Supporting Your Child to Succeed in GCSE Maths

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By Zayna Dar, Founder,  Shuhari Tuition

If you’re the parent of a GCSE student, you might sometimes feel that strong results, particularly in GCSE maths, are out of reach. But your child can achieve them with the right preparation and support. When you understand how the subject works, including the differences between foundation and higher tiers, and how grades are awarded, you can plan your child’s revision more effectively, help them make confident decisions, and adopt more targeted study techniques.

Your child can secure higher marks through regular practice, which builds confidence and knowledge ahead of their GCSE exams. Working through past papers and becoming familiar with common question types can improve both accuracy and timing. Managing time well during the exams also plays a big role in boosting performance. By practising regularly and revising in a structured way, your child can turn difficult topics into manageable ones.

You can also support your child by using the right resources. Private tutors can help deliver impressive results, while revision apps and scientific calculators all constitute additional tools that make a real difference. When your child follows a clear revision plan and focuses on specific goals, they can prepare more effectively for their GCSE maths exams. This guide explains how to use these strategies to help your child feel more confident and better prepared.

Contact us today. Find out how a GCSE maths tutor can support your child's learning journey.

What is a GCSE exam board?

A GCSE exam board is the organisation responsible for setting, administering, and marking GCSE exams in England. These boards create the exam papers, define the curriculum specification, and ensure consistency in grading. The most common exam boards include AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), and OCR.

Although each board designs its own papers, all of them follow the national curriculum and assess the same core curriculum areas in subjects like maths, English language, and science. Your child’s school will usually choose the exam board, and teachers tailor lessons to match that board’s specific requirements and assessment structure.

Some boards offer a linear assessment structure, where pupils sit all their exams at the end of the course. Others follow a modular assessment approach, although this has become less common. Regardless of format, all boards use the same grade scale, and their qualifications carry equal weight for GCSE results, A-level grades, and university applications.

You can support your child by visiting the relevant exam board websites (we provided a link to each of them above). These often provide exam guides, practice papers, mark schemes, and other helpful teaching resources that align with your child’s course. Making use of these materials can improve study habits and boost confidence in maths as exam day approaches.

What’s in the GCSE Maths Syllabus?

The GCSE maths syllabus helps pupils develop both practical and theoretical skills. It includes topics such as arithmetic, algebra, ratio, probability, statistics, geometry, and measures. Each topic builds on earlier learning, so your child needs a solid grasp of the basics to handle more complex problems. This structure allows pupils to apply maths in both real-life situations and in the context of an exam.

Foundation vs Higher Tier: What’s the Difference?

GCSE maths is offered at two levels: foundation and higher. The foundation tier focuses on essential maths skills and covers grades 1 to 5. The higher tier introduces more advanced content and targets grades 4 to 9.

Schools usually decide which tier to enter a pupil for in year 10 or early year 11. If your child wants to study A-level maths or access more competitive post-16 options, they will likely need to take the higher tier. Pupils who need to build confidence may feel more comfortable with the foundation tier, which still provides a solid foundation.

Understanding the GCSE Grading System

GCSEs now use a number-based grading scale, with 9 as the highest and 1 as the lowest. A grade 4 counts as a standard pass, while a grade 5 is considered a strong pass. Knowing how this system works helps you and your child set realistic targets and measure progress. Grade boundaries vary slightly each year to reflect national performance, but the system aims to give a fair picture of each pupil’s ability.

Why Regular Practice Matters

When your child practises maths regularly, they retain knowledge, recognise patterns and apply their skills across a range of questions. Short, consistent practice sessions help them stay sharp and identify weaker areas early. This allows them to spend time where it’s most needed.

Encourage your child to set aside specific times each week for maths revision. By doing this consistently, they’ll gradually build a stronger foundation and more confidence ahead of the exams.

Make the Most of Past Papers

Past papers offer one of the most effective ways to revise. They show your child what to expect in the exam and help them work on timing and accuracy. Regular use of past papers also helps them feel more comfortable with the format and language used in real questions.

