View source for Free-standing Mathematics Qualifications

{{Short description|British educational qualification}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2021}}
'''Free-standing Mathematics Qualifications''' ('''FSMQ''') are a suite of mathematical qualifications available at levels 1 to 3 in the [[National Qualifications Framework]] – Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.

==Educational standard==
They bridge a gap between [[GCSE]] and [[GCE Advanced Level|A-Level]] [[Mathematics]]. The advanced course is especially ideal for pupils who do not find GCSE maths particularly challenging and who often have extra time in their second year of GCSEs, having taken their Maths GCSE a year early. The qualification is commonly offered in private schools and is useful in allowing pupils to determine whether or not to pursue maths in subsequent stages of their schooling.

The highest grade achievable is an A. An FSMQ Unit at Advanced level is roughly equivalent to a single AS module with candidates receiving 10 UCAS points for an A grade. Intermediate level is equivalent to a GCSE in Mathematics. Coursework is often a key part of the FSMQ, but is sometimes omitted depending on the examining board.

==Exam boards==
The only examining board currently offering FSMQs is [[OCR (examination board)|OCR]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/fsmq/additional-mathematics-6993/|title=Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ) - Additional Mathematics - 6993 |website=OCR |access-date=2019-07-24}}</ref>

[[Edexcel]] withdrew the qualification, the last exam being held in June 2004. [[AQA]] also withdrew the pilot advanced level FSMQ, the last exam being in June 2018, and a final re-sit opportunity in June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/fsmq-pilot-advanced|title=Pilot Advanced Level FSMQs|website=AQA |language=en|access-date=2019-07-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724184251/https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/fsmq-pilot-advanced |archive-date= 2019-07-24}}</ref>

== Examples ==
* Additional Mathematics/AdMaths (OCR) (No coursework)

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.edexcel.org.uk/home/ Edexcel]
* [http://www.ocr.org.uk/ Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR)]
* [http://www.aqa.org.uk/ Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070228011907/http://www.qca.org.uk/12046_1688.html Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)]

[[Category:Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Mathematics education in the United Kingdom]]