England · Cambridge OCR Level 3 FSMQ · Additional Maths 6993

OCR FSMQ Additional Maths 6993 help

OCR's Additional Maths is an unusual qualification: a Level 3 maths exam, the same level as A level, that most students sit in Year 11 alongside GCSE. It is one paper of two hours, it covers differentiation, integration, logarithms and the binomial expansion, and it is graded A to E. Schools offer it to their strongest GCSE students, often in an after-school slot, which is why families looking for help with it find so little. This page sets out the paper and the June 2027 date from OCR, explains the seven topic sections and their codes, describes the "show detailed reasoning" rule that decides whether a calculator answer earns marks, and works three original problems at the level of the paper.

Book the free first class Book a priority demo The detailed reasoning rule Ask on WhatsApp

Live teaching since 2020 · 10,000+ students · Built from OCR's 6993 specification, version 2.0 June 2026

In short

OCR Level 3 FSMQ: Additional Maths (6993) is a Free Standing Mathematics Qualification from Cambridge OCR, aimed at students who will take GCSE Maths at Higher tier. It is assessed by one two-hour, 100-mark paper with a calculator, graded A to E, and OCR's June 2027 timetable lists it on the afternoon of Friday 18 June 2027. Modern Age Coders teaches 6993 live online through its A level Maths course, starting from the topics the FSMQ covers, 1-on-1 or in a group of 15 to 20. We are not connected with OCR.

Start here

Three courses for an Additional Maths student

The first teaches the A level calculus and logarithms that 6993 introduces. The second keeps GCSE Higher secure in the same year; the third is for students who already know they want two maths A levels.

A-Level Maths course thumbnail

FA / 01

A level Maths: Pure, Mechanics, Statistics

Its opening pure topics are the 6993 content: calculus, logarithms, coordinate geometry, the binomial expansion.

Open the syllabus →
GCSE Maths course thumbnail

FA / 02

GCSE Maths: Foundation and Higher

For the GCSE Higher papers sat a few weeks earlier in the same summer.

Open the syllabus →
A Level Further Maths course thumbnail

FA / 03

A level Further Maths

OCR says 6993 can lead to accelerated progress into Further Maths; this is where that goes.

Open the syllabus →

The paper

How is OCR Additional Maths 6993 assessed?

By one written paper, which makes up all of the qualification. The table follows OCR's specification, version 2.0 (June 2026), and its final June 2027 timetable.

OCR Level 3 FSMQ: Additional Maths 6993 at a glance (OCR specification v2.0 and June 2027 final timetable)
FeatureWhat OCR says
LevelLevel 3, the same level as AS and A level
AssessmentPaper 1 only: one two-hour written exam, with no non-examination assessment
Marks100, which is 100% of the qualification
CalculatorScientific or graphical calculator permitted
FormulaeGiven on page 2 of the integrated answer booklet
GradesA, B, C, D, E, where A is the highest; below E is Unclassified
SeriesOne a year, in May/June
June 2027Friday 18 June 2027, afternoon, 2 hours
Teaching time30 guided learning hours; total qualification time 60 hours
UCASUp to 10 UCAS points in the new tariff
Qualification numberQN 100/2548/0

A few of those rows deserve a second look. Thirty guided learning hours is very little teaching time: OCR adds that this "is only a guide" and that centres "with particularly able candidates could deliver this course considerably faster". The other 30 hours of the total qualification time are independent study, so a student who has one after-school lesson a week is expected to do about as much again at home. And because there is only one series a year, a student who misses or wants to improve on June 2027 waits until the next summer; OCR says "Learners can retake the qualification as many times as they wish."

The paper is the last major maths exam of the summer for most students who take it. In June 2027, GCSE Maths papers fall on 14 May, 27 May and 14 June, and the FSMQ on the afternoon of 18 June, four days after the final GCSE maths paper. That order is helpful: GCSE Higher algebra is fresh, and the FSMQ builds directly on it.

