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Original poster

Maths GCSE

35 replies

Chico9 · 20/10/2023 20:04

Hello everyone,
I'm looking into brushing up my maths as I didn't do that well at school, even though I scraped really good grades in all the other subjects, including English, English literature, French, French lit, accounting, economics etc. I even did A level in French, English and Accounting and passed well.
I will need maths as I want to do a Teacher Training to teach French.
I'm thinking to self teach myself with all the resources I can put my hands on, like the CGP Books, past papers etc.
I'm hoping with hard work and consistency I might pass and achieve.
Any ideas or past experienced would be appreciated.
Many thanks.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 22/10/2023 08:34

Thanks for your update.
I'm thinking to self teach myself and I've got the CGP book Foundation and I have also downloaded some past papers. I'll have a look at some other resources on Amazon.
I'll try my hands at them and watch the videos on YouTube. There's a few out there such as Corbett Maths, Hegarthy, Maths genie to name but a few.

I'll see how it goes and if I'm confident, I'll book the exams for next summer, which is in May/June next year. I think the deadline to pay is on Feb 15th.

Thanks so much

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CleoCha0man · 22/10/2023 07:49

Thinking out loud here @Chico9 Where are you based at the moment?
How straightforward is it to arrange to sit an exam as an autodidact? If I'm honest, I found myself totally lost during my two hours maths classes so I'd go home and go through my textbooks and videos, and work it out for myself (I found having the answers at the back of the textbooks a godsend, as I'd work back from them if necessary) Past papers and answers were harder to track down. My tutor didn't approve but it worked for me. But the classes gave me structure, and the college organised for us to sit the exams (3!) which was helpful for me.

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:33

Yes I know about.
I'll think about the Spanish too.

Thanks Clary.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:31

I'll have to look into it.
Thanks for suggesting it, AudiobookListener.

Merci

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:30

Ça alors!
Trop top!!!
Contente de le savoir, Clary!

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:28

Merci bien ,Chaiandkaafee

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clary · 21/10/2023 14:26

Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:23

Oui, c'est sûre.
Do you speak French, yourself?

Was this to me? Mais oui, je parle français! My phone doesn’t like it tho 😂

AudiobookListener · 21/10/2023 14:24

Are you sure your accounts qualifications wouldn't be accepted in place of maths?

clary · 21/10/2023 14:24

Yeh that’s a real advantage. But you ideally need to be able to evidence some Spanish quals as well. When I trained to teach MFL, all of us on the course has to offer a second language. I was lucky as I had decent quals in two, but lots of ppl were native speakers of one and having to do a lot of work on the second.

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:23

Oui, c'est sûre.
Do you speak French, yourself?

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:21

Bonjour Clary,
Oui, French and Spanish are quite similar in many ways. Also working at MFL and teaching French to pupils and sometime even covering Spanish classes (rare cases), has also been beneficial.

Merci d'avance.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:18

Bonjour Badbadbunny,
I will do it!
They always say Where there's a will, there's a way
I'm really consistent and will try my best.(No choice really, if I want to progress)!

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Chaiandkaafee · 21/10/2023 14:17

I second Hegarty Maths and Mathsgenie. Both very good at least from what my children tell me!

clary · 21/10/2023 14:13

Interesting point about another language. Yes I agree it might be beneficial to puck up Spanish, maybe take the A level - you have three years to do that if you do PGCE post uni. Schools prefer ppl to offer two MFL (English obvs doesn’t count in UK), so Spanish would be good. If you are a native speaker of French then is there any way you could add some Spanish modules to your OU degree? The French esp the language element must be fairly straightforward for you.

Biscuitsneeded · 21/10/2023 14:09

That's good you're already working as a FLA in a school - means you're going into this with your eyes open! I do think another MFL would be beneficial though. The vast majority of jobs advertised ask for 2 MFL.

Badbadbunny · 21/10/2023 14:08

CGP books are excellent. Also Corbett Maths for loads of worksheets, etc to go back to basics for anything you struggle with in the CGP books. It's all about practising, and when you start to hit problem areas, you need to go back to easier worksheets until you "get it" and can take it to the harder levels in each topic area.

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:05

Merci beaucoup, Ikeatears.
I'm so overwhelmed by all your advices.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:02

That's a good idea, thanks.

I'm working as Foreign language assistant in a Secondary school at the mo.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 14:00

Hello Biscuitsneeded,
No OU doesn't offer PGCE.

Besides French, I have English and I got a C at A level

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Biscuitsneeded · 21/10/2023 13:59

I've just seen your update. You might be better off getting a degree in eg Spanish, as French is your first language and you are a native speaker, so you don't need the French degree to prove your ability in French. Have you been into some UK schools to observe?

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 13:58

Yes,Teendivided.
We did write essays, creative writing ....
For literature, there were the usual quotations etc, which you had to learn.
Many thanks

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 13:53

I wasn't educated in the UK.
I come from a French speaking country and my first language is French but we are also bilingual and we speak English.
French, Maths and English are considered as Core Subjects and for GCSE or GCE, I chose English lit, French lit, economics and Accounts.
I remember we did 2 textbooks for literature: Molière: Tartuffe and I can't remember the other one.
English lit, I did The Merchant of Venice from Shakespeare and Alan Paton's: Cry the beloved country.
For A level English we had to do 9 textbooks and for A level French : 4 Textbooks , I also did Accounts.

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Biscuitsneeded · 21/10/2023 13:53

Teacher of MFL here. OP, do you have another language to offer besides French? Posts for teachers of just French are few and far between. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but getting French degree and a maths GCSE is a lot of work and even if you do all that you may struggle to get a teaching job without a second MFL. Does the OU offer a PGCE or are you going to train in a school?

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 13:48

Thanks a lot.
Really appreciate it.

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Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 13:46

Thank you.
I'm thinking prob May/June 2024

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