Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Should dd retake Maths GCSE?

43 replies

Lunificent · 03/03/2022 11:03

She is in year 11 and has taken Foundation Maths early. She found out today that she got a 4 (the lower pass). If she had attained a 5, she would definitely have been able to give up Maths and use her Maths lessons to revise for other subjects. If she had got a 3 she would have continued with Maths and resat it in June.
With a 4, she has the option of giving up or retaking. She would prefer to give up Maths now as she has a pass and would like to revise for other subjects. Also, her A levels choices are not at all Maths based.
However, I think continuing to studying Maths is a good thing, makes you more knowledgable and well rounded and she could get a higher grade. If she progresses well, she might even have the option to take the higher paper.
What would you recommend she does in her situation. Thanks.

OP posts:
vipersnest1 · 03/03/2022 11:05

Unless things have changed very recently, she will be required to retake her maths (and English if relevant to her), up until the age of 18. It's best for her to get it out of the way asap.

EmpressCixi · 03/03/2022 11:07

I’d give up on Maths as she has technically passed and it’s not relevant to her areas of further study. That way she can focus on getting 6s and up in her other subjects which will matter for A levels and beyond.

Hoppinggreen · 03/03/2022 11:07

Unfortunately a lot of colleges and jobs ask for a 6 in Maths I think so it’s definitely worth resitting

Seeline · 03/03/2022 11:08

A 4 is a pass - she doesn't have to retake it.

The only thing is that it may limit her choice of unis if that is what she wants to do. Some courses do ask for a specific grade at GCSE rather than just a pass. It is only a few though and would depend on what she was studying.

Seeline · 03/03/2022 11:10

@Hoppinggreen

Unfortunately a lot of colleges and jobs ask for a 6 in Maths I think so it’s definitely worth resitting
Colleges would normally only require a pass at maths, unless going on to do maths/science A levels, or one with a lot of maths/stats eg psychology or economics etc.

It's worth checking the requirements of where ever she is going to do A levels.

Hoppinggreen · 03/03/2022 11:16

I agree
DD needed a 6 in maths for 6th form college despite not doing a maths related A level

Clymene · 03/03/2022 11:18

@Hoppinggreen

I agree DD needed a 6 in maths for 6th form college despite not doing a maths related A level
Really? What A levels is she doing?
Clymene · 03/03/2022 11:19

@Hoppinggreen

I agree DD needed a 6 in maths for 6th form college despite not doing a maths related A level
And you realise you're agreeing with yourself Confused
TeenPlusCat · 03/03/2022 11:22

If she knows she can go on to do what she wants with a 4 then I'd stop now and focus on other things. But do make sure of that!
(It seems a strange system for the school though to make them sit it Nov y11 rather than take the extra 2 terms to help grades be as good as possible.)

underneaththeash · 03/03/2022 11:26

You don't want to have a 4 in maths for university applications. Why did they get her to take it so early if she was only going to get such a low mark?

EmpressCixi · 03/03/2022 11:27

@Hoppinggreen

Unfortunately a lot of colleges and jobs ask for a 6 in Maths I think so it’s definitely worth resitting
Strange. My DD went to a very selective 6th form and they required a 6 average of all GCSE grades plus a 6 in whatever GCSE was related to each of their chosen A levels, ie 6 in English to take English at A level, or 6 in Sciences to take Physics at A level, 6 in maths to take maths, 6 in history to take history, etc. She had a 4 in one GCSE and didn’t affect her admission at all.

And, I mean a very selective sixth form. This sixth form is a state school but in top ten of all sixth forms in UK (including independent, grammar, and state) for admissions to Oxbridge.

So, I would weigh up is it worth pushing maths when it might pull down her grades in the other GCSEs? Of course, if you choose to retake do it as soon as possible. Generally if you pass, you have to do independent study to retake. Here, a student with a 4 pass would not be allowed to retake the maths classes or receive tutoring from the secondary school for free. So her chances of scoring higher under independent study is something you might need to consider as well.

SockFluffInTheBath · 03/03/2022 11:29

A 4 is a pass and if her 6th form choices are non-maths based then so will be whatever follows.

If she’d like a higher maths grade, has time, headspace and won’t be stressed by it then let her. If she’d rather tick it off the list as done and move on then I’d let her.

