(9660)

Outline Schemes of Work

For teaching from September 2017 onwards
For AS exams in June 2018 onwards
For A2 exams in June 2019 onwards

Copyright © 2015 Oxford International AQA Examinations and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Introduction
These outline schemes of work are intended to help teachers plan and implement the teaching of the Oxford
AQA International A-level Mathematics specification. The purpose of these outline schemes is to provide
advice and guidance to teachers, not to prescribe and restrict their approach to the specification. Each
scheme has been produced by a practicing A-level Maths teacher. There are obviously many other ways of
organising the work, and there is absolutely no requirement to use these schemes.

Scheme 1, International AS Maths with two teachers

It is assumed that there are a total for 4 to 4.5 hours per week of contact time and around 36 weeks in the
academic year available for teaching. The scheme assumes equal contact time for the two teachers.

Date Teacher A Teacher B Notes

Term 1 Algebraic manipulation of Probability (S1.1)

Year 12 polynomials (P1.1) Discrete random
First half term Remainder theorem variables, variance and
(P1.1) SD (S1.2)
Factor theorem (P1.1) Laws of indices (P1.1)
Factorisation of quadratic Surds (P1.1)
polynomials (P1.1) Equation of a straight line
Completing the square (P1.2)
(P1.1) Graphs of linear functions
Solution of quadratic (P1.1)
equations (P1.1) Parallel and perpendicular
Graphs of quadratic lines (P1.2)
functions (P1.1) Motion in a straight line
Effect of translations on with constant acceleration
quadratic graphs (P1.1) (M1.1)
Geometrical interpretation Differentiation of
of algebraic solutions polynomials (P1.3)
(P1.1) Integration as anti-
Intersection of a straight differentiation (P1.4)
line and a curve (P1.2) Motion in a straight line
Simultaneous equations with variable acceleration
(P1.1) (M1.2)
Discriminant of quadratic
function (P1.1)
Date Teacher A Teacher B Notes

Second half term Linear and quadratic Coordinate geometry of

inequalities (P1.1) the circle (PP1.1)
Algebraic division (P1.1) Equation of a circle
(PP1.1)
Graphs of quadratic and
cubic functions (P1.1) Effect of translations on
circles (PP1.1)
Geometrical interpretation
of solutions of equations Equation of the tangent
(P1.1) and normal (PP1.1)
Sequences and series Discrete random variables
(P1.5) (S1.2)
Applications of
differentiation (P1.3)
Area under curve and
Trapezium Rule (P1.4)

Term 2 Sine and cosine rules Binomial expansion (P1.5) Binomial: for weaker
(PP1.2) students, focus on the use
Bernoulli and binomial
of Pascal’s triangle as a
Area of a triangle (PP1.2) distributions (S1.3)
method of expansion
Degree and radian
measure (PP1.2)
Forces and Newton’s
Arc length, area of sector Laws (M1.3)
(PP1.2)

y = ax and its graph Momentum and Impulse

(PP1.3) (M1.4)
Logs and laws of logs
(PP1.3)
Solution of equations of
the form ax = b (PP1.3)
Sine, cosine and tangent
functions (PP1.2)
sin
Use of tan  = and
cos
sin2  + cos2  , (PP1.2)
Solution of trig equations
(PP1.2)
Effect of transformations
on the graph of y = f (x)
(P1.5)

Term 3 Revision and working Revision and working

through International AS through International AS
papers papers
Scheme 2, International A-level Maths with two teachers
It is assumed that there are a total for 4 to 4.5 hours per week of contact time and around 36 weeks in
the academic year available for teaching. It is also assumed that there is some teaching time after the
International AS exams in year 12, though it is acknowledged that not all centres have this luxury. The
scheme assumes equal contact time for the two teachers.

Date Teacher A Teacher B Notes

After the Numerical methods, Definition of a function Maximise the use of

International AS iterative methods (P2.9) (P2.1) graphical packages in
exams are these areas.
Domain and range (P2.1)
finished ex and In x (P2.5)
Composition of functions
(P2.1)
Inverse functions and
their graphs (P2.1)
Modulus (P2.1)

Term 1 Numerical Integration Partial Fractions (P2.1)

(P2.9)
Year 13 Binomial series (P2.2)
Integration - substitution,
First half term Differentiation - implicit,
parts etc. (P2.7)
parametric etc. (P2.6)
Combinations of
transformations (P2.1)

Second half term Use of formulae for Applications module

Statistics 2 or
sin ( A  B) , cos ( A  B)
Mechanics 2
and tan ( A  B) (P2.4)
Double angle formulae
(P2.4)
sec, cosec and cot (P2.4)
Understanding of their
domains and graphs
(P2.4)
Knowledge of sin1,
cos 1 and tan1 functions
(P2.4)
Understanding of their
domains and graphs
(P2.4)
Date Teacher A Teacher B Notes

Term 2 Exponential growth and Continue with Statistics 2 It is worth considering

decay (P2.5) or Mechanics 2 bringing Vectors (P2.10)
into the Autumn term for
Differential equations
those students who will be
(P2.8)
taking Mechanics 2 as
Vectors (P2.10) their second application
module. Suggest that in
this situation Vectors
would be taught by
Teacher 2.

