Abstract
THE Cambridge Joint Advisory Committee for Mathematics, set up in November 1943, consists of eight school teachers and eight representatives of the University of Cambridge. The Committee has published a pamphlet "Syllabuses for Examinations taken by Sixth Form Pupils" (Cambridge University Press, 1945. 6d.), containing a scheme of two years work for higher school certificates and also for college entrance scholarships. It is recommended that the entrance scholarship papers should follow closely those for higher school certificates, and not give too much weight to advanced work. Pure and applied mathematics are regarded as a single subject, to which, even for specialists, not more than half the total teaching periods should be devoted. Another main subject, for example, physics, should also be taken, and at least one third of the total time should be reserved for general subjects. Having regard to the different requirements and levels of ability of the pupils, the Committee provides four different syllabuses, 'Subsidiary', 'Ordinary', 'Further', and 'Higher'. The 'Subsidiary' would be sufficient for those taking mathematics as an auxiliary to economics or biology, and includes, as an option, statistical method. This is an innovation of the greatest importance. The Ordinary' is roughly the present higher school certificate course for a 'Principal' subject, but again statistics may be taken if desired. The 'Further' and 'Higher' are suitable for candidates for university scholarships. Astronomy may be taken instead of some of the more advanced mechanics in the 'Further' course.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sixth Form Mathematics. Nature 155, 539–540 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/155539e0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/155539e0