Maths GCSE Course

The Maths GCSE Course will prepare learners for their Maths GCSE examinations by covering basic mathematical skills before progressing onto more advanced topics as you develop your skills.

Maths GCSE is a key requirement for many job roles, and passing this qualification demonstrates an understanding of numbers and an ability to work with them. A reasonable level of proficiency in arithmetical skills is assumed.

This GCSE places great emphasis on "doing mathematics" and relating this, wherever possible, to everyday life. Certain techniques and formulae need to be learnt, but the emphasis on "doing" means that you should work carefully through all the examples and exercises in order to be able to solve problems effectively.

The Maths GCSE Course covers the Pearson Edexcel 1MA1 specification, and it includes 11 assignments (one introductory).

The Maths GCSE course prepares students for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics Specification 1MA1.

This is a tiered qualification and learners will need to choose which tier to enter for:

• Foundation – grades 1 to 5. Grade 5 is the highest award you can achieve at this tier.
• Higher – grades 4 to 9. Grade 9 is the highest award you can achieve at this tier.

Some students may only need to obtain a Grade 4 or 5 if they are progressing onto a further education course, in which case you would probably be best sitting the foundation papers, while some courses, such as a Maths A Level may only accept students if they have completed the GCSE at the higher tier.

The Mathematics GCSE assessment is by three examination papers:

• Paper 1 (without calculator)

This paper is 1 hour, 30 minutes and is 80 marks in total (33.33% of the total GCSE).

This paper will cover the following topics: Number; Algebra; Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change; Geometry and measures; Probability; and Statistics.

• Paper 2 (with calculator)

This paper is 1 hour, 30 minutes and is 80 marks in total (33.33% of the total GCSE).

This paper will cover the following topics: Number; Algebra; Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change; Geometry and measures; Probability; and Statistics.

• Paper 3 (with calculator)

This paper is 1 hour, 30 minutes and is 80 marks in total (33.33% of the total GCSE).

This paper will cover the following topics: Number; Algebra; Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change; Geometry and measures; Probability; and Statistics.

There are no specific academic requirements for this course. The learner will require the ability to read and write in English.

Please Note: The minimum age for applicants is 13 years old, and learners under 18 years old will require parental or guardian consent.

All GCSE Courses are delivered online through the NEC online learning platform which is available 24/7 and where you will find everything you need to complete your studies.

The Learning Platform Includes: 

• Your complete course materials covering the full syllabus
• Additional study resources
• Exam and assessment information
• Direct communication with your tutor
• Support from the Student Support Team
• Connect with other learners in the portal community

As this is an online course, you will need a computer operating system, internet access and a browser. Google Chrome is recommended, but the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge can be used. Some content will be in video format via YouTube, so a suitable internet connection is required, and you will be required to work with PDF documents during your course. If your browser does not support PDF display, you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader.

There are no additional set texts required for this course although there are some recommendations you may wish to refer to for additional reading.

You will receive support from the designated Student Services team and a course tutor through the online platform. 

Student Support Team: Your first point of contact. The team ensures every student is enrolled correctly, has access to their course materials, and can log in smoothly. They will also handle any technical queries.

Tutor Support Team: Manages all academic queries. Our subject tutors provide expert marking, feedback, and guidance, helping students stay on track and motivated.

Your allocated tutor will send a welcome message via the learning platform after you have enrolled on a course and will provide support, feedback, and mark assignments as you progress through your course. All tutors are subject-qualified experts with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and have been teaching in a school for a minimum of 3 years, and they are also required to have an enhanced DBS. Many are experienced teachers or trainers, and several serve as examiners for major awarding bodies.

You can contact the support teams through the secure messaging platform and you can also post messages in the course forum. There is no limit on how often you can contact support.

Please Note: If a learner requires live one-to-one support from a tutor, then this can be arranged at an additional charge.

Registered learners have course access and are supported on each course for 2 years from their enrolment.

Please Note: We recommend that learners aiming for the Summer 2026 exams are enrolled on their course by 31 October 2025.

It may be possible to complete a course if you enrol after this date, or you are using the course as a resit guide, but we would only recommend doing this if you are confident that you have the time to complete the estimated study hours, have an understanding of the work required and have researched closing dates set by exam centres for exam entries.

All GCSE and IGCSE Examinations must be taken at an external examination centre registered with the appropriate Awarding Body on the set exam dates.

Finding Exam Centres:

All exams must be booked directly by the learner with an appropriate examination centre. The student support team can guarantee exam places at a partner exam centre, but they cannot guarantee which centres will be available or whether the location will be suitable for learners. If you have specific requirements regarding travel or distance from a centre, then it is recommended that you research and contact centres prior to enrolling on a course.

You can research and contact possible exam centres prior to enrolment by visiting the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) private candidates page, which provides a search facility for centres in the UK. You can also try Tutors & Exams who have 9 exam centres listed and pricing is displayed on their website.

Examination Dates and fees:

A Level examinations are only available in the Summer examination window (May/June) and all examination fees need to be paid direct to your chosen centre. The cost of exams will vary depending on the Awarding Body and the exam centre's administration costs.

Each exam centre will set its own dates for when you need to have booked your exams, but the earlier you book, the better the chance you have of guaranteeing a place. We would recommend contacting centres as early as possible to arrange your exams and this can usually be done as early as September/October. Many exam centres will fill up and will have closed exam bookings by early February.

• Summer 2025 Exam Timetable
• Summer 2026 Exam Timetable (Not Yet Available)
• Information for Private Candidates
• Booking GCSE and IGCSE Exams
• The New GCSE and IGCSE Grading System
• What is the difference between GCSE and IGCSE

Predicted grades without a reference are available free of charge on request. If applying to a college or other further education establishment and you require a refernce with predicted grades then this is available at an additional cost of £45.00. A course advisor will discuss your predicted grades and progress with each individual tutor and put together a comprehensive reference that can be sent on your behalf. 

Please Note: Students need to have completed a minimum of four assignments per subject in order for us to have something to base our reference/prediction on.