Helen W.
GH-T1042
Maths and Physics teacher with AQA marking experience
Examiner experience verifiedQualified teacher
Maths · Physics · London
£55/hour
View profile GCSE subject guide
GCSE Maths
Maths is sat at Foundation (grades 1–5) or Higher (grades 4–9). Choosing the right tier and building calm, accurate method under time pressure matter as much as learning new topics.
AQA 8300 · Edexcel 1MA1 · OCR J560
- Papers
- 3 papers, 1 hr 30 min each
- Calculator
- Paper 1 non-calculator; Papers 2 and 3 calculator
- Tiers
- Foundation 1–5 · Higher 4–9
- Coursework
- None: 100% exam
Where marks are usually lost
Students often know the method but drop marks on the working. Examiners award method marks, so a correct answer with no working can score less than a clearly set-out attempt with a slip. The other common losses are misreading multi-step problems, rounding too early, and running out of time on the last third of the paper.
Foundation or Higher
Schools make the tier decision, usually after Year 11 mocks. A grade 4 or 5 is available on both tiers, but Higher papers open with harder questions, and a student who falls below the grade 4 boundary on Higher can leave with a U. A tutor can help you understand the evidence your school is using and prepare for either outcome.
How a tutor usually helps
Good maths tutoring is diagnostic. Expect a short assessment in the first lesson, a topic list ranked by marks available, and regular timed practice using past-paper questions from your child’s exam board. Higher-tier students gain most from problem-solving questions that combine two or three topics.
Details differ by board and change over time. Always check the current specification on the exam board’s website.
Approved tutors for GCSE Maths
Tom H.
GH-T1140
Software engineer and former Computer Science teacher
Computer Science · Maths · UK-wide
£45/hour
View profile Wing-yan C.
GH-T1155
Maths graduate who can explain in English or Cantonese
Cantonese
Maths · Combined Science · London
£38/hour
View profile Further reading
Foundation or Higher in GCSE Maths?
How schools decide the tier, what each tier can lead to, and the questions worth asking at parents’ evening.
Tell us what your child needs. We will do the searching.
A member of our team reads every request and replies with a shortlist of approved tutors, or an honest update if we need more time.