GCSE MathematicsHow to support your child

Recent ChangesThere are 3 types of questions on the paper:

AO1 Straightforward maths questions

AO2 Students select which maths to use to solve a problem

AO3 Deciding how to solve a problem and explaining why

Students find the last two most challenging and this is where you can help

Real life questions Changing money into different currencies

Finding areas involving gardens, wallpaper, carpet and paint

Finding the cost of 8 cakes if you know the cost of 5

Calculating best buys

Working out postage & packing charges for online goods

Planning a visit to Grandma given a bus timetable and when to be back for

Filling in missing amounts in a bank statement or invoice

How you can help Involve your child in everyday calculations

Ask them to explain what they have been doing in lessons

Be sensitive to the way they are being taught and not rehearsing the tricks you may have learned at school

Involve them in do-it-yourself projects like designing their bedroom

Help them in discussions to make links with other subjects

Transferable skills v answers

What can you do now? Little and often is best – encourage bite sized

moments of maths

Don’t give answers, ask questions instead

Ask your child to explain/teach you a topic – you learn 95% of what you teach to someone else

Don’t undermine the subject

The only way to learn mathematics is to DO mathematics