The IvyfordMath blog
Letters & ideas from Teacher Mike
Vision, philosophy, and letters to my students and children — why I teach the way I do, and why I built IvyfordMath.
1 June 2026
How to prepare for A-Level Further Mathematics — a teacher's guide
A complete A-Level Further Maths prep guide — how it differs from A-Level Maths, the Core Pure topic checklist, the optional routes (Further Mechanics / Statistics / Decision), and how to handle the step up in pace and abstraction.
Read1 June 2026
How to prepare for A-Level Mathematics — a teacher's complete guide
The full A-Level Maths prep guide from an Oxford mathematician — exam structure, the complete topic checklist (Pure, Statistics, Mechanics), a realistic two-year study plan, and the mistakes that cost the most marks.
Read1 June 2026
How to prepare for AP Calculus (AB & BC) — a teacher's guide
A complete AP Calculus AB and BC prep guide — the difference between AB and BC, the full unit checklist, exam format (MCQ + free response, calculator and no-calculator), scoring, and how to earn the 4s and 5s.
Read1 June 2026
How to prepare for AP Statistics — a teacher's guide
A complete AP Statistics prep guide — the four big themes, the full unit checklist, exam format (MCQ + free response incl. the investigative task), scoring, and how to write the inference answers that actually earn full marks.
Read1 June 2026
How to prepare for STEP — a teacher's guide to the Oxbridge maths admissions test
A complete STEP prep guide from an Oxford mathematician — what STEP is, how it differs from A-Level, the papers used today (STEP 2 & 3), how it's graded, and a realistic month-by-month plan for building the depth and stamina it demands.
Read1 June 2026
How to prepare for the TMUA — a teacher's guide to the maths admissions test
A complete TMUA prep guide from an Oxford mathematician — what the TMUA is, the two papers (Applications and Mathematical Reasoning), how it's scored 1–9, why logic and proof matter so much, and how to train for it.
Read31 May 2026
Why I built IvyfordMath — a letter to my students
A note from Teacher Mike on why a maths classroom should feel like a world worth exploring, and what I hope IvyfordMath becomes for you.
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