Teaching and Learning when School Returns: GCSE and A Level Maths

Teaching and learning when school returns

Support for GCSE and A Level Maths teachers from Cambridge

We know you have concerns about lost teaching time and are still balancing remote learning as well as transitioning your new Year 11 and Year 13 students back to the classroom.

Together with our Cambridge colleagues: Cambridge Assessment International Education, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Mathematics, the Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring and others, we’ve created a comprehensive package of support for GCSE and A Level Maths teachers and students.

We’ll continue to provide more guidance as soon as decisions are made about next year’s exams and we'll be supporting you further through the autumn as you prepare for mock exams with your students.

Update of upcoming OCR maths support and resources when schools return

Neil Ogden, Maths Subject Advisor, OCR

What the research tells us about powerful questions for effective learning

Tim Oates, ARD Group Director, Cambridge Assessment

Watch out for more resources including blogs and webinars from our maths Subject Advisor team.

Supporting GCSE Maths

Resources from OCR

To help you quickly access the wide range of support we provide for maths, we’ve published: a subject support highlights resource for GCSE, topic tests, student exam hints, revision checklists and condensed schemes of work.

We’ve also released, for GCSE, past papers designed to support lower ability students and an alternative version of the June 2019 papers. These are available to download from Interchange*:

*All our practice papers are kept on our secure Interchange site so that you can use them as mock exams or simply as a source of unseen exam questions.  Interchange is a free secure website that any centre registered for exams can access. If you do not have a login, please speak to your Exams Officer. Read our guide to using Interchange.

OCR GCSE Maths Resources

Resource Plus for GCSE

Digital resources on Resource Plus, from Cambridge International, are also available FREE OF CHARGE for OCR Maths teachers. For full mapping of these resources to the OCR specification please see this support document.

Resource Plus GCSE Maths   

GCSE Mathematics Online

To support the continuation of remote and independent learning we are now offering Cambridge GCSE Mathematics Online from Cambridge University Press at a reduced price of £200 + VAT.

Cambridge GCSE Mathematics Online was developed to follow the OCR GCSE specification and is organised into chapters with explanatory notes for all topics. This resource offers a range of learning resources, including lesson notes, walkthrough tutorials of new mathematical skills, auto-marked questions, interactive demonstrations, additional downloadable PDF worksheets and tests.  Teachers can set tasks, create tests, auto-mark and compile reports to review student performance.

GCSE Mathematics Online

To claim your discount, email your order requirements to gvalpy@cambridge.org

A Level Maths

Resources from OCR

To help you quickly access the wide range of support we provide for maths, we’ve published: a subject support highlights resource for A Level, topic tests, student exam hints, revision checklists and condensed schemes of work.

OCR A Level Maths Resources

Resource Plus for A Level

Digital resources on Resource Plus, from Cambridge International, are also available FREE OF CHARGE for OCR A Level maths teachers. For full mapping of these resources to the OCR specification please see this support document.

Resource Plus A Level Maths

Underground Mathematics from University of Cambridge

Underground Mathematics offers creative resources to support and inspire teachers and students of A Level Maths. The aim is to make studying maths at this level a rich and stimulating experience, enabling all students to explore the connections that underpin maths.

Underground Mathematics Resources

Developing mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills

NRICH Mathematics

NRICH’s activities focus on developing problem solving. Rich mathematical tasks build students’ perseverance, mathematical reasoning, ability to apply knowledge creatively in unfamiliar contexts, and confidence in tackling new challenges.  NRICH provides thousands of free online mathematics resources for students of all ages.

NRICH Secondary Resources

Baseline diagnostic assessments

We recommend the Cambridge CEM baseline assessments that offer a quick, diagnostic, computer-based adaptive assessments. Although, not subject-specific, the assessments are invaluable after a break from schooling or a change in teaching style to help focus students' learning pathways. 

The assessments:

  • Help you to diagnose learning gaps or current learning aptitudes and are vital to quickly getting your students off on the best track when they return to school.
  • Give an objective view of your students’ strengths and abilities in key areas, helping you shape your teaching to meet their learning needs.
  • Allow you quick access to data through assessments around skills and aptitudes – even if your students are still learning from home.
  • Help schools target resources and guide curriculum and instruction.

CEM - Baseline Diagnostic Assessments

Preparing for the transition back to school

Our colleagues at Cambridge International and Cambridge Assessment have published a series of webinars to support some of the lesser considered challenges at this time:

Transitioning back to school - a social-emotional perspective.

Supporting learners with special education needs online

Prioritising wellbeing in a time of disruption and transition.

Discover the latest research in maths education

Espressos from Cambridge Mathematics

Cambridge Mathematics is a collaborative enterprise committed to championing and securing a world class mathematics education for all students from 3 – 19 years old.  Each month they bring you an Espresso – a small but intense draught of filtered research on mathematics education, expressly designed with teachers in mind. 

Cambridge Mathematics Espressos                                          

Maths support from Cambridge

   Cambridge Assessment International Education          Cambridge Mathematics          Cambridge University Press          CEM - Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring          OCR          NRICH Mathematics          Underground Maths

Don’t forget to register for updates to ensure you receive details of all the support available.