Start revision for June

entry

Term 3 Continue with revision Revision for examinations

programme in June
Scheme 3, for International AS Pure Maths with two teachers
Teacher A
The number of hours is only a general indication. The specification gives more detail about the topics.

Topic Notes Hours

Use and manipulation of surds. See specification for level of difficulty 2

Equation of a straight line. y = mx + c , y  y1 = m( x  x1 ) , ax + by + c = 0 and

Conditions for lines to be parallel or graph of a straight line.
perpendicular to each other. Midpoint 3
Knowledge that the product of the gradients of
of a line.
perpendicular lines is  1
Distance between two points.
Problems using this knowledge. Graphical illustration.

Graphs of quadratic functions. As the other techniques in this section are covered,
Include use of f (x) notation. they can be illustrated by reference to the graph. Note
terms ‘vertex’ and ‘line of symmetry’ need to be
known.
See specification for level of difficulty. Include
negative coefficients of x2 and rearrangement of
equations.

Factorisation of quadratic See specification for level of difficulty. Include surd

polynomials – use in solving manipulation in solving equations.
quadratic equations. Completing the
7
square. Use in solving quadratic
equations and in finding maximum
and minimum values of a quadratic
polynomial. The graph of
y = (x  a)2 + b as a translation of
the graph y = x2
Solving quadratic equations by
Formula needs to be learnt.
formula.
The discriminant of a quadratic Use in determining the number of real roots.
function.

Solution of linear and quadratic Include surds in linear inequalities and in associated
inequalities. roots of the quadratic. Graphical illustration.
Cover applications involving the discriminant
3
eg determine the range of values of k for which
x2 + (k + 2)x + (2k + 1) = 0 has distinct real or
non- real or equal roots.
Topic Notes Hours

Simultaneous equations including Revise two linear equations by elimination and by

one linear and one quadratic. substitution. Linear and quadratic mostly by
substitution but cover cases when elimination is
possible.
3
Intersection of two straight lines and Including the cases when the straight line is a tangent
of a straight line and the graph of a to the quadratic, intersects it at two distinct points and
quadratic function. does not intersect it. Links with quadratic functions
and quadratic inequalities.

Coordinate geometry of the circle Including the form (x + a)2 + (y + b)2 = r2 using the
distance formula and using completing the square to
(x + a)2 + (y + b)2 = r2 as a
put the equation in this form to determine the
translation of x2 + y2 = r2 coordinates of the centre and the radius.
Graphs of circles.

The equation of the tangent and Calculus not required. Use of the coordinates of
normal at a given point to a circle. appropriate points to find gradients. Problems
involving the use of:
4
(i) the angle in a semicircle is a right angle;
(ii) the perpendicular from the centre to a
chord bisects the chord
(iii) the tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the
radius at the point of contact.
The intersection of a straight line and Algebraic methods. Geometrical interpretation of equal
a circle. roots, distinct real roots and no real roots. Links with
quadratic functions and quadratic inequalities.

22
Teacher B
The number of hours is only a general indication. The specification gives more detail about the topics.

Topic Notes Hours

Algebraic manipulation of Include use of f(x) notation.

polynomials, including expanding 1
brackets and collecting like terms.

Simple algebraic division. Use of the See specification for level of difficulty. Use in solving
factor theorem. cubic equations.
Use of the remainder theorem See specification for level of difficulty. Including
questions such as 4
eg find the values of p and q in
f (x) = x3 + px2 + qx + 8 given (x + 1) is a factor
and the remainder when f(x) is divided by 2 is 24.

Graphs of cubic functions. Using the factor theorem. 1

Differentiation – general introduction dy

Introduction to graphics calculator, zooming to
to gradient of a curve. dx
illustrate linearity of graphs, although not tested on
specification. 3

Differentiation of polynomials. Formula needs to be learnt.

Gradient of a curve.

Equations of tangents and normal. Problems based on these and on coordinate geometry
2
of a straight line.

Stationary points, maxima and Related to graphs and to optimising a single variable
minima. in a practical problem, eg maximizing volume of a
cuboid etc. Refer back to sketching quadratics and
extend sketching cubics to include max and min
points.
4
d2 y dg
= where g is the gradient function.
dx 2 dx

Graphical illustration.
Use of second order derivatives.
Topic Notes Hours

Increasing and decreasing functions. Might be more logically covered before stationary
points but need to be sure inequalities securely
covered. Including general discussion of derivative as
a rate of change and graphical illustration. Finding 2
ranges of values for which a function is
increasing/decreasing including for a cubic leading to
a quadratic inequality.

Integration as the reverse of Indefinite integration.

differentiation.
Integration of polynomials. Formula needs to be learnt. 1
Include finding the equation of a curve given the
gradient function and a point on the curve.

Area under a curve. Definite Including areas below the x-axis.

integration. 4
Problems including composite areas and intersection
of a straight line and a quadratic curve.

22
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