Number

Number is the foundation the rest of GCSE Maths sits on. Every paper, Foundation and Higher, opens with number work, and topics like surds, indices and standard form feed directly into algebra, while fractions and percentages underpin the whole of ratio and proportion. If your arithmetic is shaky, everything downstream costs you time and marks.

The highest-value topics here are fractions without a calculator, percentages including reverse percentages and compound interest, and the Higher-tier trio of surds, indices and bounds. Standard form and rounding appear on every paper and are among the easiest marks to secure. Work through the topics in order, starting with types of number and place value, and only move on to the calculator-heavy material once the non-calculator basics are automatic.