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Original poster

Maths GCSE as an adult - anyone done it?

31 replies

squashyhat · 27/01/2021 10:20

I am 60 and don't have a maths qualification despite having a degree and a masters. I took O' level 3 times and gave up Sad I'm thinking of doing maths GCSE just to prove I can. I'm retired so have the time and am used to studying online, but it's not cheap. Have any 'maths blind' people done this successfully?

OP posts:
Greatmusic · 27/01/2021 11:57

I haven't done this but I did an A level in a different subject as a mature student as I hadn't had the chance to do it at school and I was glad that I did.

Sounds like you're planning to study through a distance learning provider rather than a college. If you did study through a college (if that's even possible at the moment) you might find you're entitled to a fee reduction/waiver if you're on a low (pension) income.

I recently wanted to refresh my GCSE German and I found the BBC Bitesize website good so you might find their Maths pages a useful addition www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z38pycw

Good luck, sounds like a good idea.

Wessexheavytreader · 27/01/2021 12:52

I did this about 5 years ago. I attended a local college for 3 hours a week. I was hopeless at Maths at school but really enjoyed studying it as an adult. The support from tutors and students at college was very helpful. I took foundation level and passed well Smile.

Eastie77 · 27/01/2021 12:59

I am doing this at the moment via an online learning platform and am really enjoying the course. I was prompted to do it when I struggled to help my 13 year old niece with her Maths homework. I have a 7 year old and realised it wouldn't be long before I'd be unable to help her either.

I scrapped a B at GCSE many years ago (late 90s) but convinced myself I wasn't any good at it and went on to have a lifelong fear of 'numbers'. I'm really glad I took the plunge. I'm now studying towards a Higher grade and it's been eye-opening. I don't recall learning any of the material I'm currently studying at school so the exams must be harder now as the minimum requirements to get B now seem a lot higher!

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MumofSpud · 27/01/2021 13:08

I failed my maths gcse x3 times as a teen / uni student.
I then did the equivalent level numeracy qualification and passed - I must have been in my 30s.
It all was sooooo much easier as an adult!

Original poster
squashyhat · 27/01/2021 13:12

Thanks everyone. I don't think there is any point in trying to do it face-to-face at the moment but the online supplier I'm looking at does seem to offer lots of support. I can afford to do it although it is surprisingly expensive.

This was prompted by BIL setting some GCSE maths questions as part of a Zoom quiz and me getting only 1/10 Shock I think I'm going to take the plunge.

OP posts:
GinasGirl · 27/01/2021 13:17

I was married and had a child and a degree before I got my Maths GCSE. I had failed 3 times before and it was just something I felt I needed to complete successfully. I got there in the end, 4th time lucky haha!
It was much easier as an adult and it was also a smaller class size which helped me enormously.
Good luck!

Atalune · 27/01/2021 13:26

@@squashyhat@MumofSpud sorry to hijack but what online provider will you be using? I have been going the same thoughts as my sons maths is way ahead of me now and it’s embarrassing. He’s 12.

I was always terrible at maths but I think it was because I panicked and got stressed. I think I would be much better now!

Atalune · 27/01/2021 13:27

My @squashyhat @MumofSpud didn’t work. I am a hopeless case!

PaperMonster · 27/01/2021 13:30

What about a Maths Functional skill at Level 2 instead of a GCSE?

Janek · 27/01/2021 14:28

@Eastie77 The specification for Maths GCSE changed for the 2017 exams and at that point some things that had previously been taught at A level were included in the very top end of higher.

I did GCSE maths in 1991 and there are things that are included now that weren't included then - some are 'harder', some I just haven't done before. Different topics have gone on and off the syllabus over the years, but I do think that GCSE maths is harder now than it was on the old syllabus.

Justbetweenus · 27/01/2021 14:35

My friend sat GCSE maths a couple of years ago. She enrolled at local college so had a few f2f lessons with other adult learners and got friends to help out with explanations here and there. I was so made up for her getting a grade 5!! Go for it OP. You’ll find a lot of online resources (YouTube etc) if you want to listen to someone explain a certain topic.

AllAboutHallowsEve · 27/01/2021 15:22

I would also love to redo my GCSE Maths so if anyone could recommend online courses, I'd be grateful.

blackheartsgirl · 27/01/2021 15:43

I failed maths gcse 5 times and I've never passed. I hated maths, really struggled with it and so I never did it.