Sources: OCR Level 3 FSMQ: Additional Maths 6993 (specification version 2.0, June 2026) and the OCR June 2027 final timetable for AS/A Level, Core Maths and FSMQ, read on 31 October 2026.

Seven topics

What topics are in OCR FSMQ Additional Maths?

Seven sections, each with its own two-letter code: algebra underneath, four pure topics with applied twists, and two numerical topics. All of it goes beyond GCSE Higher.

OCR describes the structure in one sentence: the course "consists of four main 'pure' mathematics topics, each of which contains an 'applied' dimension, and two numerical topics, all underpinned by an Algebra section." Every content statement carries a reference such as AL5 or CA11, and an italic statement in square brackets marks content that, in OCR's words, "will not be tested".

The seven content sections of 6993, with examples of statements from the specification (codes are OCR's; the third column is our note on what is new beyond GCSE Higher)
Section and codeExamples of statementsNew beyond GCSE Higher
Algebra (AL)AL4 linear factors of a polynomial; AL5 completing the square; AL11 recurrence relationships in modellingPolynomial factor theorem, algebraic fractions and inequalities at greater depth
Enumeration (EN)EN1 binomial expansion; EN4 permutations; EN5 combinationsnPr and nCr notation, the binomial expansion
Coordinate Geometry (CG)CG3 equation of a circle; CG5 tangents and normals; CG8 objective functionsCircles with any centre, linear programming
Pythagoras and Trigonometry (PT)PT2 sine and cosine rules; PT4 the identity sin² + cos² = 1Trigonometric identities and equations
Calculus (CA)CA5 stationary points; CA6 their nature; CA11 definite integrals; CA13 area between two curvesDifferentiation and integration, entirely new
Numerical Methods (NM)NM2 iteration; NM7 trapezium rule; NM8 over or under estimateEstimating areas and roots, judging the error
Exponentials and Logarithms (EL)EL2 log as the inverse of a power; EL3 laws of logarithms; EL6 solving ax = bLogarithms, entirely new

Calculus and logarithms are the two sections with nothing at all behind them in GCSE, and they take the biggest share of the teaching time in our plan. The others extend GCSE Higher topics: a GCSE student meets the equation of a circle centred on the origin, and 6993 moves the centre; a GCSE student meets tree diagrams, and 6993 adds permutations, combinations and the binomial expansion.

Assessment objective weightings for 6993, from the specification (percentage of the qualification)
ObjectiveWhat it asksWeighting
AO1 Use and apply standard techniquesCarry out routine procedures; use language and notation correctly54 to 58%
AO2 Reason, interpret and communicate mathematicallyConstruct rigorous arguments; make deductions; explain reasoning20 to 24%
AO3 Solve problems within mathematics and in other contextsModel, interpret solutions in context, evaluate accuracy and limits20 to 24%

OCR also promises that the paper contains "at least one unstructured problem solving question", one with no parts to lead the student through. Students coming from GCSE often find it the hardest question to start, because GCSE questions are usually broken into steps for them.

Detailed reasoning

What does "show detailed reasoning" mean in OCR Additional Maths?

It means the calculator can check an answer but cannot replace the method. On those questions a correct answer from a calculator's solve or integrate function does not earn full marks.

The 6993 specification allows any scientific or graphical calculator and adds that "Allowable calculators can be used for any function they can perform." It even expects "an iterative function, such as an ANS key." But some questions carry a printed instruction, "In this question you must show detailed reasoning", and then the rules change. OCR explains that this "is not a restriction on a learner's use of a calculator when tackling the question, e.g. for checking an answer", but it is "a restriction on what will be accepted as evidence of a complete method."

OCR gives two illustrations, which we describe rather than copy. For a logarithm equation, the student must write the step that takes logarithms of both sides, the rearranged form, and an intermediate value; in OCR's words, "Using the solve function on a calculator to skip one of these steps would not result in a complete analytical method." For a definite integral, the student must write the integrated expression and the substitution of the limits; "Just writing down the answer using the definite integral function on a calculator would therefore not be awarded full marks."

