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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Getting my maths GCSE at 42

52 replies

HulaHoop2012 · 26/03/2021 06:36

I have had such a hard time with maths.
I failed my maths gcse about 4 or 5 times I ended up with an E 😞
My parents paid for a tutor I still failed.

I had one teacher that basically told me not to bother. It shook me to the core, I still remember feeling really ashamed.

I still have zero confidence in my ability to do any kind of maths but I remember that doing practice papers and getting them right. My tutor at the time said I had the ability but the pressure just took over.

But I really want to get a C.

Anyone know how I can even get started with this at the moment? Thanks

OP posts:

worriedstar · 26/03/2021 06:40

Most colleges get funding for adults to do gcse Maths if you haven’t got it, so you should be able to study for free. Good luck!

PaperMonster · 26/03/2021 06:51

Or maybe try a Functional Skill Maths qualification- equivalent to a GCSE but the content is supposed to be more relevant to every day maths.

PursuingProxemicExactitude · 26/03/2021 08:25

You're unfortunate in being so young.

Some of us () are old enough to have scraped into Oxbridge despite having failed Maths O'Level. We had an unofficial club ...

I wish I had your bravery!

BluebellsGreenbells · 26/03/2021 08:28

Do have a look at the functioning skills

They have test papers on line

Local colleges offer free tuition or discounted - look at grants

Authenticchicken · 26/03/2021 08:29

This is so commendable. Good luck! Your teacher should never have said that. Teachers when we were at school could say inappropriate things and get away with it which was wrong (I was told I was wooden by a maths teacher).

I am doing an apprenticeship at the moment and it has a functional skills bit the pp mentioned for people who didn't pass English and Maths. So you could also look into one of those depending on your job. Some employers offer them.

MadeOfStarStuff · 26/03/2021 09:00

My best friend was exactly the same as you, failed maths repeatedly at school (she’s a bright, well educated woman just always struggled with maths). But she did her maths GCSE a couple of years ago at about your age and did brilliantly. She did it at a college and also had a private tutor.

Go for it OP! And good luck!

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 26/03/2021 09:05

I understand your pain!
I did a CSE rather than an O Level - promised myself that I'd get the sodding O level after I'd qualified as an accountant.
By the time I qualified, they'd discontinued O levels in favour of GCSEs, I did an MSc instead - but it's not Maths related. Maybe I'll join you

needadvice54321 · 26/03/2021 09:08

I'm going to be redoing my Maths and English and I'm 40! I want to go back to college to do a level 3 certificate and now you have to have an A-C in M&E to do it

Really wishing I'd tried harder many moons ago!

I'm planning on doing my functional skills.

PinkSnowAndStars · 26/03/2021 09:10

I did it a few years ago aged 30ish. There were people older than me. Go for it! I always felt dragged back by not getting the C. So I did it!

Good luck!

faithfulbird20 · 26/03/2021 09:10

I'm not sure what to say but I think you're very strong and hardworking to carry on.

That teacher was not fit for purpose. I wish you told him/her.

SweatyBetty20 · 26/03/2021 09:13

Do it! I got my GCSE biology last year at 48! It's probably the qualification I'm most proud of.

Further Education colleges might be open for the start of the next year in September - have a look at their websites; most do English and Maths as an adult education class. There were two girls in my biology class who were also doing English and Maths. Mine did one adult ed class during the day and one in the evening. Until then, why not try doing some studying in your spare time on things like BBC Bitesized? Exam boards also provide the syllabus and past exam papers online for you to try. Good luck!

CupoTeap · 26/03/2021 09:14

Do it, some employers have funds for stuff like this

cornflakegirl · 26/03/2021 09:17

I have a maths degree and I'm an accountant. My eldest is currently doing maths gcse - and there is a fair amount of stuff in it that I'd forgotten because I haven't used it in 20 years.

So I would agree with people saying to do functional skills first - gain confidence in the maths that you use every day.

Also, I recommend looking up Matt Parker and Rob Eastaway for maths that is fun and surprising.

Dontjudgeme101 · 26/03/2021 09:18

I did this op. Like you l tried a few times. I did mine at Night school . I was 36/37. It was hard but l did it.

Ring up Colleges/ google about retaking GCSEs.

Do you have a local college near you? Ask your friends and family, they maybe able to offer you some advice.

