IGCSE Maths: a parents' guide to the exams, grades and revision
What your child's IGCSE maths exams look like, when they happen, how to read a school report and how to help at home, in plain English. You do not need to know the maths yourself.
Exam facts last checked against the Pearson 4MA1 specification, the Cambridge 0580 syllabus and Pearson's key dates on 5 October 2026. If the school or a newer board notice says something different, follow them.
The exams in plain English
"IGCSE Maths" usually means one of two qualifications. Ask the school which one your child is taking: the papers and the grades are different.
Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A (4MA1) is set by Pearson. There are two tiers. On the Higher tier the grades are 9 to 4 (a 3 is allowed); on the Foundation tier they are 5 to 1. Either way your child sits two papers, each 2 hours and 100 marks, and a calculator is allowed in both. Both papers are sat in the same exam series.
Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) is set by Cambridge International. Core students sit Papers 1 and 3 (1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks each) for grades C to G. Extended students sit Papers 2 and 4 (2 hours, 100 marks each) for grades A* to E. Papers 1 and 2 are non-calculator, so half of the marks depend on arithmetic by hand.
The tier matters: a Foundation student cannot get above a 5, and a Core student cannot get above a C. The school decides the entry, usually after the Year 11 mocks. If your child is near the line, ask the teacher what would change their mind. More detail for students: 4MA1 Higher notes, 4MA1 Foundation and Cambridge 0580. Weighing up the tier? 4MA1 Foundation or Higher and 0580 Core or Extended set out how to choose.
Key dates
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Year 10 | Most of the course is taught. School tests show which topics are secure. |
| Year 11, autumn to winter | Mock exams. The school uses them to choose the tier and often to predict a grade. |
| May to June of Year 11 | The usual exam series for both boards. Ask the school for your child's exact paper dates. |
| August | Results for the June series. In 2026 Pearson released International GCSE results to students on 20 August. |
Pearson's specification lists January and June series for 4MA1, and Cambridge runs 0580 in June and November (and March in India only). Schools choose which series they use, and our IGCSE Maths exam dates page lists the maths papers for each series as they are confirmed. Results dates for 2027 had not been published when we checked, so take them from the school or the board (the boards' own documents are linked at the end of this page).
How to help at home
- Protect a routine. 20 to 30 minutes on most days beats a long session before a test. The same time each day makes it a habit, not a fight.
- Ask them to teach you. "Show me how you did that one" makes them explain each step, and you do not need to know the answer.
- Ask about mistakes, not marks. "Which questions did you lose marks on, and why?" leads somewhere. "What did you get?" usually does not.
- Watch your words about maths. "I was never good at maths either" tells a teenager it is fixed. "You can't do it yet" tells them it can change.
- Check the kit. The calculator the school uses, a ruler, a protractor and a pair of compasses. Practise with the same calculator they will take into the exam.
- Sleep and phones. Tired students forget methods. A phone that stays out of the bedroom at night helps more than an extra hour of revision.
What good revision looks like
Good maths revision is mostly doing questions, not reading notes. A simple loop works well:
- Do questions on one topic without looking at the answers.
- Mark them honestly against a mark scheme, including method marks.
- Write down every mistake and fix it.
- Try the same kind of question again a few days later.
- From the spring of Year 11, sit full past papers under time, then repeat the loop on the questions that lost marks.
If you see your child copying notes out neatly for hours, that is a warning sign: it feels like work but builds little. On this site the loop is built in: questions by topic with mark schemes, My mistakes to redo what went wrong, Path to 9 for the order to revise in, and past papers (links to the boards' own copies).
How to read reports and predicted grades
Schools report in different ways, but most reports show some of these:
- Current or working-at grade: what your child would probably get if they sat the exam now.
- Target grade: what the school thinks they could reach. It is a goal, not a promise.
- Predicted grade: the teacher's judgement of the final result, often based on mocks and classwork. Sixth forms, A Level and IB schools may use it before the real results arrive.
- Effort or attitude to learning: often the most useful line. Effort is what your child can change this week.
On 4MA1 the grades are numbers, with 9 the top grade; on 0580 they are letters, A* down to G. If your child wants to study maths at A Level or IB, ask the school which IGCSE grade it asks for. If a predicted grade looks low, ask the teacher one question: "Which two topics would make the biggest difference?"
A tutor or online practice?
Before paying for a tutor, work out what is actually missing:
- Missed teaching or a real gap (for example, they never understood algebra): a good tutor or a catch-up with the teacher is the fastest fix.
- Practice (they understood it in class but cannot do it alone): regular questions with marked answers usually do the job.
- Confidence or exam technique (they freeze or run out of time): timed papers, then going through the marks lost, help most.
If you do choose a tutor, ask about experience with your child's board (4MA1 or 0580), agree the topics to work on, and review after a few weeks. A tutor works best as a short, focused boost alongside the practice your child does on their own.
How this site helps
IGCSE Math Revision has original exam-style questions for 4MA1 (Higher and Foundation) and 0580 with mark schemes, revision notes, past-paper links and a daily question. Teachers can set homework through it.
See what your child is practising. The parent dashboard is free and read-only: practice, secure and weak topics, and homework due, with an optional weekly email. Your child approves the link first.
See plans and the free trialQuestions parents ask
Is my child taking Edexcel or Cambridge IGCSE Maths?
Ask the school, or look at the textbook, a past test or the exam entry letter. Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A has the code 4MA1 and is graded 9 to 1. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics has the code 0580 and is graded A* to G. The maths is similar, but the papers and grades are different, so revise for the right one.
What is the difference between Higher and Foundation (or Extended and Core)?
Both boards have two levels. In Edexcel 4MA1, Higher tier papers cover grades 9 to 4 (a 3 is allowed) and Foundation tier papers cover grades 5 to 1. In Cambridge 0580, Extended papers cover grades A* to E and Core papers cover grades C to G. The school decides the entry, usually from mock results.
Can my child use a calculator?
In Edexcel 4MA1, yes: a calculator may be used in both papers. In Cambridge 0580, one paper of each pair is non-calculator (Paper 1 for Core, Paper 2 for Extended), so half of the marks need arithmetic by hand.
When are the exams and results?
Most schools enter students in the May to June series at the end of Year 11. For June 2026, Pearson released International GCSE results to students on 20 August 2026. Cambridge 0580 is examined in June and November (and March in India). Exact dates change every year, so take them from the school or the board's timetable.
Do we need a tutor?
Not always. A tutor helps most when a child has missed teaching or has a gap they cannot close alone. If the problem is regular practice, confidence or exam technique, short daily practice with marked answers often does as much. If you do hire a tutor, agree what they will work on and for how long.
Can I see what my child is practising on this site?
Yes. The parent dashboard is free and read-only: you see what they have practised, which topics are secure and any homework due, and your child approves the link first.
Is IGCSE Math Revision part of Pearson or Cambridge?
No. It is an independent revision site. Board names are used only to describe the exams, and every question on the site is original.