Overview
The Kings Advanced Level Foundation is
based on A-level syllabuses, taught by
A-level teachers, assessed against A-levels
and moderated by an independent Advisory
Board of external examiners. As such, it is one
of the most highly academic and successful
pathways to leading UK universities.
Data for Humanities is a compulsory module within the Foundation, and is specifically designed to prepare students for the rigours of academic study at UK university.
Key Facts
- 8 April 2024 (Extended programme only)
- 1 July 2024 (Extended programme only)
- 9 September 2024
- 6 January 2025
- Bournemouth
- Brighton
- London
- Oxford
- Academic: Completed 11-12 years of schooling
- English: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent
- 1 Academic Year (3 terms)
- Extended programme: 1-2 Academic Years (4-7 terms)
- Average 21 hours per week (plus homework and private study)
Learning outcomes
- The ability to structure, store and analyse numerical and non-numerical data.
- Knowledge of and competency in generic computer packages such as Excel.
- The ability to represent data using a variety of graphical forms.
- The ability to understand numerical data using standard statistical methods.
- An appreciation of the application of statistics to modelling real-world situations.
- An understanding of notions of statistical testing.
- An understanding of the use of algorithms to solve real-world problems.
- A sophisticated understanding of data presented by others.
- The skills to present a data set to give represent results in a chosen way.
Course content and structure
The Advanced Level Foundation programme is highly flexible, and able to adapt to the needs and academic aspirations of each student. It does this through a combination of core
modules and a series of elective modules which can be combined in different ways to create main subject streams.
Data for Humanities is one of the compulsory modules offered, and an overview of the syllabus content is shown below.
Course structure and content
- Computer security and good organisation practice
- Use of Word to produce well presented academic reports
- Spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel). Entering data and formulae
- Useful functions, Formatting and Printing, Graphs
- Measures of location and dispersion
- Mean, median, mode, range, quartiles, standard deviation
- Histograms, cumulative frequency diagrams, box and whisker plots, pie charts and stem and leaf diagrams
- Statistical analysis
- Use of spreadsheets to analyse data
- Random sampling
- Critical reading of data presented by others
- Developing skills with Excel. (IF function, Vlookup and Form controls.)
- Systematic and stratified random sampling, cluster sampling and questionnaire writing
- Probability Trees, Venn diagrams applied to probability
- Concept of Algorithms applied to networks: bin-packing, minimum connector, shortest path, nearest neighbour.
- Correlation of Data
- Regression lines
- Critical values for correlations (one tail test), but not the formal vocabulary of hypothesis
- Testing
- Critical path analysis and GANTT diagrams.
- Uniform distribution
- Normal distribution
- Study and critical evaluation of a wide range of graphs from the media and academia
Recommended reading
Below is a list of text books normally used on this course, as well as books which may help you prepare for your studies prior to arrival. In many cases the textbooks will be supplied by the school, and you may borrow them for the duration of your time at school.
- Edexcel AS and A level Mathematics Statistics and Mechanics Year 1 2017
- Edexcel AS and A level Mathematics Statistics and Mechanics Year 2 2017
- Pearson Edexcel Decision Mathematics 1 D1 published in 2009
Sample academic calendar (2023-2024)
Year 1
- 11th: term starts
- Student induction
- 23 – 27th: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs and talks
- 15th: term ends
- End of term exams
- 15th – 16th: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs
- End of term exams
- 22nd: term ends
