Find online GCSE Maths tutors

Microsoft Teams is Latimer’s default lesson platform; you and the tutor can agree another option. Before paid lessons, test the sound, connection and a way to share written work. You can keep using pen and paper: agree how the tutor will see each line, whether through a camera, a clear photo or a shared writing space.

Consider this sample GCSE problem: a jacket costs £64 after a 20% reduction. What was its original price?

Adding 20% to £64 gives £76.80, but that uses the reduced price as the starting amount. The discount was 20% of the original price.

After the reduction, £64 represents 80% of the original price. Write 80% as 0.8, then undo the multiplication:

Original price = £64 ÷ 0.8 = £80.

Check it: 20% of £80 is £16, and £80 − £16 = £64. A clear answer shows both the calculation and why 0.8 is used.

In an online lesson, the useful discussion is the change of starting amount, not just the calculator result. For a follow-up, try an item costing £54 after a 25% reduction: £54 is 75% of the original, so £54 ÷ 0.75 = £72. Explain why the divisor changed. Original-value percentage problems appear in AQA GCSE Maths at both Foundation and Higher tier.

For a learner working on Higher algebra, completing the square can reveal solutions that are easy to miss. Try x² − 4x − 5 = 0.

The first two terms can be written as (x − 2)² − 4, because expanding (x − 2)² gives x² − 4x + 4. The equation becomes:

(x − 2)² − 9 = 0, so (x − 2)² = 9.

Both 3² and (−3)² equal 9. Therefore x − 2 can be 3 or −3, giving x = 5 or x = −1. Keeping only the positive square root loses a solution.

Check both in the original equation: 25 − 20 − 5 = 0, and 1 + 4 − 5 = 0. A stronger response explains the two possibilities instead of writing one answer from memory. Completing the square is Higher content in AQA GCSE Maths; choose examples to match the learner’s actual specification and readiness.

A wrong answer is a starting point for discussion. Separate an insecure concept from a slip in arithmetic or difficulty interpreting a question. These are examples of focused GCSE tasks to agree with a tutor.

Send the tutor the course name, exam board, specification code if available, and a recent paper. A school report or the front cover of a practice paper can help if you are unsure. This matters particularly for resits or home education, where resources may come from several courses.

For England’s AQA and Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics, Foundation targets grades 1–5 and Higher targets grades 4–9, with an exceptional grade 3 safety net on Higher. The right tier depends on the learner’s preparation and course; discuss entry decisions with the school or exam centre. Grade goals should guide the choice of questions, without becoming a promised result.

Qualifications differ across the UK. Wales has a new WJEC GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award), with a transition from legacy qualifications. For a Welsh learner, confirm the exact course and cohort. For CCEA in Northern Ireland, check the current specification and entry with the school. Scotland’s National 5 Mathematics is a separate qualification. Share that title if it is the course you need help with.

GCSE Maths can provide a foundation for further mathematical study. If Maths is needed for a next course or apprenticeship, check that provider’s entry requirements before choosing a target grade.

Use the first teaching lesson to agree a small, concrete priority. For example, “explain which amount represents 100% in a reverse-percentage question” is easier to review than “get better at percentages”.