Maths
Maths is an essential life skill. Senior Schools look at Maths results as a key indicator of a student’s potential academically. Let’s grasp the nettle and get those number skills warmed up ready to take on any assessment in our path!
11+
Maths papers will generally home in on ‘the big four’ (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division), and include questions on fractions, percentages, shape, area, graphs, money, measurement and time. The purpose of the examination is to identify those with mathematical potential, who can think logically; maths puzzles and logic problems are useful but Prep School Tutor specialists can provide more focused, effective methods of preparation for 11 plus.
13+
Maths can give some children the fear but, step-by-step, our tutors make the most problematic of problems manageable. Once confident that the foundation concepts are in place, tutors guide their students on to through the more challenging Common Entrance topics. This encourages them to self-assess and to become increasingly adept at applying their mathematical knowledge when both interpreting and solving word problems, which is the dominating question style for Common Entrance Mathematics. We encourage students to reason and form logical conclusions about unfamiliar mathematical concepts as they make the leap up from 11+ to success at Common Entrance and beyond.
GCSE
Mathematics is the building block of our society; without maths we’d have no architecture, engineering, medicine, science or technology. Our lives would be considerably poorer. Is it any wonder then that virtually all students in the UK study mathematics to at least GCSE?
In fact, a good pass in GCSE/IGCSE mathematics is often a requirement for further study, allowing access to Sixth form and University. For those students wishing to take a maths related subject at a more advanced level, GCSE mathematics is crucial and our tutors will help to address any difficulties now before they impact on later studies.
Greater emphasis than ever before is now placed on problem solving, interpreting results in a real life context and formal mathematical proof in the GCSE can be daunting for some. Our tutors know the best ways to encourage students to set out their reasoning logically and communicate their answers clearly thus gaining those crucial extra marks so often lost in exams. Building confidence is key to success and our aim is that students will be motivated to take on the challenges set before them and be fully prepared for the new style GCSE exams.
A final point worth noting is that, while many Independent Schools follow the Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Mathematics A syllabus, it is always worth checking with the school as the Edexcel GCSE exam contains an additional non-calculator paper.