IB Mathematical Applications

Applications Open: - 3rd November 2025

Applications Close: - 30th June 2026

Entry Requirements: - 5 x grade 4-9 including Maths & English at G5

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

IBCP students will take a minimum of three courses of study. All of these will be Level 3 courses (A/AS Level equivalent). The courses will be a combination of vocational BTEC qualification (equivalent to up to 3 A Levels, approximately 10 hours of study per week) and 2 IB subjects (approx. AS level each and studied for 5 hours a fortnight). If you select this subject you must also select one BTEC in your application and one other IB subject.

Students taking this course need to be already equipped with fundamental skills and a rudimentary knowledge of basic processes 0f mathematics.The course concentrates on mathematics that can be applied to contexts related as far as possible to other subjects being studied, to common real-world occurrences and to topics that relate to home, work and leisure situations. The course includes project work, a piece of written work based on personal research, guided and supervised by the teacher. The project provides an opportunity for students to carry out a mathematical investigation in the context of another course being studied, a hobby or interest of their choice using skills learned before and during the course. This process allows students to ask their own questions about mathematics and to take responsibility for a part of their own course of studies in mathematics.

This course is designed for students who enjoy describing the real world and solving practical problems using mathematics, those who are interested in harnessing the power of technology alongside exploring mathematical models and enjoy the more practical side of mathematics.

The Mathematics: Application and Interpretation course focuses on important interconnected mathematical topics. The course is taught over 6 hours a fortnight throughout years 12 and 13 and is suitable for students achieving a grade 5 + at GCSE and wish to continue their mathematical studies into sixth form.

This course recognises the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range of fields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasises the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course also includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics.

The use of technology is an integral part of DP mathematics courses. Developing an appreciation of how developments in technology and mathematics have influenced each other is one of the aims of the courses and using technology accurately, appropriately and efficiently both to explore new ideas and to solve problems is one of the assessment objectives. Learning how to use different forms of technology is an important skill in mathematics and time has been allowed in each topic of the syllabus and through the “toolkit” in order to do this.

As in most other subjects within the diploma programme the SL course is a subset of the HL course. As SL becomes a subset of HL this means that HL students can complete the SL course with the HL elements being an addition. This will increase the accessibility of the HL courses by encouraging strong SL students to consider taking mathematics at HL.

How will the courses be assessed? SL students will complete two externally assessed written papers, both 1.5 hours and worth 40% of the final grade each and the internal assessment, worth 20%. HL students will complete three externally assessed written papers and the internal assessment

For entry into King Ethelbert School Sixth Form all students must attain 5 grades between Grade 9 and Grade 4 (or equivalent) with a Grade 5 in both English Language and Mathematics.

Students who do well at the IBCP are well placed to move into the world of work, Higher or Further education. They will have the qualifications, skills and qualities that are valued by employers in all sectors.