The Ultimate Guide to Acing GCSE Maths in 2026

If you’re going to be sitting your gcse maths exam in 2026, you can easily get at least 2 levels higher than you are currently predicted.

If that sounds like something you want, keep reading. I will break down why maths is so much easier than it might seem to you and exactly what strategies to use to increase your test scores without spending hours and hours studying and without feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

2. Why GCSE Maths Matters More Than Ever
Studying maths for the sake of a maths exam is a very limiting view point. Unfortunately this is why so many students see maths as irrelevant and they hate it or aim to get the bare minimum passing grade.

Studying maths opens up new ways of thinking and problem solving. Just like different sports and activities use different muscles and physical skills, studying different subjects and topics helps you to become a better thinker. The point of education is to open up your mind. It is a shame that it has become so exam focused that we have forgotten that.

The more subjects you learn and master the more interesting you become and the more interested in the world you will become. These things will help you get so much more fulfilment and joy from life.

So my first piece of advice to you about GCSE maths is this: let go of your preconceptions. Take a different approach to learning maths, focus on the process and detach from your exam grade.

3. What’s New in the 2025 GCSE Maths Exams?
Not much really! But make sure you are good at reasoning and applying your knowledge in different contexts. The harder questions always combine algebra and geometry.

You won’t get past a level 6 if you don’t understand topics in depth.

4. How to Build a Solid Foundation in Maths

Start at the beginning. It sounds obvious but I meet a lot of students who are trying to get good at trig or circle theorems but they lack basic stuff like index laws, solving equations, factors and different number types.

Start with the easy stuff and work your way up to the harder topics.

It might seem frustrating, but anything past a level 3 or 4 is based on questions that require layers of knowledge about a concept or topic. Anything that is level 7 and above requires in depth knowledge of several different topics and combines them into a single problem.

5. Revision Strategies That Actually Work
Let’s start with what does NOT work.

- Reading a textbook

- Doing all your homework

- Doing sparx, mathswatch, complete maths - or any other online maths thing.

Here is how to actually revise.

1 - Choose ONE small concept. E.g. Percentage finding the original value.

2 - Read/watch a definition of what it is with some examples.

3 - Do the examples yourself, ensuring that you understand every step in the working out.

4 - Complete at least 20 easy practice questions

5 - Complete at least 50 harder practice questions, ideally a lot of word problem/reasoning questions

6 - Look at past papers and see how this topic is tested

7 - Do every single exam style question (at least 30) that you can find that includes this topic.

By this point you should understand the topic in depth and be ready to answer any question that comes up in the real exam.

Repeat for another small topic and so on until you have mastered every single topic.

If you complete this process every week for 1 or 2 topics, your grade will improve massively over 2 - 3 months.

Also this is why its best to start revising in year 9 or 10. This gives you plenty of time to go deep into a topic instead of cramming with constant mocks in Year 11.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
READ THE QUESTION. Enough said.

Look through the entire paper before attempting any questions, this will help you warm up and relax.

Don’t spend ages on any question when its your first time through the paper.

Aim to finish with at least 20 mins to check everything and attempt the harder questions.

7. How a GCSE Maths Tutor Can Help You Succeed

Obviously I can ‘t speak for all maths tutors, but here is an outline of what a good GCSE maths tutor should be doing in order to help you get the highest grade that you can:

1 - The sessions should be personalised. When I tutor I work out exactly where each of my students’ weaknesses are and work on those extensively. Maths tutors that have fixed lesson plans for everyone might be ok if your child onky needs generic help and is good at self study.

2 - A good tutor will build your child’s confidence FIRST. Sometimes the reason a student is not doing well at school is not because they cannot do maths. I’ve taught many students who are very able but have a serious problem with self-esteem and/or confidence. They often over think in the exam or just don’t attempt things because they hate the pattern of failure that they can’t seem to break.

With these students we do a lot of simple work first to build up their confidence and then move on to the harder concepts and questions.

3 - A gcse maths tutor can help you go beyond your predicted grade. It is human nature to limit ourselves or set a lower goal so as not to ‘fail’. That’s why it often falls on those around us to push us a bit and to help us reach our potential. If you decide to work with a gcse maths tutor, have a think if you want someone who simply helps you keep up with classwork or someone who will challenge you to grow and go above what you think you might be capable of. I meet a lot of students who want to be doctors and so pushing them to learn independently and to go beyond what they learn in the classroom is a massive help for their future careers.

4 - Your gcse maths tutor should be giving you regular feedback and challenge you on how effective your revision strategy is whether its in person or online tuition. They should be monitoring your progress and showing you what you are doing that’s effective and what you are doing that might be a waste of time.

8. Recommended Resources for 2025 Revision
MMERevise or maths genie for past papers and exam practice

Any youtube video that is simple and gets straight to the point when explaining a concept.

Please don’t underestimate the most effective revision tool is a fat gcse maths textbook with lots of questions, a pen and paper (please stop doing everything in your head!) and a quiet room at a desk that you enjoy sitting at.

9. Exam Day Tips and Techniques
Be ready for your exam one month before. It might sound overzealous but I’ve had students miss out on top grades because they came down with a virus during exam week!

Read your exam paper.

Do the easy questions first to warm up and relax.

If you haven’t revised enough, stop stressing. Let it go, accept the fact that you are going to fail or not get the top grade. There are always other options in life.

10. Conclusion: Your Path to a Top Grade

Start earlier rather than later.

Do slightly more than just the homework and classwork each week.

The more practice questions you do the higher your grade.

Have a plan and topic to focus on for each week.

Get a maths tutor who will challenge you and take you further.

Do your best.