Maths GCSE help

[Gellert]

DD's boyfriend has just found out he's got a 3 in his maths GCSE again, his second retake - did retake in November too and will be doing that again this year. Obviously getting math lessons at college but is there anything else we can do to support or any other avenues to explore? Trying to support him through this but am not sure best way as DD luckily passed hers last year.

Find a good tutor. Even a few lessons will help.

Revise topics frequently from now until November. So many students make the mistake of thinking maths is something you can "do" or "not do" but this isn't the case. I tutor so many students to whom I teach a concept, they get it, they do loads of successful exercises on it. Four weeks later they've forgotten again. Maths is very forgettable if you don't keep doing it. So GCSE bitesize, .Khan academy, .Youtube. Just keep on going over the basics.

An example of the above at this level might be adding or multiplying fractions. To multiply you just multiply the top AND the bottom numbers. To add, you have to get the bottom number (denominator) the same, then you add the top (numerator) only. I will go over this, they get it, they can do it in the exam papers. I say "make a revision card for this, stick it on your wall, try it out again every now and then". The ones who keep failing are the ones who go home and forget about it, and next time forget which way round it is.

If tutoring is beyond his means, you can find most things explained very well on the internet. Buy a workbook with answers in it and try to get from the question to the answer at first. YouTube is a great help if he gets stuck. This one is very good, you can also buy a matching revision guide. It explains how to do things step by step.

Free online help with choice of foundation or higher level
www.senecalearning.com/blog/gcse-maths-revision/

Corbetts maths have a five a day section
He can practise the foundation / foundation plus questions./ higher/ higher plus He should do a little bit of maths everyday .

Keep doing past paper DS which will highlight certain types of questions that he finds difficult.
A good tutor if he can afford it will work wonders. Often it’s a loss of confidence that’s s big stumbling block!

Second Seneca, its a life saver!

Dd got a 3 today so I am also looking for advice.
She is over the moon with her 4' s in English!

Thanks everyone I will pass all of this on to him