Maths GCSE Mock - Foundation Paper Fail

[TheWalkingDude]

Hello all,

I'm looking for some advice from parents and teachers regarding the new maths foundation paper.

DD is in year 11 and sat her maths mock just after half term. She sat 3 papers and received her result today, which was 1 . She was predicted to get a 5 in the exams next year.

She has come home and told me that nearly everyone failed the maths mock, with the majority scoring a 1 or 2. The highest grade received was a 3. There was even a big discussion at the school assembly today regarding the low scores.

It would appear to be an even bigger issue with the higher paper as a letter has come home explaining that it has now become apparent to the school that the content of the higher paper had "changed dramatically" and that a number of pupils will be better suited to the foundation paper. The letter further adds that the Government advice is that the higher paper is aimed only at those intending to pursue a career in maths or the sciences.

The whole of year 11 will have to resist the mock in Jaunuary.

Now, I am quite concerned about this. Although DD is sitting the foundation paper, scoring 1 is very worrying. DD should be getting the papers back so we can take a look and see what has gone wrong.

Anyone out there know anything about the new maths papers? Does this sound like the school are failing to teach the correct subject matter?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I know anecdata isn't that helpful, but our selective independent is sticking with the iGCSE this year. Which makes sense if you can do it.

Steve Blades of m4ths.com has compiled a very useful point by point summary of what you need to know for the new 1-9 GCSE.

m4ths.com/9-1-gcse-help-book.html

Good resources on mathsgenie here:
mathsgenie.co.uk/gcse.html

There is a marked increase in expectation that students can apply what they know without being told 'do this to that' in lots of stages.

Where questions may have been structured like.

A triangle is 4cm higher than it is wide.

a) Construct an expression for its height using x as the width.

b) If the area of the triangle is 30cm, show that
x^2 + 4x - 60 = 0

c) Solve this equation to find the base of the triangle.

They are now more likely to be..

A triangle is 4cm higher than it is wide. If its area is 30cm2, what is its width?

This is such a useful thread. DS1 was only moved into top set maths in yr 10 when his predicted grade was a 7. At the end of yr 10 he got a U. ( the highest mark in the class was a 5). At the beginning of Yr 11, after some maths tutoring he got a 3-. He is predicted 7s or 8s in all his other subjects. Also wants to do Psychology A level ( with Politics, History and Law). He's just come in from his mock saying he could do more questions than last time but I don't know if he'll get a 5 (his teacher told DH last week he was working at a 4). I think his school will have the Foundation/ Higher dilemma as well. He doesn't want to move down but I think is coming to the realisation that it might be best. I hate the fact that this year group are guinea pigs and everything is so uncertain!