What is the difference between foundation and higher tier?
There are two tiers: Foundation and Higher.
On Foundation, students can get grades 1 – 5. On Higher, students can get grades 3 – 9.
The exam certificate doesn’t say which tier a student took, and the questions aiming for grades 4 and 5 are the same on both tiers.
How many GCSE papers are there?
Whether you are with Edexcel or AQA there are three papers. Each is 90 minutes and worth 80 marks.
Paper 1 is non-calculator; papers 2 & 3 are calculator papers.
What grade do I need in maths for sixth form/college?
This will depend on what you intend to do and will vary from one institution to another.
If you intend to do A-level maths, you will need at least a grade 7.
Most other courses will require at least a 4 in maths, if not a 5.
My child hates maths, what should I do?
Disliking maths usually comes from under-achieving, and this comes from not understanding the topics. I would suggest talking to your child’s teacher and discussing an intervention programme.
A child who dislikes maths will be reluctant to study. Therefore, in combination with an intervention programme you should ask your child what they are willing to commit to in terms of maths study. Perhaps 5 minutes per day, 15 minutes every two days? Start with something manageable. As the gaps in knowledge disappear that intense dislike of maths will improve.
Which exam boards do most schools use?
Most schools use either Edexcel or AQA.
The content of GCSE Maths is the same for all the exam boards. There may be slight variations in paper structure.
What are the grade boundaries for GCSE maths?
The following are the 2019 grade boundaries for Edexcel.
Higher Tier
9- 83%
8- 70%
7- 57%
6- 45%
5- 33%
4- 22%
3- 16%
Foundation tier
5- 77%
4- 62%
3- 50%
*do not let low grade boundaries fool you, the low grade boundaries reflect the level of difficulty.
What is GCSE further maths?
GCSE further maths is a level 2 certificate in maths. Most schools use AQA or OCR additional maths. There are differences between the two.
AQA Further maths mirrors the GCSE maths curriculum, but the questions are more challenging. There is also additional content in algebra and geometry.
It is assessed over two papers, a non-calculator paper and a calculator paper.
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My child is struggling with maths, what should I do?
The first port of call should always be your child’s maths teacher. You should ask the teacher about where the gaps in knowledge exist for your child. What support in available in school and whether they can set up a maths intervention programme to address your child’s needs. There are many online facilities which allow schools to tailor a course of study to individual students. This combined with a weekly check-in between your child and the teacher should make a significant difference.
How does the new grading system compare to the old?
The new grading system was designed to allow more differentiation between the higher grades. The comparison table here is taken from the Edexcel website.
Does my child need to take GCSE further maths?
No. It is not needed, even if your child intends taking A-level maths. It is an opportunity to explore maths in more depth, and it suits students who love maths. It is of course helpful if your child wishes to take A-level, but it is not a requirement.
