GCSE Maths: How Parents Can Help (Even If You Hate Maths)
📐 GCSE • Subject Support⏱️ 5 min read📅 January 2026
🎯 What You'll Learn: Simple ways to support GCSE Maths practice, spot gaps, and keep confidence high — without needing to remember Pythagoras' theorem yourself.
The Good News: You Don't Need to Teach
Many parents panic when asked to help with Maths. Here's the truth: your role isn't to teach the content. It's to:
Create structure for practice
Spot patterns in mistakes
Encourage problem-solving thinking
Keep morale high when it gets tough
Think of yourself as a coach, not a teacher. You're there to support the process, not deliver the lesson.
The 3 Things GCSE Maths Students Need Most
1. Regular Practice (Little and Often)
Maths is a skill. Like riding a bike, you can't learn it by reading — you have to do it repeatedly.
What You Can Do:
Set up a daily practice slot (even 20 mins)
Help them pick 5-10 questions to complete
Check they're actually doing the work (not just copying answers)
Students need to know quickly if they got it right. Waiting days for a teacher to mark kills momentum.
What You Can Do (Without Understanding the Maths):
Use answer booklets from textbooks/websites
Mark answers as ✓ or ✗
If they got it wrong, ask: "Can you spot where you went wrong?"
If they can't, note it down: "Ask your teacher about Q7 tomorrow."
Key point: You don't need to explain why it's wrong. You just need to identify that it's wrong. Your child (or their teacher/tutor) will do the explaining.
3. Identifying Weak Topics
Most GCSE students struggle with the same 5-6 topics. Your job is to spot patterns in their mistakes.
Common Weak Spots (Print This & Tick When They Master It):
Fractions (adding, multiplying, simplifying)
Algebra basics (expanding brackets, factorising)
Equations (solving linear, quadratic)
Percentages (increase, decrease, reverse %)
Ratio & Proportion
Pythagoras & Trigonometry
Graphs (plotting, gradients, y=mx+c)
Circle theorems
Probability
How to use this: Each time they get a question wrong, note the topic. If the same one appears 3+ times, that's a priority for extra practice.
Practical Ways to Help (That Don't Require Maths Skills)
Strategy 1: The "5 Questions Rule"
Every night, they do 5 questions on one topic. That's it. Manageable, builds confidence, and compounds over weeks.
Your Role:
Set a timer: 15-20 mins
Sit nearby (but don't hover)
Mark the answers together using the answer book
Note any topics they struggled with
Strategy 2: The "Traffic Light System"
Help them categorize topics by confidence level:
🟢 Green: Confident — just needs occasional practice
🟡 Amber: Okay but makes mistakes — needs weekly practice
🔴 Red: Weak — needs focused help (tutor/teacher/extra resources)
What you do: Every 2 weeks, update the list together. Red topics become the priority.
Strategy 3: Past Paper Practice
From Year 11 onwards, past papers are gold. They show exactly what the exam looks like.
Your Role:
Download past papers (free from exam board websites: AQA, Edexcel, OCR)
Schedule one full paper every 2 weeks (90 mins, timed, no distractions)
Mark it together using the mark scheme
Identify which topics cost them marks
Focus next week's practice on those topics
Parent tip: Sit with them during the first few past papers. It's intimidating at first. After 2-3, they'll be comfortable doing them solo.
Questions You Can Ask (That Actually Help)
Even if you don't understand the Maths, these questions encourage problem-solving thinking:
"Can you explain what the question is asking?" (Forces them to slow down and read carefully)
"What method did your teacher show you for this?" (Prompts recall of lessons)
"Where did you get stuck?" (Helps pinpoint the exact confusion)
"Can you check your working step-by-step?" (Catches silly errors)
"Does your answer make sense?" (E.g., if the question asks for a length and they get -5cm, something's wrong)
💡 Pro Tip: Never say "I was rubbish at Maths too." It gives them permission to give up. Instead say: "Maths takes practice. The more you do, the better you'll get."
Free Resources You Can Use Together
📚 Recommended Websites (All Free):
Corbettmaths — Video tutorials + worksheets for every GCSE topic
MathsGenie — Past papers organized by topic
Dr Frost Maths — Interactive questions with instant feedback
HegartyMaths — Many schools use this (check if your child has a login)
Khan Academy — Step-by-step explanations
Your role: Help them bookmark 2-3 favorites. Overwhelm kills motivation.
When to Get Extra Help
Sometimes, parental support isn't enough. Here's when to bring in a tutor or teacher:
They've been stuck on the same topic for 3+ weeks
Mock exam results are 2+ grades below target
They're avoiding Maths homework consistently
Confidence is rock bottom ("I'll never get it")
Action: Email the teacher first ("Can you recommend extra resources or after-school support?"). If that doesn't work, consider a tutor for 4-6 weeks to target weak topics.
Keeping Morale High
Maths anxiety is real. Here's how to combat it:
Celebrate small wins: "You got all the fractions questions right today!"
Normalize struggle: "Everyone finds circle theorems hard at first."
Focus on progress: "Last month you couldn't do this topic. Look at you now."
Avoid grade obsession: "Your mock was a practice run. The real exam is what counts."
Reward effort: After a tough week of practice, do something fun together.
📝 Weekly Check-In Template
Every Sunday, spend 10 mins reviewing:
How many practice sessions did they complete? (Goal: 5+)
Which topics felt easier this week?
Which topics are still tough?
What's the focus for next week?
Keep it light and supportive. This isn't an interrogation — it's a planning chat.
Final Thoughts
You don't need to be a Maths genius to help your child succeed at GCSE Maths. You just need to:
Create structure for regular practice
Help them identify weak spots
Encourage problem-solving (not spoon-feeding)
Keep their confidence up
Your job is to be the support system, not the teacher. And that's more than enough.