GCSE maths - it’s actually quite hard, isn’t it?

[Notcontent]

I didn’t go to secondary school in the U.K. but now have a dd in year 10. I sometimes help her with some maths revision and i think a lot of it - like the trigonometry - is really quite hard. So how does this work for students who maybe struggle with maths and might be in a lower set - does it mean that they might never get through the whole curriculum?

Just curious because when I was at an equivalent level, students chose to do “higher maths” or “foundation maths” (I think they had slightly different names). I think the U.K. system is better, as someone who starts year 10 being bad at it might suddenly start putting some work in and really excel. But in the other hand some of the concepts might be beyond students who really struggle with maths.

There are two papers, Higher and Foundation.

Higher covers grades 9-4 and Foundation covers grades 5-1.

So the students who study for the Foundation paper will never be taught higher grade (6-9) topics and can concentrate on the rest of the syllabus.

As it is, most students don't study the full syllabus for the paper they are sitting anyway. A student aiming for a grade 6 will probably skip some of the more difficult algebra, for example. A Foundation student aiming for a 4 might not be taught trigonometry.

Noblegiraffe - thanks for the explanation.

So I guess that means that students have quite a low chance of getting a 9 if they are not in a too set, unless they do extra work outside of school?

It depends on the school. A grammar school or particularly high-achieving one might expect some 9s in set 2, but generally if you were in Y10 and thought to be headed for a 9, you'd be put in set 1.

Extra work outside of school can always produce better results!

That's correct. When I did it it was still graded A-D and was tiered Foundation, Intermediate and Higher. There was an upper grade limit that could be awarded for Foundation and Intermediate, for Intermediate it was B. So it didn't matter how well you did in the exam, you wouldn't get higher than that- probably because it didn't contain A-qualifying questions.

If a student is performing outside of their tiered group at school, whether better or worse, then the school, student and parents should discuss moving them to the tier thats most appropriate to them. This removes stress for those who need to move down while allowing those who can do better to reach their full potential.

There are 4 papers

Foundation (best a D) intermediate higher and further maths - all to A*

There’s is also a level one and two functioning skills section

All level 2 GCSE exams

I guess you're in Wales, Bluebell?

Yes, maths is the one subject that I would say is at a higher level throughout the syllabus than when I was at school.

I had same issues DS, Y11. He achieved Grade 7 in his mocks. It’s no great grade as tested on one year of syllabus content, and ca 150/240 is a 7.
What I have found is that maths text books overengineer the content and exercises, and make it difficult to engage kids. I seek out truncated books, with a less is more approach.

@BluebellsGreenbells

There are 4 papers

Foundation (best a D) intermediate higher and further maths - all to A*

There’s is also a level one and two functioning skills section

All level 2 GCSE exams

Not in England. You might want to state where this info applies to as it’s not correct for all.

I work in a college in England. The impact is that young people are forced to retake GCSE maths (and English language) twice more until aged 18 if they enter with a grade 2/3. Or they may be put into L1 Maths, then GCSE Maths once they pass the L1. It's really tough for the ones that struggle with the concepts of maths.

IGCSE are taken in England -

Amongst other places

Yes, Bluebell, but Intermediate tier was scrapped in England 15 years ago and GCSE grades in England are now 9-1

But the OP specifically asked about GCSE maths. Not IGCSE.

It’s important to be clear which you refer to as they are different and it can be confusing for people.

Yes, sorry - I guess I was thinking of England but it sounds like the approach taken is not that much different in other parts of the U.K.

My son goes to quite a large comprehensive school (240 pupils per year). Sets 1 and 2 do the higher paper and sometimes Set 3, and Sets 4 and 5 do the foundation paper.

I've have been educated to masters level and was considered quite decent at math in school (not UK), but I haven't been able to help my daughter for a few years now! She is in third set at her school but should get a 7 - though she doesn't have much confidence in her ability I am full of admiration! It is a hard exam.