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Getting a C in GCSE Maths

In year 11, I failed my maths and got ironically an F. I've never been good at maths, I've always been in the lowest set ever since year 3 so my maths has never been good from day one. I'm just one of those people who just doesn't get Maths :/

Since I'm doing 4 AS-levels this year, I can't do maths GCSE Resit because it can't fit onto my timetable, so I have to do next year when I have more free periods. Now I want to be an English teacher and have emailed a few universities asking them about alternative qualifications at a Level 2 basis for maths in order for me to do a PGCE in Secondary English and pretty much all of them say I need a C at GCSE in Maths... :/

Considering this, there's only one thing I can do... Is to get a C! This will most likely be the hardest thing I shall ever do in my entire life! Going from an F to a C within 12 months I believe is virtually impossible. So I wondering, is there any tips to get to this level (achieving a C)? How can I strive for the best results?

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You can't be an English teacher without a grade C in maths and you will also need to pass the Numeracy Skills Test which is being toughened up so it is roughly grade B standard. Some colleges do GCSE maths as an evening class and this might be a route worth exploring.
Reply 2
Original post by Cool_JordH
In year 11, I failed my maths and got ironically an F. I've never been good at maths, I've always been in the lowest set ever since year 3 so my maths has never been good from day one. I'm just one of those people who just doesn't get Maths :/

Since I'm doing 4 AS-levels this year, I can't do maths GCSE Resit because it can't fit onto my timetable, so I have to do next year when I have more free periods. Now I want to be an English teacher and have emailed a few universities asking them about alternative qualifications at a Level 2 basis for maths in order for me to do a PGCE in Secondary English and pretty much all of them say I need a C at GCSE in Maths... :/

Considering this, there's only one thing I can do... Is to get a C! This will most likely be the hardest thing I shall ever do in my entire life! Going from an F to a C within 12 months I believe is virtually impossible. So I wondering, is there any tips to get to this level (achieving a C)? How can I strive for the best results?
Hello, after I've taken my gcse a few months ago I failed maths twice with a D grade, I took the higher paper and got a B (you may want to do this) Use online resources such as http://www.youtube.com/user/maths247
http://www.examsolutions.net/
get a book if you revise a lot it will start to sink in, terms will become familiar and you'll get used to it.
I'm pretty much THE worst person at maths. From year 9 I was always in bottom set maths and was lucky to get above 12% in my maths mocks! I however got a tutor and worked with her 2 or 3 times a week and managed to get from a U in my mocks to get a mid B on exam day! I didn't work as hard as I could have, and probably could have achieved an A! All you need to do is get a tutor and work, looking back at GCSE's I can't believe how easy they were compared to A levels! (I'm in my final year of school) good luck!!!


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Reply 4
Original post by sarahemilyprice1
I'm pretty much THE worst person at maths. From year 9 I was always in bottom set maths and was lucky to get above 12% in my maths mocks! I however got a tutor and worked with her 2 or 3 times a week and managed to get from a U in my mocks to get a mid B on exam day! I didn't work as hard as I could have, and probably could have achieved an A! All you need to do is get a tutor and work, looking back at GCSE's I can't believe how easy they were compared to A levels! (I'm in my final year of school) good luck!!!


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That was like me in year 9 seriously! I got 11% in year 9 and then at the end of year 11 scraped it up to a B grade, now doing alevel at A grade level mmmmmmmmm :smile:
Everyone is saying from year 9 to year 11, but I've got 9 months to get from an E/F grade to a grade C! How the **** would I do this!!?!?! My career is down the lines and everything that i've worked up for shall be gone!
Reply 6
Original post by Cool_JordH
Everyone is saying from year 9 to year 11, but I've got 9 months to get from an E/F grade to a grade C! How the **** would I do this!!?!?! My career is down the lines and everything that i've worked up for shall be gone!


9 Months is enough to learn all that you need, Like people have suggested, try getting a tutor. Having someone explain something specifically to you makes it easier to understand.

