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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

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.

OP posts:
RoseAndRose · 20/10/2023 20:06

<misses point of thread completely>

I didn't realise there was ever a French lit GCSE. What texts did you study?

titchy · 20/10/2023 20:09

I assume you have a French degree...?

You are eligible for free tuition for Maths if you haven't got a Level 2 qualification in it in case you want to think about classes? Level 2 functional skills is usually also ok for teaching as well. Maybe worth a google?

clary · 20/10/2023 20:14

Do you have a degree in French OP? I'm surprised that this was possible without maths GCSE as I thought most unis asked for at least a grade 4/C. Tho I guess you may have done your degree a while ago and that may not have been the case?

Agree I have also never heard of French lit GCSE - interested!

Agree you should be able to access funding to support you in gaining GCSE maths.

CleoCha0man · 20/10/2023 20:16

Can i suggest you look up Hegarty Maths YouTube videos? I found him very helpful as an adult learner (combined with classes)

CleoCha0man · 20/10/2023 20:18

I did govt funded evening classes. Two hours once a week, plus a fair bit of practise with past papers and the recommended textbook

Original poster
Chico9 · 21/10/2023 10:35

Thanks ever so much everyone.
No, I don't have a degree in French and I'm doing it with open university.
I'm on my 2nd Year and hoping to finish by next year.
In the meantime I'm thinking to do the Maths GCSE Foundation and as you've mentioned You tubes tutorials like Hegarthy and Corbett Maths are really handy if you want to self teach.
Functional Maths L2 is a good option too!

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TeenDivided · 21/10/2023 10:52

I'm pretty sure my DB has French Lit O level as one of his 14 (yes 14!), that would have been circa 1980.

If the FS maths is acceptable it has a slightly smaller syllabus.

Ikeatears · 21/10/2023 11:05

Have a look at MathsGenie website too. There's also a (not pretty but practical) website here
www.gcsemathsquestions.co.uk
Some very kind person has collated all the GCSE questions from all the main exam boards from 2017-2022 and put them into topic areas on PowerPoint pages. He's also done worked solutions for every question.

clary · 21/10/2023 11:15

TeenDivided · 21/10/2023 10:52

I'm pretty sure my DB has French Lit O level as one of his 14 (yes 14!), that would have been circa 1980.

If the FS maths is acceptable it has a slightly smaller syllabus.

Excellent @TeenDivided I love this!

I never was offered French Lit O level Sad I am over-invested in this but my excuse is MFL is my subject, but I cannot find any evidence of a French lit GCSE existing in England. I don't doubt you @Chico9 but I am genuinely interested to know what you studied and what form it took? Which books did you do - did you write essays in English or French?

For context, my language A levels saw me writing about multiple texts but in English - I think fewer texts but writing in TL as now is a much better way.

Pythag · 21/10/2023 11:26

Do some maths every day. Work through a GCSE textbook. Have a date in mind that you want to take the exam.

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

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

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

Thanks a lot.
Really appreciate it.

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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 13:53

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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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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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 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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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 14:05

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

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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.

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.

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.

Chaiandkaafee · 21/10/2023 14:17

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

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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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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