Maths Appeal GCSE Exam Special

With exam season fast approaching the Maths Appeal podcast team (myself, Bobby Seagull and producer Jenny Nelson) decided to put together a GCSE Maths Exam special edition to support students preparing for the GCSE Maths exams and to support their parents and maths teachers.

As Maths teachers, Bobby and I know that this can be an incredibly stressful time for students, parents and teachers so we thought we’d share some tips on how best to prepare for the exams.

In this special podcast episode we:

• Give an overview of the GCSE Maths qualification
• Discuss some of the main issues we experience as teachers when preparing students for the GCSE exams
• Share our favourite Maths GCSE Revision Resources
• Give our Top 5 Tips for preparing for the exams

Listen and subscribe to the episode on iTunes, Spotify or SoundCloud.

See below for links to the websites/ resources/ podcasts mentioned during this Maths Appeal GCSE Maths Exam Podcast Special.

Overview of the Maths GCSE Qualification

This Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Maths Information Guide gives a good overview of the new GCSE Maths qualification clearly setting out the new content, assessment structure and grading system.

Here is a list of the ‘Need to Know’ formulae for the Maths GCSE (9-1) exam from Edexcel

Here is the NCETM Podcast ‘GCSE Maths 9-1: How did it perform in its second summer?’ where representatives from Exam Boards explain which areas students found difficult in the 2018 Maths GCSE exams.

Bobby & My Favourite GCSE Maths Revision Resources

There are many GCSE Revision Resources out there but here are Bobby’s and my favourites as mentioned in this episode:

Corbett Maths (@Corbettmaths)

Murderous Maths (GCSE Tips) (@murderousmaths):

http://www.murderousmaths.co.uk/books/GCSEtips.htm

BBC The Maths Show (@standupmaths):

Maths Bot (GCSE Resources) (@StudyMaths):

Bobby and I are always on the lookout for good resources to help our students please share your favourite GCSE Maths Resources with us on Twitter or Instagram @MathsAppeal. Let us know why you like them.

Finally, Our Top 5 Tips for Preparing for the Maths GCSE Exams

1)  Revise the maths areas you struggle with – This will help you get more marks in your exam – don’t stay in your comfort zone when revising!

2) Memorise key maths facts and formulae – This will free up your working memory to deal with more complex problem solving questions.

3) Don’t assume the questions at the end of the paper are too difficult to do – If you can’t do a question move on and try the next one. Keep going through the paper then return to the questions you couldn’t do. Try every question; one mark can make the difference between getting the grade you want, so don’t give up!

4) Look after your mind and body before the exam – Eat well, drink loads of water and sleep well before each exam.

5) Try to relax! You are able to solve problems better when you are in a positive state of mind. Treat your exams like they are a collection of puzzles set by Bobby – you can only do your best!

So whether you are a student, parent or teacher the Maths Appeal team hope you find the GCSE Maths Exam special useful and we wish you GOOD LUCK for the upcoming exam season!

Let us know what you thought of the episode via Twitter or Instagram @MathsAppeal or just message me here.