GCSE guide
GCSE Maths
How the exams work, where the marks come from and how to prepare
Abstract
GCSE Maths is one of the two subjects every student in England takes, and the grade follows you into sixth form, apprenticeships and job applications. This guide explains how the exams are built, what the tiers mean, where the marks really come from and how to use the months before the exam well. We sat these papers ourselves not long ago, so we have tried to write down the things we wish someone had told us.
1Why it pays to understand the exam
Most students revise maths by doing more maths. That is a good instinct, but it works far better once you know what the exam is actually asking of you. The papers follow the same pattern every year: the same lengths, the same mix of question types, the same way of handing out marks. Once you can see that pattern, you stop revising everything equally and start spending time where it changes your grade.
GCSE Maths is graded from 9 (the highest) down to 1. The Department for Education calls a grade 4 a standard pass and a grade 5 a strong pass. If you finish Year 11 without at least a 4, you will keep studying maths after 16 and resit it, so a 4 matters a great deal. Most sixth forms ask for at least a 6 to start A-level Maths, and many want a 7.
2How the exams are structured
2.1Three papers, one third each
Every board sets three papers, all sat at the end of Year 11, usually across May and June. Each paper is worth exactly a third of the final grade, and any topic can come up on any paper. There is no coursework.
| Board | Specification | Papers | Length of each | Marks per paper | Non-calculator paper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA | 8300 | 3 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 80 | Paper 1 |
| Edexcel | 1MA1 | 3 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 80 | Paper 1 |
| OCR | J560 | 3 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 100 | The middle paper (Paper 2 at Foundation, Paper 5 at Higher) |
The other two papers allow a calculator. That does not make them easier. Calculator papers tend to have longer, wordier problems, and the calculator only helps if you know which buttons to press and why.
It is worth knowing your rate from the start. On AQA and Edexcel you have 90 minutes for 80 marks:
On OCR it is 90 minutes for 100 marks, which is closer to 54 seconds a mark. Section 4 explains how to use that time well.
2.2Foundation and Higher
You sit either Foundation or Higher tier for all three papers, and your school usually decides which during Year 11.
- Foundation covers grades 1 to 5. The top grade available is a 5, however well you do.
- Higher covers grades 4 to 9. If a Higher student falls just short of a 4, they can be given a 3, but anything below that is a U.
Choosing a tier is a real decision. A student who is secure at grade 5 and aiming higher should sit Higher. A student who is borderline 4 may be safer on Foundation, where the questions at grade 4 and 5 standard are more numerous and more accessible. If you are unsure which tier you are on, ask your maths teacher now rather than in April.
That's the free part
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