In order to study a wide range of undergraduate programmes (including those in the biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, materials science, mathematics and physics), students need to have gained a mathematics qualification prior to entering university-level study.
A considerable number of pre-HE mathematics qualifications are available within the UK and, for those working within the HE sector, it is not always clear what mathematics content, methods and processes students will have studied (or indeed can be expected to know and understand) as they commence their university-level programmes.
This miniproject compiled a guide, ‘Understanding the UK Mathematics Curriculum Pre-Higher Education’, outlining what students with given prior qualifications in mathematics are likely to know and be able to do. It was written for those within the HE sector.
In March 2008 the Department for Children, Schools and Families published a consultation paper, ‘Promoting achievement, valuing success: a strategy for 14-19 qualifications’, which set out the government’s intention to move towards a more streamlined and understandable qualifications framework for young people aged 14-19. At the heart of this strategy are three main routes to HE: apprenticeships, diplomas and general qualifications.
Apprenticeships combine paid work with on-the-job training, qualifications and progression. They do not include a requirement to take mathematics qualifications.
Diplomas offer a blend of classroom work and practical experience. They include a requirement to study functional mathematics at the appropriate level. All diploma lines of learning permit learners to include other mathematics qualifications.
General qualifications in mathematics provide the evidence of attainment in mathematics that is most likely to be presented to HE admissions tutors. The guide clarifies the content, style of assessment and probable learning outcomes that may be expected in a number of general qualifications in mathematics: these are GCSE, A Level and Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications (FSMQ).
It is important to be clear that those entering degree courses come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring with them a wide range of experiences. Two overarching factors relevant to this are where an entrant studied previously and how.
The guide describes the structure and content of specific UK mathematics qualifications and attempts to indicate the likely attributes of students who have taken them. However, the content of qualification specifications cannot be assumed to be an accurate measure of what students will actually know and understand when they start HE. This will be influenced considerably by the nature of their mathematical learning experiences and by the grades they achieved.
Several universities have used diagnostic tests to determine the mathematical knowledge, understanding and fluency of new undergraduates, and how they relate to students’ qualifications at the start of their HE courses.