the questions and add alternative solutions, proofs etc. to develop your understanding and to help you to prepare for Further Maths or other further study.

The Flipped Classroom Videos are available to students via YouTube. Spreadsheets with links for these videos are included in the Teacher Area Also available to teachers are the powerpoints from which the videos are made. These can be edited by teachers and then used to create bespoke videos.

On the  Integral resources website  schools and colleges registered with the FMSPW receive free access to thousands of pages of teaching resources, including hundreds of interactive resources and multiple choice assessments for applied and further mathematics modules. In addition to this there are materials for OCR Additional Mathematics (which is similar to WJEC Additional Mathematics) and GCSE problem solving. The Integral online resources support the teaching of A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics for WJEC and other specifications. The site contains thousands of pages of resources with hundreds of interactive resources and multiple choice assessments.

Access for FMSPW students

Students who are tutored by the FMSPW have access to Integral to support them in their studies.

Free access for registered schools and colleges

Schools and colleges which register with the Further Mathematics Support Programme receive a single, staff Integral account to access resources. When registering with the FMSPW, it is agreed that the user will adhere by the terms and conditions set by Integral

Reinforcement for A-level Mathematics & Further Mathematics

These are a series of eleven videos with accompanying question sheets and solutions, produced by FMSP Wales to help students transition from GCSE to A-level maths. 

Embedding Topic Knowledge for A-level Further Mathematics

This is a set of five videos consolidating understanding of mathematical connections between AS and A2 Further Mathematics  click here

University Entrance Exams

Step, aea, tmua, mat.

In addition to A level grades some universities also require students to pass  Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) , an  Advanced Extension Award (AEA)  in Mathematics which are taken in June. Others ask for the  Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)  or the  Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT)  which are taken in November. Some other universities encourage students to take these papers and may include STEP, AEA, TMUA or MAT in their offers.

The FMSPW can provide professional learning to support teachers helping students to develop problem-solving skills and to prepare for STEP, AEA, TMUA and MAT examinations.

The FMSPW provides a series of  teacher and student events  to support STEP, AEA, TMUA and MAT mathematics and general problem solving.

We have produced a number of enrichment resources and programmes which we release periodically. Videos for these will be on youtube when available. Details of all our programmes can be found here.

Examples of previous programmes:

• Mathematical Worlds
• Bridging Sessions Videos: KS4 to KS5 Mathematics
• Bridging Sessions Videos: KS5 to University
• Summer Schools

Resourceaholic

Ideas and resources for teaching secondary school mathematics

• Blog Archive

19 June 2015

Favourite problems.

• GCSE Problem Solving Materials  - FMSP
• Support for Problem Solving - OCR
• GCSE Mathematics - 90 Problem Solving Questions - AQA (and PowerPoint collated by @EJMaths)
• Additional Mathematics Problem Solving Questions  (& Teacher Guide ) - AQA
• GCSE Problem Solving Questions (zip file) - Edexcel
• 55 Problems - MathsBox
• GCSE Foundation Problem Solving - Sheffield Maths
• Badger Maths Problem Solving Samples  (Years 1 - 6) - via National Stem Centre
• Mathematical challenges for able pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 - DfE
• Problem solving with EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children - DfE

• Median Don Steward
• Solve My Maths
• Maths Problem Solving
• MathsChallenge.net
• Brilliant.org
• Openmiddle.com
• United Kingdom Mathematics Trust
• 1001 Math Problems
• Suffolk Maths - more problem solving links
• Taking Back The F-Word  - solvemymaths.com
• What makes a rich task? - ATM
• What's in a task? Generating mathematically rich activity - QCDA
• Using Low Threshold High Ceiling Tasks in Ordinary Classrooms - nrich

Resources for GCSE Mathematics students

Home > Students > GCSE Mathematics > Resources for GCSE Mathematics students

Here are some resources to help you in working towards taking your GCSE Mathematics. We’ll add further resources to these in the future.

If your school has registered with the AMSP your teachers should be able to access additional resources that they can share with you. These include resources for the AQA Level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics and for the OCR Level 3 FSMQ in Additional Mathematics, as well as for GCSE Mathematics.

Develop your problem-solving skills

Maths feast.

Practice and competition materials produced for the Maths Feast enrichment competition for Year 10 students

Revising for your GCSE

Here are some suggestions to help you prepare for your exams:

• check you’ve covered all of the content
• make a plan of how you will use your revision time – it’s better to set yourself realistic targets and achieve them, than to be too ambitious and end up feeling negative about not achieving it
• in the early stage of your revision use your notes to help you; nearer the exams aim to complete past exam papers in timed conditions and without your notes
• practise answering as many past exam papers as possible
• after you’ve completed a past paper, read the mark scheme, taking particular note of what the marks are awarded for
• read the examiner’s reports for the papers you try – these usually give useful comments on common mistakes candidates made
• if you’re stuck seek help from a teacher or a friend
• if you’re struggling with a particular topic, practise some additional questions on this from your textbook

Planning to study Core Maths?

Core maths skills course.

This self-study online course helps you to get ready to study Core Maths.

You can register for this course between May and October.

Planning to study A level Mathematics?

Transition to a level mathematics resources: essential skills.

Many students say that they find the initial transition from GCSE challenging. These resources focus on developing key skills that will be used across the whole spectrum of AS and A level Mathematics.

Transition to A level Mathematics course

This free online interactive course aims to give you the confidence that you’re ready to start A level Mathematics. It covers the topics that are of most value at the beginning of the A level course and aims to improve your understanding – not just your fluency with skills – by delving deeper into GCSE content.

FMSP Favourite Problems – Number 1

• Post author By tombennison
• Post date January 25, 2015
• 1 Comment on FMSP Favourite Problems – Number 1

In a fairly shameless copy of the style of some of @srcav ‘s posts where he solves a maths problem and briefly goes through his reasoning I have decided to do the same with some (easier) problems that I have recently discovered.

The Further Mathematics Support Programme (FMSP) have produced a series of 6 posters of problems that should be accessible to GCSE students. The first one of which is a fairly nice area problem – the poster is available here and shown below.

As always, when solving any kind of geometric / visual problem I find drawing a diagram (even if there is a printed one in front of me) helpful, and I then mark on everything that I already know.

Overall, I think this is a nice, accessible problem that would get students to think. As, an aside this problem demonstrates (though it isn’t immediately clear from the picture) the fact that Pythagoras’ theorem can be extended for other shapes attached to the sides of a right angled triangle – in this case semi-circles.

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One reply on “fmsp favourite problems – number 1”.

Area of lunes = area of triangle + area of semi-circle on b + area of semi-circle on c – area of semi circle on a.

Area of lunes = area of triangle.

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