Launceston Maths Tutoring

14/03/2026

07/03/2026

📊 GCSE Percentage Questions – How to Tell Which Type You’re Doing

I've seen many students lose marks on past GCSE practice papers not because they can’t do percentages, but because they misidentify the type of question. Here are the most common ones you’ll see in exams and how to recognise them.

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✅ 1. Finding a Percentage of an Amount

You are given the whole amount and asked to find a percentage of it.

Example:
Find 30% of £70

Method:
30% = 0.30
0.30 × 70 = £21

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📈 2. Percentage Increase

The value gets bigger.

Example:
Increase £80 by 15%

Method:
15% = 0.15
0.15 × 80 = 12
80 + 12 = £92

(Or multiply by 1.15)

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📉 3. Percentage Decrease

The value gets smaller.

Example:
Decrease £60 by 20%

Method:
20% = 0.20
0.20 × 60 = 12
60 − 12 = £48

(Or multiply by 0.80)

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🔁 4. Reverse Percentages

You are given the final value after an increase or decrease and must find the original amount.

Example:
A jumper costs £54 after a 10% discount.
What was the original price?

Method:
After a 10% discount = 90% of the original price

54 ÷ 0.9 = £60

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💡 Quick Exam Tip for Students

Ask yourself:

• Am I finding a percentage of a number?
• Am I increasing or decreasing a value?
• Or am I working backwards to find the original amount?

Identifying the type of percentage question first often makes the maths much easier.

28/02/2026

🌟 Staying Focused Before Exams (Without Burning Out!) 🌟

With exams getting closer, it’s easy for students to feel the pressure. A little stress is normal — but burnout definitely isn’t the goal!

Here are some simple ways to keep revision steady and manageable:

🗓️ Keep it realistic
Short, focused sessions with a clear goal are far better than 4–5 hour marathons.

⏰ Try the 45–15 rule
45 minutes of proper focus, then a 10–15 minute break. Get up, move around, grab some water — give your brain a reset.

📍 Work smart, not just hard
Prioritise the topics that need the most attention, not just the ones that feel comfortable.

😴 Don’t sacrifice sleep
Late-night cramming usually leads to tired brains and forgotten methods.

📵 Reduce distractions
Phones on silent and out of reach. Even quick checks break concentration more than we realise.

🏃 Fresh air helps!
A short walk or bit of movement can make a huge difference to focus and mood.

💬 Ask for help sooner rather than later
Clearing up one tricky topic can relieve a lot of stress.

Consistency beats cramming every time. A calm, steady approach builds confidence — and confidence leads to better results.

28/01/2026

Common GCSE Maths Exam Mistakes** ❌

1️⃣ **Forgetting the ± sign**
When solving equations like (x^2 = 16), the answer is x = -4 and 4 not just 4.

2️⃣ **Dropping minus signs**
One missed minus can change the whole answer — slow down when working with negatives.

3️⃣ **Not showing enough working**
Even if the final answer is wrong, **method marks** can still be earned.

4️⃣ **Mixing up mean, median and mode**
Always check which average the question is actually asking for.

5️⃣ **Forgetting units (or squaring them)**
Area = cm², Volume = cm³. Writing just “cm” can lose marks.

📌 **Exam tip:**
Take an extra 30 seconds at the end to scan your answers for these — it really does make a difference.

10/01/2026

You don’t need to be confident in maths yourself to support your child. Small changes at home can make a big difference:

✔️ Focus on effort, not speed — maths isn’t a race
✔️ Ask *how* they got an answer, not just whether it’s right
✔️ Treat mistakes as part of learning, not failure
✔️ Avoid saying “I was bad at maths too” — it can knock confidence
✔️ Use everyday maths (shopping, cooking, time, money)
✔️ Keep practice short and manageable
✔️ Use the same methods they’re taught at school
✔️ Encourage drawing, jotting down steps, and talking it through
✔️ Create a calm, regular homework routine
✔️ Get support early — maths gaps grow quietly
✔️ Use online resources for example Maths Genie and Corbett maths

16/10/2025

To the parents of all my students,

I absolutely understand that there are times which are unavoidable where you may need to cancel a lesson at short notice however it's really difficult for me to fill spaces at such short notice.

There are students who are waiting for lessons and some year 11s who would like extra lessons so if I'm given notice I can offer them the cancelled space.

This week 3 lessons have cancelled within 2 hours of the lesson time and if I don't charge for these it's a large amount of income for me to lose.

For cancellations at short notice (within 24 hours) I will need to charge for the lesson.

I am always happy to rearrange lesson times where I can when given notice so please do let me know if something comes up and I will always do my best to accommodate.

I love tutoring and feel very lucky to be able to earn an income whilst helping your young people with their maths learning. I appreciate we all have expenses and bills to pay so I realise this may be difficult.
I hope you all understand.

Sarah

21/08/2025

It amazes me how resilient some students are ❤️ great news this morning!

I wish them all the best of luck in their next chapter- it's been a pleasure to support their hard work and determination ❤️

Results aren't everything and I hope students know there are many paths to success!
Whatever today brought i hope they can focus on their strengths and can still show the world what they're made of!! 💪

23/07/2025

Do you know a student who felt disappointed with their recent maths mock result or is just struggling to grasp aspects of their maths learning?

If so please drop me a message - I have availability through the Summer holidays and can offer one to one support with specific topics or practice past paper questions to help build their confidence and aid their learning 🙂

22/04/2025

New workspace for this evenings online lesson 💙

01/02/2025

I'm fully booked for regular lessons until June but offering one off lessons for students who need a boost during half term 😊

03/01/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B2C4rnht7/

For parents supporting primary-aged children

22/08/2024

Wishing all the students who've collected their results today all the best for their next new chapters 😊
It was lovely hearing from some of you this morning and I hope you're out celebrating!