Complete GCSE Maths Revision Guide 2026

Building Your Revision Schedule

A structured revision schedule is the difference between productive preparation and last-minute panic. Start by working backwards from your exam dates and building a 12-week plan. The first four weeks should focus on understanding and filling gaps. Use a diagnostic quiz like the one on our /quiz page to identify exactly which topics need the most attention. Weeks five through eight should be about consolidation and practice. Work through topic-specific questions, focusing on your weakest areas first. The final four weeks should be dedicated to full past papers under timed conditions, followed by targeted revision of any remaining weak spots.

• Weeks 1-4: Diagnostic phase. Take a diagnostic assessment, identify your weakest topics, and work through them systematically using textbooks, videos, or a tutor.
• Weeks 5-8: Consolidation phase. Practice exam-style questions by topic. Use spaced repetition to revisit earlier topics so they stay fresh. Aim for at least 30 minutes of maths practice every day.
• Weeks 9-12: Exam simulation phase. Complete full past papers under timed conditions. Mark them honestly using the mark scheme, then spend time understanding every mistake before moving on.
• Daily routine: Even 20 minutes of focused daily practice is more effective than a 3-hour weekend session. Consistency beats intensity in maths revision.
• Use traffic lights: Mark each topic as red (do not understand), amber (partly understand), or green (confident). Focus your time on red and amber topics.

Number and Arithmetic

Number is the foundation of everything else in GCSE Maths. If your arithmetic is shaky, every other topic becomes harder than it needs to be. The key areas to master include fractions, decimals, and percentages (and converting between them), factors, multiples, and prime factorisation, powers and roots, standard form, and rounding to significant figures or decimal places. For the non-calculator paper, mental arithmetic fluency is essential. You need to be confident with times tables up to 12, division of larger numbers, and operations with fractions without reaching for a calculator. A common mistake students make is rushing through Number topics because they seem basic. But examiners are skilled at asking familiar concepts in unfamiliar ways. For instance, a question might ask you to find the highest common factor of two numbers given in standard form, or to calculate a percentage change involving a recurring decimal. Practice these crossover questions, because they carry the most marks and catch the most students out.

Algebra Essentials

Algebra is the largest single topic area on the Higher tier and the one students find most challenging. The good news is that it is highly systematic: once you learn the methods, they apply consistently. Start with the fundamentals: simplifying expressions, expanding brackets, and solving linear equations. If you cannot confidently solve 3x + 7 = 22 or expand and simplify 2(x + 3) + 4(2x - 1), go back and master these before moving on. Everything else in algebra builds on them. From there, move to quadratics: factorising expressions like x squared + 5x + 6, solving quadratic equations (by factorising, using the formula, or completing the square), and sketching quadratic graphs. You also need to be comfortable with simultaneous equations (both linear-linear and linear-quadratic on the Higher tier), inequalities (solving and representing on number lines and graphs), and sequences (finding the nth term of arithmetic and quadratic sequences). Algebraic fractions, rearranging formulae, and function notation complete the Higher tier algebra requirements. The key to algebra is practice volume. There is no shortcut. Work through hundreds of questions until the methods become automatic.

• Linear equations: Solve equations with unknowns on both sides and equations involving brackets. Always check your answer by substituting it back in.
• Factorising: Practice all three types: common factor (2x + 6 = 2(x + 3)), difference of two squares (x squared minus 9 = (x + 3)(x - 3)), and trinomials (x squared + 5x + 6 = (x + 2)(x + 3)).
• Graphs: Know the shapes of linear, quadratic, cubic, and reciprocal graphs. Be able to find the equation of a line from a graph and identify the gradient and y-intercept.
• Sequences: Arithmetic sequences use the formula nth term = a + (n - 1)d. Quadratic sequences have a constant second difference.

Geometry and Measures

Geometry and Measures typically accounts for 20 to 25% of the total marks. It covers a wide range of topics, from basic angle facts through to trigonometry and circle theorems on the Higher tier. The foundation topics that every student needs include angle facts (angles on a straight line, at a point, in triangles, and in parallel lines), properties of 2D and 3D shapes, area and perimeter of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, trapeziums, and circles, and volume and surface area of prisms, cylinders, cones, and spheres. Pythagoras' theorem appears on both tiers and is one of the most frequently examined topics. Make sure you can apply it in both 2D and 3D contexts, and that you can identify which side is the hypotenuse in problems that are not presented as obvious right-angled triangles. On the Higher tier, trigonometry (SOHCAHTOA for right-angled triangles, and the sine and cosine rules for non-right-angled triangles) is essential. Circle theorems are another Higher-only topic that students find particularly difficult. There are seven main circle theorems, and the key to mastering them is to learn to recognise which theorem applies to each diagram. Practice with past paper questions is the best way to build this recognition skill.

