Maths

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Maths is one of the core subjects at GCSE level. Along with the English exam, a pass grade is a pre-requisite for further study and for most jobs. KS3 is also an important level to master, with most of the Maths that most people require for their day-to-day lives being covered at this level.

 

The GCSE Foundation Tier syllabus includes all of the major day-to-day arithmetic and problem-solving functions of Maths. It also includes some more specialised conceptual Maths, specifically powers, multiplying fractions and several areas of classical Greek Maths such as circle theorems and Euclidean Geometry.

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My Approach

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Activity-based

I take an active, problem-based approach in the study of Maths. Evidence suggests that the best approach to developing and furthering the understanding is by developing skills layer by layer. We will build up essential skills first of all, establishing a strong base. From this point, we move on to more demanding material. Although every class is different, on average we cover 7 to 10 pages of problems in a one hour session. I monitor every student's progress closely, ensuring that we continually probe for and address weaknesses.

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Memorisation techniques

I also use the 'Active Recall' and 'Graded Interval Recall' processes to ensure that students are absorbing and able to remember the rules and information in each section. Contrary to popular belief, Maths is not only a skills-based subject, there is also a lot of factual information that needs to be recalled. 

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Results

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Over the last few years, I've achieved excellent results with Foundation tier students looking to attain pass-grades in their GCSE exam. Typically I work with students who are on the borderline between a pass and a fail. I also work with students who have also failed in the past and are re-sitting. The results we achieve compare very favourably with the national averages. The pass-rates for re-sitting students stands at about 20% nationally.

 

In my practice, the pass rate for re-sitting students stands at over 80%. I believe this represents an outstanding statistic. A number of students that I have worked with have gone from knowing virtually no maths beyond the primary level arithmetic to achieving pass grades at GCSE level.

 

Only a few months ago a student I had worked intensively over twelve months achieved a solid pass grade after coming in with no secondary school education beyond year 7 due to ill health. This was a truly outstanding result and is a testament to the possibilities of what can be achieved by a motivated student working with a dedicated and professional tutor.