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Feeling like I'm going to fail GCSE maths

Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:

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Reply 1
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:


I feel you. You are feeling everything I am right now. Have you got a mathswatch CD, this should be inevitable at GCSE. Ukmathsteacher is also good. Also got to the website bland.in, it sets you papers with very difficult questions. I think the best option is to got to a teacher that is qualified to teach for both A-levels and GCSE maths, it will probably be easier for them to help you. Or got to a tutor with these qualities.

Best of luck.
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:


Try Corbettmaths, Hegartymaths, examsolutions to self-study if you're teacher is that bad. For the new maths GCSE in Wales, most people failed it, think there was ~45% getting C/4. It's a harder GCSE than I've done, so don't be surprised if the boundaries are low.
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
Try Corbettmaths, Hegartymaths, examsolutions to self-study if you're teacher is that bad. For the new maths GCSE in Wales, most people failed it, think there was ~45% getting C/4. It's a harder GCSE than I've done, so don't be surprised if the boundaries are low.


I looked at hegarty maths but it seems he is not making new videos for the new gcse and he has a website but to use ti your school needs to register and i do edexcel also and he caters for aqa.I looked at exam solutions but the vidoes are quite muddled up and its hard o find the videos i want. I will look at corbettmaths. I really want a grade 8 but i dont think it will happen and i do put in work for maths. The old GCSE was easier,the question level was easier, the questions were more straight forward and i just found it a lot easier.
Original post by Psychedeliyaa
I feel you. You are feeling everything I am right now. Have you got a mathswatch CD, this should be inevitable at GCSE. Ukmathsteacher is also good. Also got to the website bland.in, it sets you papers with very difficult questions. I think the best option is to got to a teacher that is qualified to teach for both A-levels and GCSE maths, it will probably be easier for them to help you. Or got to a tutor with these qualities.

Best of luck.


My teacher is not qualified to teach a level even and only has 2 gcse classes and no other classes as he i think he has a statistics background and not a core maths background.I want to get a tutor but they're expensive. :frown: How are you finding gcse maths?I will look into the maths watch CD and ukmathsteacher.
Reply 5
Original post by Anonymous1502
My teacher is not qualified to teach a level even and only has 2 gcse classes and no other classes as he i think he has a statistics background and not a core maths background.I want to get a tutor but they're expensive. :frown: How are you finding gcse maths?I will look into the maths watch CD and ukmathsteacher.


GCSE maths I loved until they introduced the new ways. I'm quite shocked you haven't got mathswatch yet. It is a CD that teaches you everything you need to know about Edexel GCSE maths. With the new questions, I'm practising them continuously. That is the best option. Practice, practice, practice!
Original post by Psychedeliyaa
GCSE maths I loved until they introduced the new ways. I'm quite shocked you haven't got mathswatch yet. It is a CD that teaches you everything you need to know about Edexel GCSE maths. With the new questions, I'm practising them continuously. That is the best option. Practice, practice, practice!


i looked at maths watch but it seems the CDs are only sold to schools.So im not sure how i would get one?The only maths resource my school provided is some rubbish revision guide, from CGP.
Reply 7
Original post by Anonymous1502
i looked at maths watch but it seems the CDs are only sold to schools.So im not sure how i would get one?The only maths resource my school provided is some rubbish revision guide, from CGP.


Can you not access one from school? If not, I can send you a copy of mine from dropbox.
Original post by Psychedeliyaa
Can you not access one from school? If not, I can send you a copy of mine from dropbox.


No my school does not subscribe for mathswatch.
I'm not sure which exam board your school is doing (mine is AQA). Everyone in every school in my area took the same paper and the schools came together to form exemplar grade boundaries. Given that you want to achieve an 8, in the test we did the grade boundary for an 8 was 53 out of 80, which is 63% and a 9 was 79% (rounded). I hope this helps as a potential indicator for you!
Original post by TheMightyBadger
I'm not sure which exam board your school is doing (mine is AQA). Everyone in every school in my area took the same paper and the schools came together to form exemplar grade boundaries. Given that you want to achieve an 8, in the test we did the grade boundary for an 8 was 53 out of 80, which is 63% and a 9 was 79% (rounded). I hope this helps as a potential indicator for you!


I do edexcel. Any maths revsion advice?
don't worry, I felt the same. In the exam, I answered maybe 5 questions on the first paper, and about half on the second paper, and somehow ended with a A... It will be fine, but I would recommend a lot of revision, if I'd revised properly, I would have been capable of gettin an A. I was convinced I was going to fail...
Original post by Anonymous1502
I do edexcel. Any maths revsion advice?


The best advice I can give is to nail down on every single topic. Then practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice until you can fluently answer questions.
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:


What are you unsure of? Ask me and I'll try my best to answer.