Command words in the 6993 specification and what they require (summarised from OCR's definitions)
CommandWhat it requires
ExactNo rounding; keep surds, π or fractions, and rigorous working
Show thatThe result is given, so every step to it must be shown; a sketch is not enough
DetermineJustify any result found, with working where appropriate
Give, State, Write downNo working or justification required
HenceStart from the result just found
You may use the resultA permitted shortcut, not a required one
In this question you must show detailed reasoningA complete analytical method; the calculator only checks

The specification has one more calculator rule worth practising: "Correct mathematical notation (rather than 'calculator notation') should be used. Incorrect notation may result in loss of marks." Writing 2.5E-3 instead of 2.5 × 10−3, or "log 80 / log 5" without brackets around a numerator that needs them, are exactly the kinds of slips this rule catches.

Worked examples

Three 6993-style problems we wrote, with detailed reasoning

Original problems, not OCR questions, from the three sections students meet for the first time. Each is written out the way a "detailed reasoning" question needs.

Example 1, calculus: stationary points (CA5, CA6)

Question (ours). Find the stationary points of y = x³ − 6x² + 9x + 1 and determine their nature.

Differentiate. dy/dx = 3x² − 12x + 9 = 3(x² − 4x + 3) = 3(x − 1)(x − 3).

Solve dy/dx = 0. x = 1 or x = 3. Then y = 1 − 6 + 9 + 1 = 5 at x = 1, and y = 27 − 54 + 27 + 1 = 1 at x = 3.

Nature. d²y/dx² = 6x − 12, which is −6 at x = 1 (a maximum) and 6 at x = 3 (a minimum). So (1, 5) is a maximum and (3, 1) is a minimum.

Example 2, logarithms with detailed reasoning (EL6)

Question (ours). In this question you must show detailed reasoning. Solve 52x − 1 = 80, giving x to 3 significant figures.

Take logarithms. log(52x − 1) = log 80, so (2x − 1) log 5 = log 80.

Rearrange and evaluate. 2x − 1 = log 80 ÷ log 5 = 2.7227..., so 2x = 3.7227... and x = 1.8613...

Answer. x = 1.86 to 3 significant figures. Every line above is needed; a solve function giving 1.86 directly would not show the method.

Example 3, the binomial expansion (EN1)

Question (ours). Find the coefficient of x² in the expansion of (2 + x)5.

Method. The general term is 5Cr × 25 − r × xr. For x², take r = 2.

Working. 5C2 = 10 and 23 = 8, so the coefficient is 10 × 8 = 80.

Check. The coefficients of the whole expansion are 32, 80, 80, 40, 10, 1, and they add to 243, which is 35: the value of (2 + x)5 when x = 1.

Why these three

Calculus and logarithms have no GCSE foundation, so they are where an FSMQ student needs the most direct teaching. The binomial expansion links the new counting ideas in EN to algebra.

In each example the written method is the answer. That habit carries straight into A level, where "detailed reasoning" questions appear too.

Practice set (ours, answers at the end). (1) Differentiate 4x³ − 5x + 2. (2) Evaluate the integral of 3x² + 1 from x = 0 to x = 2, showing the substitution. (3) How many ways can a committee of 3 be chosen from 8 people? (4) Without a calculator, find log2 32. (5) Use the trapezium rule with two strips of width 1 to estimate the area under y = x² from x = 0 to x = 2, and say whether it is an overestimate or an underestimate. Answers: (1) 12x² − 5; (2) [x³ + x] from 0 to 2 = (8 + 2) − 0 = 10; (3) 56; (4) 5; (5) ½ × 1 × (0 + 2 × 1 + 4) = 3, an overestimate, because the curve bends upwards between the points (the exact area is 8/3).

A plan to 18 June 2027

How should a Year 11 student prepare for 6993 alongside GCSE?