Don’t give up on your dream, if l can do it, you can too.

iloveredwine · 26/03/2021 09:24

I'm doing my maths and science as I am hoping to start teacher training and need both of those dreading it!

MissKittyKitty · 26/03/2021 09:25

Go to your local adult community college the course will be free. A lot of the learners will be around your age.

The classes are small - usually no more than 15 students often less and everyone will be in the same boat.

Lots of adults are doing this now due to re-training ie teaching assistants wanting to become teachers, wanting to do an Access course and also changing jobs whereby you now need English and maths GCSE despite lengthy work experience in the same field.

Go for it op. The pass rates are usually quite high too.

Pinkmagic1 · 26/03/2021 09:31

I am the same age as you op and also got an E in maths. My teacher was a chain smoker and spent virtually the whole lesson going out to smoke! Obviously wouldn't get away with it these days.

I am not a natural mathematician but have found myself becoming a bookkeeper! I would like to retake to prove to myself I can do it and I believe most colleges offer it free to anyone who didn't achieve a C.

HeddaGarbled · 26/03/2021 09:42

I used to teach Maths to adults. Your best bet is your local Further Education college, but some areas also have council run adult education courses. The provider will assess you and decide whether you can go straight onto the GCSE or need to do a Functional Skills course first. Most courses start in September so start your research now. You may have to pay: there are lots of variables. Good luck.

CecilyP · 26/03/2021 09:43

The classes are small - usually no more than 15 students often less and everyone will be in the same boat.

This helps and, as an older student, you’ll be more willing to ask questions if there is something you’re not sure about. It is well worth going for it - especially if you can do it for free.

shivawn · 26/03/2021 09:45

I don't have any advice but I just wanted to say good luck!! I bet you'll really surprised yourself once you get started!

lastqueenofscotland · 26/03/2021 09:45

A friend of mine did hers in her late 50s and was not the oldest on her course by a long stretch

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 26/03/2021 09:47

It's possible that there are gaps in your knowledge/understanding from earlier on (which is very common), then combining that with 'Oh, you're not any good at maths, are you?' and 'You can only be good at one or the other of Maths and English' (and the occasional crap or largely absent teacher) gives you the fear.

To make sure that there aren't gaps and you are more confident in yourself, I'd also recommend functional skills first. I used to teach this to adults and you'd get people who were just below GCSE level and people who had never encountered division or multiplication in the same class - but all progressed hugely in the course, as they were finding out things they hadn't known or fully understood before. I think it also reassured them that they weren't 'particularly thick' or whatever they had been told or led to believe, as they were in classes with other people who needed to develop their Numeracy as well.

Once you've got those skills firmly and confidently under your belt - and you will - then a GCSE will be well within your reach and you will be more relaxed under examination conditions.

Something that was very common with the learners was that there were other circumstances contributing to their gaps in knowledge - repeated absences from school, illness, undiagnosed dyslexia (as you need to be able to decipher the questions to know what is being asked of you Mathematically), hearing issues, missing a topic and then the teacher didn't have time to explain it, etc.

You've got the idea that you're crap at Maths from somewhere, which is contributing to your anxiety in exams. But I bet you manage to buy food and pay your bills every month. Take a few steps back to ensure you know that you have covered and understood the earlier concepts and subjects first and I reckon you'll be happily telling us all in a couple of years that you got at least a C (well, 5, as they've changed the grading system now).

romany4 · 26/03/2021 09:50

I did mine at 40 through my local adult education service.

Terrible teacher at school. I got a D.
Adult education teacher was fantastic. Did Maths course weekly for 9 months. I got a C!!
Go for it

unicornpower · 26/03/2021 09:53

I did mine last year at 32, there were lots of people in their 50s doing it too! The college near me did an evening class and it was so good. It was hard work to get back into the groove of learning but I found alot of it much easier to understand than I did in school!

Go for it! You won't regret it

JustAnotherBrick · 26/03/2021 09:54

Go for it!
I tutor adults for GCSE maths and it’s amazing how well they do once the pressure of the school environment is taken away. It’s really not the scary subject most people think it is.
I’d suggest looking at your local colleges. Even 6th form colleges will often take adults but there are dedicated adult education classes out there too and they are often excellent.
Good luck!

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