TeenPlusCat · 03/03/2022 11:30

@underneaththeash

You don't want to have a 4 in maths for university applications. Why did they get her to take it so early if she was only going to get such a low mark?
Do they really care about maths GCSE grade if doing English or History or MFL or anything else non-science at university? Do you have evidence for this?
Lovemusic33 · 03/03/2022 11:37

It depends on many things.
What does she want to do after her GCSE’s?
Does she want to go to UNI?
How well is she doing in other subject?

It is a pass but a low pass, some 6 forms will ask for a higher pass to access A level. If she wants to do something like computing or science then Maths is important.

Her plans now may be totally different in a years time, my dd changed her mind several times, she’s now doing A level maths as she planned on doing computing at uni but has yet again changed her mind and wants to do English lit and creative writing at uni (so now the maths isn’t as important). She has Uni offers and only one has considered her GCSE results (a top uni).

It’s a hard decision to make, if she feels dropping maths will help her achieve higher in other subjects then maybe it’s a good idea?

Original poster
Lunificent · 03/03/2022 11:38

She plans to do History, Politics and Art for A Level and maybe History at university. In her humanities and Art, she’ll probably get between. 7s and 9s.
So no Sciences, Economics or Psychology - probably very little Maths involved in her choices.

OP posts:
LethargeMarg · 03/03/2022 11:45

Personally I'd be fine with a 4 in maths . It's a pass so unless she wants to go into further study where maths is a key subject it won't matter. Most jobs and uni courses will take a 4 as a pass.

Clymene · 03/03/2022 12:04

@Lunificent

She plans to do History, Politics and Art for A Level and maybe History at university. In her humanities and Art, she’ll probably get between. 7s and 9s. So no Sciences, Economics or Psychology - probably very little Maths involved in her choices.
I would check with the 6th form that a 4 is acceptable. Ours wants a 5 (and I agree it seems odd to get a child who is not able in maths to take the exam early!)
Hoppinggreen · 03/03/2022 12:29

I am agreeing with checking the requirements for where this child wants to go next, not my own post
And the College I am talking about is one of the top FE education ones in The North if not the Country so that might be why.
DD needed (from memory) 4 Grade 6 or above, which had to include Maths and English but I have no idea what most other students had to get for the same College

Original poster
Lunificent · 03/03/2022 13:20

The colleges she’s applied to need at least a 4 in Maths, and as she’ll be an internal candidate for her school 6th form, I think there will be flexibility about the Maths as long as she has high grades in the relevant GCSEs.

OP posts:
TeenPlusCat · 03/03/2022 13:27

@Lunificent

The colleges she’s applied to need at least a 4 in Maths, and as she’ll be an internal candidate for her school 6th form, I think there will be flexibility about the Maths as long as she has high grades in the relevant GCSEs.
I'd get the 'flexibility' in writing from the school rather than just assuming it.
RedskyThisNight · 03/03/2022 13:31

@Hoppinggreen

Unfortunately a lot of colleges and jobs ask for a 6 in Maths I think so it’s definitely worth resitting
If OP's DD wanted a 6 in maths, then sitting the Foundation paper early was an odd choice to make.

Unless DD "needs" a higher grade, there seems to be no advantage to resitting, and rather negates the point of taking the exam early.

bare · 03/03/2022 13:37

If she retakes Foundation, she can only move from a 4 to a 5, so not really worth it tbh

LIZS · 03/03/2022 13:37

Politics may well include some statistics so best at least be aware, especially if she may intend to pursue it beyond A level.

Clymene · 03/03/2022 13:41

@Hoppinggreen

I am agreeing with checking the requirements for where this child wants to go next, not my own post And the College I am talking about is one of the top FE education ones in The North if not the Country so that might be why. DD needed (from memory) 4 Grade 6 or above, which had to include Maths and English but I have no idea what most other students had to get for the same College
From my experience though and that of other posters, that's very unusual, not typical.

And what jobs demand a 6? A 4 is a pass.

SeasonFinale · 03/03/2022 23:18

She has passed her Maths. She would be better off using her time to ensure she does as best she can in her other subjects. Congratulations to her in passing her maths so she can put it behind her secure in the knowledge she has that pass.

Swipe left for the next trending thread