Ps I do A level maths
Original post by GCSE DEMOLISHER
What are you unsure of? Ask me and I'll try my best to answer.

Ps I do A level maths


Im just looking at the specimen papers, and the topics i thought i knew how to, i find myself not being able to do them as the questions in the specimen papers for the topics i know are way harder and i cant really do them.Its not one specific question, its many.
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im just looking at the specimen papers, and the topics i thought i knew how to, i find myself not being able to do them as the questions in the specimen papers for the topics i know are way harder and i cant really do them.Its not one specific question, its many.


I think that the main reason you and many others are struggling, is that previous to the reformed GCSE maths (9-1), most questions were mainly focused on simply regurgitating information, but in the form of questions.

However, this year (according to my teacher), there is a much bigger focus on some topics such as ratios and proportion and general problem solving; it is also a bit harder. Therefore, I recommend that on top of revising all of the concepts of GCSE maths, you also need to do some basic problem solving that relies on more thought than just calculating stuff you had already done before (in practice). I hope this makes sense.

If you have any questions, just ask me. I am predicted a 9 and typically get between 96-100% in practice papers.
Original post by TheMightyBadger
I think that the main reason you and many others are struggling, is that previous to the reformed GCSE maths (9-1), most questions were mainly focused on simply regurgitating information, but in the form of questions.

However, this year (according to my teacher), there is a much bigger focus on some topics such as ratios and proportion and general problem solving; it is also a bit harder. Therefore, I recommend that on top of revising all of the concepts of GCSE maths, you also need to do some basic problem solving that relies on more thought than just calculating stuff you had already done before (in practice). I hope this makes sense.

If you have any questions, just ask me. I am predicted a 9 and typically get between 96-100% in practice papers.


How do you revise?Even when i think I knwo the concepts I still cant use the concepts to solve the questions as the questions are on another level.How can I practice problem solving, any resources you know?How are you doing so well in maths, what are you doing to be so good?
Original post by Anonymous1502
How do you revise?Even when i think I knwo the concepts I still cant use the concepts to solve the questions as the questions are on another level.How can I practice problem solving, any resources you know?How are you doing so well in maths, what are you doing to be so good?


Honestly, I am probably a 'natural'. I only ever revise for our end of term tests, which have been harder than the range of questions in the Further Maths AQA GCSE. I'm just able to think in a really logical way and I have a mathematical brain; when making notes for other subjects I retain info much easier if I use '+' and '=' signs. Therefore, I can't really help out in terms of revision; my main advice is to get the revision guide for your exam board if there is one.

In terms of problem solving, try out the 20-25 problems in the Junior Maths Challenge and have a go at all of the question in the Intermediate, maybe even try some in the Senior. This should hopefully develop some problem solving skills.
When approaching these problem solving questions, you may find it useful to create a plan of what you need to work out. Also, there should be some problem solving books you can buy, as well as the Nrich website of course.

If you want me to explain something to you just drop me a message and I will reply if my workload permits.
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:



You should consider getting a tutor to help you. Put in extra study time to revise, going to your school's library for books or the maths videos you're watching will help, and if you're asking the teacher for help and he doesn't know what he's doing, you should probably talk or email the school about the teacher and maybe they can get you a replacement that can teach you better. I don't think you'll fail because it seems it's the teachers fault for you not understanding, if you manage to get a new teacher you'll do great :smile:
Original post by Anonymous1502
Im really starting to worry about maths, as we have been doing specimen papers in maths and everyone finds them hard and even if i know the topic, i cant do the specimen questions on it as the questions are just so much harder and i have no idea how to solve them. GCSE's are like in may and im still finding gcse maths hard, so im really worried, I really want to get a grade 8, at this point im doubting even if i can get a grade 6.I do all the work the teacher sets and all the homework.The teacher seems to not teach us the hard examples for topics and only teaches us like the easy tuff, so im struggling with the new questions.The new spec manages to change quite straightforward topics into some confusing and hard questions. :frown: I look online for help by watching maths genie and other math videos and I try and ask the teacher for help but sometimes I'm not even sure if the teacher knows what he is doing.Im really worried. :frown:


Hi there,

The important thing is that you've identified the problem whilst there's still time to do something about it. As Everosie suggests, you may want to consider getting a private tutor. They would be able to identify your weak points in understanding, and help you over come them. In class, a teacher doesn't have the time to give everyone the individualised attention that they might need, and you'd be surprised at how things could become clearer with a tutor.

Do take a look at our site, where a lot of tutors advertise. We also have a large number of articles written by tutors on maths topics that you may find helpful:

http://www.thetutorpages.com/gcse-maths-tutors

Good luck with your studies!

Emma

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