I also suggest doing the higher paper, it's easier to get a C in it then foundation anyway and you could get higher.
Doing the past papers is also the most effective revision and learning technique. The questions are usually simmilar each year.
Original post by dada55
9 Months is enough to learn all that you need, Like people have suggested, try getting a tutor. Having someone explain something specifically to you makes it easier to understand.

I also suggest doing the higher paper, it's easier to get a C in it then foundation anyway and you could get higher.
Doing the past papers is also the most effective revision and learning technique. The questions are usually simmilar each year.

Did I not mention, I've always sucked at maths. I've never got a C before. If I couldn't get a C for 5 years, how is it possible to get it in 9 months?!?!
To begin with I would suggest doing a past papers on maths exams (I'm assuming you remember bits of your GCSE Maths) so you know where your going wrong

Borrow a Maths textbook from the library and try to teach yourself using that. Also use other tools online by googling the stuff your stuck on for example, GCSE Algebra, or fractions whatever.

Go on youtube there are THOUSANDS that people have put up teaching others Maths.

Kahn Academy is also a great great help.

If you can either do evening classes, or hire a tutor twice a week?

Hopefully this helps. :smile:
I had a mock in january so 5 months before my actual exam and i got 11%. I never got higher than a C either, but unless you actually put the effort in and work and get a tutor then you'll never get higher. I always said that i'd be surprised if i got higher than a D and thought there was no way i'd get higher, but i was forced to get a tutor and i managed to get a B. Don't be so defensive and work!!
Original post by sarahemilyprice1
I had a mock in january so 5 months before my actual exam and i got 11%. I never got higher than a C either, but unless you actually put the effort in and work and get a tutor then you'll never get higher. I always said that i'd be surprised if i got higher than a D and thought there was no way i'd get higher, but i was forced to get a tutor and i managed to get a B. Don't be so defensive and work!!


I can't afford a tutor though :/
Have you spoke to any of the maths teachers at your school? They might be able to help you during your free periods.
Reply 12
Original post by Cool_JordH
I can't afford a tutor though :/
We can tutor you for free :biggrin:
Reply 13
Exam solutions and maths247 are really good on YouTube.

For my gcse I got a CD Rom called MAthswatch I think. Was great and taught me a lot of stuff and it separated topics by grade difficulty !



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Original post by OU Student
Have you spoke to any of the maths teachers at your school? They might be able to help you during your free periods.


I'll bring this attention to one of my previous Maths teacher who taught me when I was in year 11. Well, this won't be effective until timetables change in Sept 2013. But I'm going to see if I can get started when we go back in 2 weeks time.
Original post by Kosovaa
We can tutor you for free :biggrin:


I'd rather have face-to-face tutoring. It's easier that way
Original post by Cool_JordH
I'd rather have face-to-face tutoring. It's easier that way


Skype? if you have it.
Reply 17
Good luck to everyone that is sitting their maths GCSE next week, fingers crossed that the examiners are in a good mood. :smile:
extremely late post to this thread but i just had to ask if you managed to get that C in the end? im in the EXACT same position. im in year 13 got less than a year to get a frickin C or my life is over:L i have been in bottom set maths since bloody primary school i had special after school lessons and everything and i still cant do it!
Reply 19
Original post by Dominiquee06
extremely late post to this thread but i just had to ask if you managed to get that C in the end? im in the EXACT same position. im in year 13 got less than a year to get a frickin C or my life is over:L i have been in bottom set maths since bloody primary school i had special after school lessons and everything and i still cant do it!


Hello Dominiquee,

I know exactly how you feel, I too always struggled with maths and took my maths twice before I was finally able to obtain a C, to my surprise when I got my results in August 2013... I got a B. My advice is to keep doing past papers, make a list of the topics you need to study. Out of that list mark the ones off you are fine with, the ones you struggle with start from the basics. And then see if you can solve the problems on your own e.g. simultaneous equations, trial and error, Pythagoras and trigonometry. And use a maths CD, worked for me, made the whole concept of maths more fun and number friendly. All the best :smile:

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