June 2012 exams update:
Exam tips – how students can make best use of answer books
June 2012 Statistics
Unit code | Title | Numbering system | Type of | No |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SS02 | Statistics 2 | Conventional | Combined | 20 |
SS03 | Statistics 3 | Conventional | Combined | 24 |
SS04 | Statistics 4 | Conventional | Combined | 24 |
SS05 | Statistics 5 | Conventional | Combined | 20 |
SS06 | Statistics 6 | Conventional | Combined | 20 |
General advice
Students should:
- read all instructions on the front cover and at the start of each section of the question paper
- read each question carefully before responding, especially where there are optional question(s)
- remember that questions can appear on all pages of a question paper, including the final page.
Combined question paper answer books
Students should look at the number of marks and the line space allocated to each question and write answers of an appropriate length.
If a student needs more space to answer a question, they must:
either use the white space immediately beneath the lined answer space and before the start of the next question
or ask for an AQA four-page Supplementary answer book.
They should not:
- use the answer space for a different question
- write in the margin
- respond elsewhere in the answer book.
Separate answer books and the two-digit numbering system
Students worked well with the two-digit numbering system and separate answer books in 2011 exams; thank you for ensuring that the guidance was applied successfully. We have updated our guides for students, teachers and exams officers / invigilators to reflect the general advice given above.
A reminder: question paper style and marking answers on screen
Exams with separate question papers and answer books (unconstrained answer books) will use:
- our simplified, two-digit question numbering system
- answer books with spaces for students to write the two-digit question numbers.
For additional guidance see:
- Teacher Guide (revised)
- Exams officer and invigilator Guide (revised)
- Student Guide (revised)
- Question papers and mark schemes:
- Summer 2011 materials are available to schools / colleges in the Secure Key Materials area of e-AQA
- Specimen materials are available from the subject pages of aqa.org.uk
- Examples of students' work:
- AQA Research team papers: Marking answers on screen
- Reliability of on-screen marking of essays
- A concurrent approach to estimating the reliability of electronic marking of long form answers
- Using the Think Aloud Method to investigate electronic marking of long form answers
- The impact of e-marking on Enquiries After Results 2006/2007
- The impact of e-marking on Enquiries After Results 2005/2006
Archive
Noticeboard top
Mathematics for post-16s – have your say
The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has asked the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME) to advise on the development of a course for post-16 students who do not take A-level Maths. More information can be found on the ACME website, together with an online questionnaire. The deadline for responses is 23 March 2012.
A-level Mathematics Podcasts
Over 30 podcasts covering topics for A-level Mathematics, Statistics and Further Maths units have been produced by academics from Leeds University. The team are inviting comments and this Flyer from themathsfaculty will tell you more.
Accreditation Extended
A-level Mathematics, A-level Statistics, AS Use of Mathematics, A-level Use of Mathematics (pilot) and Advanced FSMQs are now accredited to 2014.
Minor changes to Specification
Some additional notes have been included in the A-level Mathematics and A-level Statistics Specifications 2013. These notes do not change the requirements of the specifications. Specifications for 2013 can be found under Key Materials.
A-level Use of Mathematics pilot
This A-level, which uses pilot Advanced FSMQs as some of the components, still has room for new centres. For more information, contact the A-level Mathematics team.
A-level Mathematics Question Papers
All A-level Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Statistics and Use of Mathematics and Advanced FSMQ examinations now use combined question paper/answer books. Please read our advice about how to use this new style of answer book.
Secure Key Materials
Secure Key Materials is a new e-AQA service which replaces Recent Exam Materials from 1 September. It provides teachers and Exams Officers with exclusive access to a bank of exam-related material that is:
- secure
- easy to navigate
- quick to use
- intuitive, based on the design of our website.
Please read our new leaflet and look at the following demo to find out more about this new service.
To obtain an e-AQA account and access to Secure Key Materials, please register at e-AQA. For more information about the materials published on Secure Key Materials, please don't hesitate to contact the Subject team.
Specifications for A-level Statistics
The A-level Statistics specification changed in 2004 and for this reason did not change in September 2008. This specification remains a six module qualification and is unlikely to change until 2011.
Support materials for teachers of AS and A2 Mathematics, Statistics and FSMQ
Textbooks for A-level Statistics
AQA has produced a range of textbooks for A-level Statistics covering units SS04–SS06. Order forms for these are below:
SS04 order form
SS05 order form
SS06 order form
These books are available from our Publications department. SS04 and SS05 are £8 per copy and SS06 is £10 per copy.
For SS1A/B, AQA endorse the OUP book Advanced Maths for AQA: Statistics, ISBN 0-19-914937-2. For SS02 and SS03, a combined book is available from Harcourt, Advancing Maths for AQA: Statistics 2 & 3, ISBN 9780435513405.
AQA has prepared a guide to the relationship between the new specification and the textbooks for the legacy specifications.
Read/download the guide to using existing textbooks.
Revised 2009 specification
(Examinations Update Issue 35)
Specification changes and Formulae and statistical tables
(Examinations Update Issue 34)
Support material for units MS/SS1A/W and MS/SS1B is available on the Materials page.
Information about text books can be found on the Key materials page.
Coursework standardisation meetings
- Dates for coursework standardisation meetings are generally published on the AQA Website in September.
- Centres are also notified in writing.
- If you are a new centre, please contact us to ensure that you are invited.
- Meetings are usually held between October and January and are free of charge.
- If you have not received an invitation please contact us using the details at the top of the page.