Statistics and Probability

Statistics and Probability carries around 15% of the marks but is often under-revised because students perceive it as easier. This is a mistake. While the concepts may be more accessible, the exam questions can be surprisingly tricky, especially at the Higher level. For statistics, you need to be confident with calculating and interpreting mean, median, mode, and range from both raw data and frequency tables. Grouped frequency tables add complexity because you work with estimated means and modal classes rather than exact values. Higher tier students also need to handle cumulative frequency diagrams, box plots, and histograms (which use frequency density rather than frequency on the y-axis). Probability questions range from simple single-event probability through to combined events using tree diagrams, sample space diagrams, and Venn diagrams. Conditional probability, where the outcome of one event affects the probability of another, is the most challenging area. Tree diagrams are particularly useful here. The key rule to remember: multiply along branches for AND, add across branches for OR. Always check that your probabilities sum to 1.

• Mean from a frequency table: Multiply each value by its frequency, sum the results, then divide by the total frequency. For grouped data, use the midpoint of each class.
• Histograms: Frequency density equals frequency divided by class width. The area of each bar represents the frequency, not the height.
• Tree diagrams: List all outcomes systematically. Multiply along branches, add between branches. Replace without replacement changes the second set of probabilities.
• Venn diagrams: Start by filling in the intersection first, then work outwards. The numbers in all regions should sum to the total.

Ratio and Proportion

Ratio and Proportion is a topic area that connects Number, Algebra, and real-world problem solving. It accounts for roughly 15 to 20% of marks across both tiers. The core skills include simplifying ratios, sharing amounts in a given ratio, working with direct and inverse proportion, and solving problems involving compound measures such as speed, density, and pressure. Start with the basics: if you are asked to share 120 pounds in the ratio 3:5, you should be able to quickly identify that there are 8 parts, each worth 15 pounds, giving shares of 45 pounds and 75 pounds. This straightforward method applies to many exam questions. Direct proportion means that as one quantity increases, the other increases at the same rate. If 5 pens cost 3 pounds 50, then 8 pens cost 5 pounds 60. Inverse proportion means that as one quantity increases, the other decreases. If 4 workers can complete a job in 6 hours, then 3 workers will take 8 hours. On the Higher tier, proportion questions become algebraic. You need to set up and use relationships like y equals kx for direct proportion or y equals k over x for inverse proportion, finding the constant k from given values and then using it to solve problems. Compound measures combine two or more measurements. Speed equals distance divided by time, density equals mass divided by volume, and pressure equals force divided by area. Being comfortable rearranging these formulae and converting units is essential.

Exam Technique: Maximising Your Marks

Good exam technique can easily make the difference between two grades. Many students lose marks not because they do not know the maths, but because they do not present it effectively or manage their time well. Time management is critical: you have 90 minutes per paper and 80 marks available, which means roughly one minute per mark. Questions at the start of the paper are worth fewer marks and should be answered quickly, leaving more time for the higher-mark questions at the end. Always show your working. Even if you get the final answer wrong, method marks can rescue several marks per question. Write each step of your calculation clearly, and do not try to do too much in your head.

• Read the question twice: Many marks are lost through misreading. Underline key words like 'simplify', 'estimate', 'prove', or 'give your answer to 2 decimal places'.
• Show all working: On a 4-mark question, there are typically 3 method marks and 1 accuracy mark. Even with a wrong final answer, you can still score 3 out of 4 with clear working.
• Use all the time: If you finish early, check every answer. Start with the questions you found hardest, as these are where errors are most likely.
• Estimate to check: After calculating an answer, ask whether it makes sense. If a question asks for the area of a classroom and you get 2.3 square metres, something has gone wrong.
• Know when to move on: If a question is taking too long, write down what you can, move on, and come back to it at the end. Do not let one difficult question eat into time for easier marks elsewhere.

Resources and Next Steps

The best revision combines multiple resources. Use video explanations to understand concepts (Corbett Maths and Dr Frost Maths are both excellent and free), practice questions to build fluency, and past papers to simulate exam conditions. Download past papers from your exam board website and work through them under timed conditions. Mark them using the official mark scheme, not just by checking the final answer. Understanding where marks are awarded teaches you what examiners are looking for. If your diagnostic quiz at /quiz reveals significant gaps, or if you are consistently scoring below your target grade on practice papers, it may be time to work with a tutor. A good maths tutor does not just re-teach topics. They identify the specific misconceptions holding you back and address them directly. You can browse specialist GCSE tutors on our /tutors page, all matched to your exam board and target grade. The students who improve the most between mocks and final exams are the ones who combine self-study, past paper practice, and targeted expert support. Whatever your starting point, a structured approach to revision will get you further than talent or luck alone.

• Download past papers from your exam board: AQA (aqa.org.uk), Edexcel (qualifications.pearson.com), OCR (ocr.org.uk).
• Use Corbett Maths 5-a-day for daily practice covering a range of topics in 15 minutes.
• Take the free diagnostic quiz at /quiz to identify your specific gaps before investing revision time.
• If working with a tutor, share your mock results and diagnostic data so sessions can be precisely targeted.