Mark schemes are equally useful. They show how examiners award marks and what level of working out is expected. When your child learns how to present their answers clearly, they can pick up extra marks, even if they don’t reach the final answer.

Recognise Patterns in Exam Questions

By reviewing several past papers, your child can spot which topics appear most often. Areas like geometry, algebra, and number work tend to come up regularly. When your child focuses on these topics, they can revise more efficiently and feel better prepared.

Identifying patterns also helps your child predict the types of questions they may face. This allows them to develop a strategy and go into the exam feeling more in control.

Help Your Child Manage Time Effectively

Good time management makes a big difference in maths exams. Pupils often lose marks when they run out of time or get stuck on one difficult question.

Encourage your child to practise under timed conditions. They can work through past papers or individual questions with a set time limit. This helps them understand how long to spend on each question and teaches them how to stay calm under pressure.

Use the Right Resources

You can support your child’s revision by introducing helpful tools:

• Tutors offer tailored support, explain tricky concepts, and build confidence.

• Revision apps use quizzes, games, and instant feedback to keep learning interactive.

• Scientific calculators help pupils become more efficient with complex problems, especially in higher-tier calculator exams.

• Protractors, rulers, and compasses can help students with geometry tasks such as measuring and constructing angles, drawing accurate graphs, creating scale drawings, and tackling topics like loci, bearings, and circle theorems.

These resources work well for pupils at any level, whether they’re aiming for a pass or pushing for a top grade.

Create a Clear Revision Plan

A structured plan helps your child cover all the key topics and avoid last-minute stress. Begin by listing the areas in the syllabus, then allocate time to each one based on your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

Encourage shorter, focused sessions over long, unfocused study blocks. Include regular breaks to keep energy levels up and reduce the risk of burnout.

Set Goals and Track Progress

Break your child’s revision into smaller goals. These might include mastering a topic, completing a past paper with fewer mistakes, or reaching a certain score. These mini targets help your child stay motivated and show them how much progress they’ve made.

Celebrate their achievements, however small. Positive reinforcement builds confidence and keeps revision on track.

Practise in Real Exam Conditions

Doing full past papers in a quiet room with a time limit and no interruptions helps your child get used to exam conditions. This kind of practice improves time management and reduces anxiety on the day of the real exam.

After each mock paper, go through the answers together. Focus on what went well and where they can improve next time.

Tackle Challenging Topics Early

Some pupils find areas like algebra or geometry particularly difficult. If your child avoids these topics, they may struggle to improve in the long-term.

Keep an eye on where they lose marks and revisit those areas regularly. You can use videos, revision guides, or a tutor to help explain the concepts clearly. The earlier you tackle tough topics, the more time your child has to master them.

How a Tutor Can Make All the Difference in GCSE Maths

At Shuhari Tuition, we know from experience how much impact the right tutor can have. Here’s how our tutors support pupils throughout their GCSE maths journey and beyond. Our tutors:

• Help students build structured study plans and stick to a consistent assessment schedule.

• Improve study habits using proven techniques like mind maps and the Pomodoro technique.

• Tailor revision strategies to suit each pupil’s learning style.

• Explain tricky topics like quadratic equations and refine your child’s exam technique.

• Provide guided practice with mock exams and practice questions.

• Support with the use of tools like a scientific calculator.

• Prepare pupils for GCSE results day, exam resits, and the transition to sixth form or A-levels.

• Share expert insights as all our maths tutors have achieved at least an A grade in A-level maths.

• Recommend the best revision tips, revision timetable formats, and resources like BBC Bitesize, Maths Genie, and exam board websites.

• Check in with students on a regular basis to support their mental health and well-being.

Whether your child needs regular support, a confidence boost before exams, or extra help with specific topics, Shuhari Tuition can match them with a tutor who gets it. 

Contact us today to find the right GCSE maths tutor for your child.