The GCSE maths topics students lose marks on

When we analyse past papers with students, the pattern is remarkably consistent. Most lost marks cluster in a few places.

The usual suspects

• Ratio and proportion — especially sharing amounts and recipe-style problems.
• Algebraic manipulation — expanding, factorising and rearranging formulae.
• Fractions, decimals and percentages — particularly reverse percentages.
• Geometry reasoning — leaving out a reason when asked for one.
• Problem-solving questions at the end — often left blank because of time, not difficulty.

What to do about it

Spend two sessions per weak topic, then return to it in mixed practice two weeks later. Spaced return is what makes it stick.

The blank-answer problem

Teach your child to write something on every question: identify what is being asked, write a relevant formula, or make an estimate. Examiners award method marks even when the final answer is wrong.