GCSE Maths Revision Guide: Expert Advice on Choosing and Using the Right Guide
- Michelle Pankhurst
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
If you type "GCSE Maths revision guide" into Amazon, it returns over 2,000 results. So, how do you know which revision guide to buy and more importantly, how do you motivate your teen to actually use it?
As a parent of a Year 10 or 11 student, you’re probably thinking that buying a GCSE Maths revision guide is a smart move. It contains the whole course in one place (which for Maths is a lot - when you break it down into topics and subtopics, there are easily over 100 to cover).
When I was teaching in school, at Year 11 parents’ evening, I would often ask how revision was going. Time and time again, parents would say:
"Well, I bought the revision guide, and that’s as far as we’ve got."
"They looked at the first couple of topics and haven’t opened it again since."
The problem wasn’t the revision guide - it was that these students lacked a revision strategy.
Why a GCSE Maths Revision Guide Isn’t Enough on Its Own
To use a GCSE Maths revision guide effectively, you need a plan! And I’m not just talking about scheduling revision sessions—although that helps. The biggest challenge most students face is knowing what to revise.
With so many Maths topics to cover, creating a revision list from scratch is overwhelming. Even the most motivated and hardworking students struggle because there’s simply too much to revise. Maths builds upon everything they’ve learned from previous years—so reviewing everything isn’t practical or a good use of time.
The Focus-5 Revision Strategy: How to Make the Most of a GCSE Maths Revision Guide
Here’s a simple 3-step method to make using your GCSE Maths revision guide more effective:
Complete a past paper and mark it.
Identify 5 key topics to focus on- your Focus-5 list.
Work on one topic per week - learn, practice, and master it.
In just five weeks, your teen will complete their Focus-5 list and can repeat the cycle with a new set of topics. This keeps revision manageable and helps track progress over time.
👉 Want a step-by-step breakdown? Download my Focus-5 Revision Strategy ebook - it’s packed with templates and practical resources to guide your child through their revision journey.
How to Choose the Right GCSE Maths Revision Guide
Your GCSE Maths revision guide is a powerful tool- when paired with the right strategy. Here are my top tips when choosing one:
Stick to your exam board. Collins publishes the AQA exam board’s official resources, and Pearson publishes Edexcel’s official guides. These publishers also offer resources for other boards like OCR. Using guides from the exam creators adds an extra level of confidence.
Choose workbooks over plain guides. Revision workbooks typically offer more practice questions. For worked examples, video tutorials are often more effective.
Consider grade-specific guides. If your child is aiming for a top grade, a Grade 7-9 workbook will focus on the more challenging topics they need.
What to Look for in a GCSE Maths Revision Guide
When buying a GCSE Maths revision guide, make sure to check the following:
✅ It says "GCSE Maths"- not IGCSE Maths (a different qualification).
✅ It’s for the correct exam board (Edexcel, AQA, OCR, etc.).
✅ It fits into a revision strategy - like the Focus-5 method.
My recommendations-
Plus my all time favourite revision resource-
The right revision guide, combined with a focused and manageable revision strategy, will set your child up for success.
📘 Download my Focus-5 Revision Strategy ebook to help your child use their revision guide effectively and stay motivated throughout their GCSE Maths journey!
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