I'm now doing a college course for foundation level and once I get that I'm going to do my maths gcse. I'm enjoying it much more now as an adult

Elmo311 · 27/01/2021 17:31

I got an F in my GCSE maths !

3 years ago I tried to go to college to retake it but I was so bad at their entry exam that I didn't even get into the course!

I really struggle with maths. I'd love to get a GCSE but I think I'd have to go way back to primary level.... it would probably take me about 20 years.... :(

Musmerian · 27/01/2021 17:49

I failed O level twice but went to Cambridge without it as I had Chemistry. Then aged 27 decided to become a teacher and had to take GCSE at evening class. Very stressful but I scraped a C. Frankly I wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t need it. My arithmetic is fine. I’d do something you’d enjoy.

RaelImperialAerosolKid · 27/01/2021 17:56

I work at a college and we are offering gcse online to adults next year- if you haven't passed at c/4 it will be free - get in touch with your local college and see what they offer - good luck

billycorn · 27/01/2021 17:56

I retook my Maths GCSE around 11 years after I left school. I failed it miserably at school and again the following year.
I fell in love with the subject and got a B in the end which at the time was the highest mark I could achieve. l enjoyed it so much I was tempted to do Maths A level.
My main motivation for retaking at the time was a plan to do a PGCE which I ended up not doing.

Eastie77 · 27/01/2021 18:51

I am doing my course with ICS Learn. The webinars and tutor support are good but I've actually found Hegarty and Corbett Maths videos (all free on YouTube) are invaluable. They provide really good distilled summaries of the topics you need for intermediate and advanced papers.

Janek - definitely think I would have achieved a grade E or F at best under the post 2017 syllabus if I had sat current exams when I was 16. I don't know how I achieved a B considering I left school not knowing how to add fractions or other basicsConfused The papers in the 1990s must have been so much easier. I do recall coursework was part of the final grade so maybe that helped

My siblings are much older than me and all said O Levels, including Maths, were much harder than GCSEs which may be why most of the older people I know seem much more comfortable with the subject.

Original poster
squashyhat · 27/01/2021 19:18

ICS Learn is who I am looking at as well.
@RaelImperialAerosolKid what does this mean? "if you haven't passed at c/4 it will be free"

OP posts:
RaelImperialAerosolKid · 27/01/2021 20:40

Local college adult maths and English classes are free iff you haven't already got a grade C (old system) or a grade 4 new system. I am running next years classes online - so live tutorials on teams for 2/3 hours a week but access to support. Exams will be in college (hopefully). Contact your local college and enrol for next year - they may even have a functional skills class you could do this year to prepare.

EcoCustard · 27/01/2021 21:26

@Elmo311 I failed years ago and was really bad at maths. Prior to enrolling at the local college to redo it I was advised by someone to get some of the key stage 3 books from cgp and go over them. I spent 6 months going over them and they really helped ( felt a bit dim tbh, but stuck with it). It made the GCSE stuff make much more sense and I did really well on the assessment test too. They suggested to do the primary stuff if the ks3 stuff made no sense too.

Elmo311 · 27/01/2021 21:40

@EcoCustard Thanks for replying, well done! You must feel so proud of yourself! Has getting your maths grade changed your career prospects?

I think I would have to go back to the beginning I think. I've also got 2 kids under 3 so I'm sure it would take me longer than 6 months but I'd love to be able to help them with maths in the future....

I just don't believe I can do it.

amusedbush · 27/01/2021 21:54

I looked into it a few years ago when I considered doing a PGDE (Scottish PGCE). I have a Masters degree and I’m currently doing a PhD but my maths grade from school still embarrasses me! I got a 4 at Standard Grade, which is maybe a very low C or high D at GCSE.

I’ve felt flappy and panicky around numbers my whole life but weirdly my highest ever university mark was 84% in a mandatory finance module. It has made me curious to see how I’d cope with a maths exam now.

RaelImperialAerosolKid · 27/01/2021 22:16

@Elmo311 - the hardest part of this would be the self belief and signing up for the course - I guarantee that you can do this. There is no such thing as a 'maths' brain - just positive or negative experiences of maths - which can sometimes lead to real anxiety.
If you say you can't do something- then of course you can't - if you say you can then nothing can stop you.

Cissyandflora · 27/01/2021 22:29

Yes I did maths GCSE when I was about 35. I loved it!

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