Our outline for a student starting in autumn 2026 and sitting the paper on 18 June 2027, with one class a week. OCR's 30 guided learning hours fit easily inside it.

  1. Is it for you? A quick check first. OCR aims 6993 at students taking GCSE Higher. Before starting, a student should be secure on GCSE Higher algebra: expanding, factorising quadratics, completing the square, solving simultaneous equations.
  2. Autumn 2026: algebra and coordinate geometry. AL and CG first, because every other section uses them. Polynomials and the factor theorem, circles with any centre, tangents and normals.
  3. December 2026 to February 2027: calculus. Differentiation, stationary points and their nature, then integration and areas. This is the largest new block.
  4. February to March 2027: logarithms and enumeration. The laws of logarithms, solving ax = b, permutations, combinations and the binomial expansion.
  5. March 2027: trigonometry and numerical methods. Identities, the trapezium rule and iteration, including when a method may fail.
  6. April to early May 2027: past papers and GCSE. One 6993 paper every fortnight, timed to two hours, alternating with GCSE practice before the first GCSE maths paper on 14 May.
  7. 15 to 18 June 2027: the final four days. After the last GCSE maths paper on 14 June, two full 6993 papers and a review of command words, especially "detailed reasoning".

The plan is ours and does not promise a grade. Some schools run 6993 over two years rather than one, or enter students in Year 12; the order of topics still works, spread more thinly. For students heading to A level, the FSMQ topics are the opening chapters of A level pure maths, so nothing learned here is wasted. See our A level maths page and, for two maths A levels, further maths.

Progression

Four rungs through Additional Maths

Each rung is tested on an OCR 6993 paper, not on a worksheet.

Where a 6993 student should be, and when
RungWhenWhat should be true
1. GCSE Higher algebra secureBefore startingQuadratics, completing the square and simultaneous equations done without error
2. Calculus workingFebruary 2027Stationary points found and classified; definite integrals evaluated by hand
3. Logs and countingMarch 2027Logarithm equations solved with every step written; nCr used correctly
4. Full paper in two hoursBefore 18 June 2027A complete 6993 paper finished, including the unstructured problem

The first rung decides everything

A student shaky on GCSE algebra will find calculus slow. Fixing the algebra first is faster overall.

Our GCSE maths page covers the Higher content.

The last rung is stamina

Two hours is longer than any GCSE maths paper. We build up to it with timed half papers first.

Families receive a monthly note on progress.

The catalogue

Nine courses around Additional Maths

Grouped by where a 6993 student is coming from and going to.

I

The FSMQ and GCSE

Year 11

UK / FA1 / 01

A level maths

Pure topics that cover the 6993 sections.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA1 / 02

GCSE Maths

Higher tier, sat a few weeks before the FSMQ.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA1 / 03

Algebra Foundations

For algebra that needs firming up first.

Open the syllabus
II

Stretch

Beyond the paper

UK / FA2 / 01

Competition maths

Unstructured problems, practised often.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA2 / 02

IGCSE and Additional Mathematics

A course that also covers Cambridge Additional Mathematics.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA2 / 03

Maths through coding

Iteration and the trapezium rule as short programs.

Open the syllabus
III

Sixth form

From September 2027

UK / FA3 / 01

A level Further Maths

The accelerated route OCR mentions.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA3 / 02

TMUA and STEP preparation

University admissions maths, later in sixth form.

Open the syllabus

UK / FA3 / 03

Statistics and probability

The statistics strand of A level, started early.

Open the syllabus

How lessons work

Live Additional Maths classes in UK time

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Teachers are based in India and lessons run on UK time.

After school

Where most schools teach 6993 too.

Evenings

Alongside GCSE revision.

Weekend afternoons

Long enough for a two-hour paper.

OCR papers and codes

Past 6993 papers, with every lost mark tagged to its AL, CA or EL statement.

Methods written out

Every logarithm and integral set out as a "detailed reasoning" answer.

