A Parents’ Guide to GCSEs

GCSEs can be tough for parents to understand at times, especially when there are a host of exams coming up and you’re unsure of what to prioritise your time with. It’s a good time to help your child get ahead of the curve now, and build their awareness of what they need to do to tackle this part of their studies.

Here is a comprehensive guide to GCSEs that will help you and your child succeed in the exams needed to take them through their future aspirations.

What are GCSEs?

When your child is in year 9, they will start to prepare themselves for their GCSEs. These are a series of exams that will be taken across this period that will count as qualifications. These are then used as a basis for students to progress onto different qualifications such as A Levels, foundation courses or a BTEC course. It’s part of the compulsory UK curriculum that will be delivered to all students.

They are normally studied over 2 years, but a lot of students will get used to the curriculum and what it will ask of children from year 9 onwards. This is a good way of reinforcing what your child knows before they reach the dreaded exam period.

How important are GCSEs?

For your child, they are going to be incredibly important in guiding them through to future educational pursuits and even their first stages of their career. A lot of entry level careers alone require applicants to have a good set of GCSE grades, of a C grade (or grade 4) at minimum. It is often referenced as the first academic milestone in your child’s educational journey, so preparing your child for these exams will be critical to their success.

How can I help my child with their studies?

Start early on with your child’s progression of their studies. Make them feel like they have the support around them to do the best they can in a number of ways. For example, we recommend a separate studying space to help your child work in peace. We also recommend looking at a tutor, should your child look like they would benefit from one, or support groups at their local school.

Finally, ensure that they are having the right amount of sleep each night. A good sleep pattern really helps with your child’s behaviour and motivation. Keeping your child’s mental health in check will help greatly with their skills, and it will give your child a lot more confidence to do the best they can in their GCSEs.

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