As a parent, helping your child prepare for their GCSE or A-level maths exams can feel challenging. While other subjects may involve memorising key facts or writing detailed essays, maths requires a different approach. The best way to revise for maths is through one tried-and-true method: repeatedly practicing exam questions.
Why Practising Exam Questions is Key
Maths is a subject that builds on problem-solving skills. Success isn’t just about understanding formulas or concepts — it’s about applying them in a variety of contexts. Your child needs to be comfortable tackling questions that demand different approaches, and the best way to achieve that is by working through past papers and exam-style questions.
Key Benefits of Practising Past Papers:
- Familiarity with Exam Format: Past papers give your child a clear idea of what to expect in the exam. They’ll get used to the style of questions, the wording, and the marks allocated for each section.
- Time Management: Practicing under timed conditions helps your child learn how to pace themselves during the exam, ensuring they complete all questions within the time limit.
- Identifying Weak Areas: By working through various papers, your child will spot topics they find challenging. This allows them to focus their revision on these specific areas.
- Boosting Confidence: Completing practice questions successfully builds confidence. It shows your child that they are capable of solving problems under exam conditions.
How to Support Your Child’s Maths Revision
Here are some practical ways you can help:
- Provide Access to Resources: Ensure your child has access to a range of past papers and mark schemes. Many exam boards offer these for free on their websites.
- Encourage Timed Practice: Suggest that your child practices under exam conditions by setting a timer. This will help them improve their time management skills.
- Review Mistakes Together: Go through incorrect answers with your child to ensure they understand where they went wrong. Use the mark scheme to identify where marks were lost.
- Create a Revision Schedule: Help your child plan their revision time so they cover all key topics before the exam.
- Stay Positive and Supportive: Maths can be daunting, and it’s normal for students to feel frustrated. Encourage them to keep going and remind them that consistent practice leads to improvement.
Final Thoughts
While it might be tempting to encourage your child to read through notes or watch tutorial videos, nothing beats the effectiveness of practising exam questions for maths revision. By making this a core part of their study routine, your child will improve their problem-solving skills, become familiar with the exam format, and head into their maths exams with confidence.
Remember, it’s all about practice, practice, practice!