GCSE results day can bring a huge mixture of emotions into a household.

There may be celebrations and relief, but there can also be worry and questions about what happens next.

For some students choosing to continue their Maths learning, GCSE Maths is successfully behind them and the next challenge is already on the horizon: starting A-level Maths in September.

It can be helpful to remember: their GCSE Maths result is a starting point for the next stage, not a definition of their mathematical ability.

With more than 20 years' experience teaching Maths, I've seen just how much difference the right motivation, support and encouragement can make.

Here are some practical ways parents can help their teenager take that next step with confidence.

Starting A-level Maths in September

Following Results Day, if your teenager is studying A-level Maths as part of their Post 16 path, A-level Maths can be a brilliant and rewarding subject, but students often notice quickly that it is a step up from GCSE Maths.

If your teenager is starting the course this September, here are a few ways they can make that transition more manageable.

Students beginning A-level Maths are usually students who have previously been successful at Maths.

That can make it particularly unsettling when they suddenly meet something difficult (maybe for the first time).

Remind your teenager that finding a topic challenging isn't evidence that they've chosen the wrong A-level.

They're learning more advanced Maths. They're supposed to encounter things they can't immediately do.

Learning to stay with a difficult problem is an important part of the transition.

A-level Maths builds on GCSE knowledge, so small gaps can quickly become sources of frustration.

Algebra is particularly important.

Students will benefit from being confident manipulating expressions, solving equations (linear, quadratic and simultaneous) and inequalities, working with indices & surds, rearranging formulae and working with graphs.

If there's a GCSE Maths topic they were never completely comfortable with, now is a good time to revisit it rather than hoping it won't appear again.

At GCSE level, students can sometimes get away with leaving a topic they don't quite understand and coming back to it much later.

That's harder at A-level because topics increasingly build upon previous learning.

Encourage your teenager to deal with anything they are unsure about early.

If Tuesday's lesson doesn't make sense, don't wait until the assessment three weeks later to do something about it. Revisit the notes, try another question, use their textbook or online resources, and ask their teacher for help.

One small gap is much easier to fix than several weeks of accumulated confusion.

A-level students need to become increasingly independent learners.

Simply completing the minimum homework may not always be enough to develop fluency. Maths is a subject where practice matters.

Students should get used to attempting a range of questions, checking their answers and returning to anything they couldn't complete.

And there's an important word there: attempting.

Looking at a difficult question and immediately finding the solution is very different from spending time thinking about how to approach it.

This might sound like a small thing, but clear working becomes increasingly important as the Maths gets more complicated.

Encourage your teenager to show each stage of their calculations rather than trying to do too much mentally.

Not only does this make mistakes easier to spot, it also makes it much easier to return to a question and work out where something went wrong.

In Maths, attention to detail really matters.

A-level Maths classes can contain lots of students who achieved high GCSE grades.

Suddenly, a teenager who was one of the strongest mathematicians in their GCSE class may find themselves surrounded by other confident mathematicians.

Comparison can quickly knock confidence.

The important question isn't, "How quickly did everyone else understand this?"

It's, "Do I understand it now, and what do I need to do next?"

One of the most useful habits an A-level student can develop is being comfortable saying, "I don't understand this yet."

That little word - yet - is important for supporting and maintaining a growth mindset.

Needing something explained differently doesn't mean a student isn't capable of A-level Maths.

Sometimes they need another example. Sometimes they need to go back to an earlier skill. Sometimes a complicated problem simply needs breaking down into smaller steps. Getting support early can stop a small piece of confusion becoming a much bigger confidence problem.

And finally, a note for parents…

If your teenager is starting A-level Maths in the autumn, it can be difficult to know how involved you should be.

Teenagers understandably want independence, while parents understandably want to know that everything is under control.

You don't have to relearn A-level Maths yourself to support them.

Instead, help them create the conditions in which they can succeed: encourage a sensible routine, help them find support when they need it and recognise the progress they're making rather than focusing exclusively on grades.

Most importantly, remind them that struggling with one aspect of Maths isn't the same as being "bad at Maths" or that they’ve made the wrong subject choice.

I've spent many years (through my work at Helen Westwood Maths) helping students break complicated Maths down into manageable steps, fill gaps in their knowledge and, crucially, develop the confidence to have a go.

Helen Westwood

Maths Teacher & Online Tutor

See you online soon!

Helen Westwood (of Helen Westwood Maths) is an encouraging tutor with 20 years of secondary classroom experience who thinks teenagers are great! She helps young people to reach their potential in GCSE Maths exams by building confidence in themselves & understanding in their Maths learning.

Helen utilises technology effectively to support students' Maths learning whether they’re school-based or home-educated & has supported students with a range of learning needs.

Helen is also passionate about wider financial education for all young people, bringing maths, money & financial management to life! Helen has experience of supporting students working towards their DofE Award, supporting expeditions to China, New Zealand & Venezuela.

When she isn't teaching, Helen enjoys camping with her daughter at music festivals, yoga & the theatre. She is also a qualified pilot (good for teaching about bearings).