There are signs, too, that the wider availability of further maths will boost the dwindling number of maths teachers.

ECONOMIST: The way to save minority subjects

The subjects at which private-school pupils excelled were those demanded by the top universities: maths, further maths, English and physics.

ECONOMIST: University admissions

Maths departments are so keen on candidates with further maths that they often accept them with lower grades in other subjects.

ECONOMIST: The way to save minority subjects

An early check of the A-level further maths paper on 31 May found an error and the paper was returned to the printers to be altered.

BBC: exam pic generic

And a clever redesign of the syllabus has made it easier to teach further maths over two years along with standard maths, thus boosting its popularity.

ECONOMIST: The way to save minority subjects

The maths department at the University of Warwick, one of the top-ranked in the country, is thinking of requiring further maths again, for the first time in more than a decade.

ECONOMIST: The way to save minority subjects

Nikini, who went to King Edward VI High School (for girls), had taken French, maths, further maths and classical civilisation - a subject in which she came in the top five in the country.

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Language teachers might also take a leaf from the further-maths textbook.

ECONOMIST: The way to save minority subjects