Calculator as checker

Graphical or scientific calculators used to check, never to skip.

Unstructured problems

One problem a week with no parts to guide the start.

Free first class

A live lesson before any payment, with a first look at calculus.

Group or 1-on-1

A batch of 15 to 20 FSMQ students, or lessons for one.

Student work

Student work from our classes

Made in lessons and not assessed. More in student labs.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees for Additional Maths classes

No charge for the first class. After it, a monthly fee that is lower for a group seat than for 1-on-1. You sign nothing, and we take no payment until a weekly time is in place.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A live 6993 class
  • A first calculus lesson
  • Booked with a phone number
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • 15 to 20 FSMQ students
  • One teacher to 18 June 2027
  • A 6993 paper marked each fortnight in spring
  • A monthly note to parents
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A teacher for one student
  • Fitted around GCSE revision
  • Suits a school without an FSMQ class
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Parents' Google reviews, word for word.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Questions about 6993

What families ask about OCR Additional Maths

What is OCR FSMQ Additional Maths?

It is a Level 3 Free Standing Mathematics Qualification from Cambridge OCR, code 6993, aimed at students taking GCSE Maths at Higher tier. It introduces A level topics such as calculus and logarithms in a single two-hour exam.

When is the OCR Additional Maths exam in 2027?

OCR's final June 2027 timetable lists 6993 Additional Mathematics on the afternoon of Friday 18 June 2027, lasting 2 hours. There is one series a year, in May/June.

Is OCR Additional Maths a GCSE?

No. It is a Level 3 qualification, the same level as AS and A level, graded A to E rather than 9 to 1. Many students sit it in Year 11 alongside GCSE Maths.

How many UCAS points is FSMQ Additional Maths worth?

OCR's specification says it attracts up to 10 UCAS points in the new tariff. Whether a particular university or course counts those points is for that university to decide.

Can you use a calculator in OCR Additional Maths?

Yes. A scientific or graphical calculator is allowed and can be used for any function it can perform. On questions marked "show detailed reasoning", the written method must be complete; a calculator answer alone will not earn full marks.

What topics are in OCR Additional Maths?

Seven sections: Algebra, Enumeration, Coordinate Geometry, Pythagoras and Trigonometry, Calculus, Numerical Methods, and Exponentials and Logarithms. Calculus and logarithms are entirely new beyond GCSE.

Is there a formula sheet in OCR Additional Maths?

Yes. OCR gives formulae on page 2 of the integrated answer booklet, and the specification lists them in its section on formulae and identities.

Can my child resit OCR Additional Maths?

Yes. OCR says learners can retake the qualification as many times as they wish, but there is only one series each year, in May/June.

When are classes held?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Times are given in UK time.

Are you connected with OCR?

No. Modern Age Coders is independent of Cambridge OCR. We teach to the published 6993 specification, use OCR's freely available papers, and do not promise a grade.

Elsewhere on this site

More for strong GCSE students

Other routes beyond GCSE Higher, and where they lead.

Further maths tuition

Further maths at Level 2 and A level.

Is A level Further Maths worth it?

A straight look at the second maths A level.

A level maths

Where 6993 topics continue.

GCSE maths

The Higher tier underneath 6993.

IGCSE maths

For students on the Cambridge route.

UK hub

All our UK pages.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK maths exam boards and specification codes

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

A level maths and further maths

Scotland

International Baccalaureate

More guides: UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

Start here

Book a free Additional Maths class

Leave a number and a teacher will call at a UK time of your choice. The first class checks GCSE Higher algebra, then starts differentiation.

Reading first? The A level Maths course page lists the pure topics, and how we teach shows a lesson.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

WhatsApp reaches us fastest and is free from a UK mobile. Our India team answers, from a number beginning +91.

No card and no contract. We reply once, with a time.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo

Keep exploring Modern Age Coders

More maths tuition

Learn more

From the blog

Start here

Free classPriority demoCall us