Empower Your Teenager
iGCSE Maths as a Home Ed Student
- Use engaging YouTube revision videos
- Interactive Online Platform
- Past Papers and Learning from mistakes
“Hi, I’m Tristan! I’m a 14-year-old home educated student, and I’m about to take my Edexcel iGCSE Maths Higher Tier (4MA1) exam this May as a private candidate.
I’ve been preparing for it since I was 12, and in this blog, I’ll share what resources I used, how I studied, and what helped me the most. I’ll update this later in the year once I get my results!”
Before I even knew about iGCSEs, my mum set me up with bite-sized maths boosts:
- CGP workbooks (year-appropriate exercises) – to be honest, I didn’t love these, but she only set me a small amount each day.
- MathsFactor (Carol Vorderman’s online videos and quizzes) – loved this because of the games.
- Hit the Button – for rapid-fire mental-math drills, enjoyed this too.
- Shut the Box – I remember playing this at a really young age, so simple but lots of fun.
- Other random number games at home – apparently “educational,” though I thought they were just fun!
These laid the groundwork without feeling like work, and I didn’t even realise I was building solid skills.
Steady Progress with Cognito
At age 12, I found Cognito, and it became the main resource I used for learning iGCSE Maths. Cognito is a free website designed to help students understand different school subjects, including Maths, in a clear and friendly way. It breaks topics down into short, easy-to-follow video lessons, each one focusing on a single idea—like expanding brackets or rearranging equations. After each video, there are interactive questions you can do straight away to test your understanding.
The explanations are done in a calm, step-by-step style, and it’s really useful if you’re trying to build a proper understanding of a topic from the ground up. It doesn’t rush through things, and I found that great when I was learning something completely new. The only downside is that Cognito doesn’t cover every trick or shortcut that comes up in exams—but for building a solid base, it was brilliant.
The Final Countdown: Full‑Time Maths
About five months before the exam, I went all-in on maths—it became the main subject I studied. I spent hours every day watching videos, revising topics, and doing practice questions. That might sound intense, but it made a big difference. The more time I gave to it, the more confident I became.
YouTube: Mr Astbury’s Channel Explained
One of the most useful tools I found was Mr Astbury’s YouTube channel. There are loads of Maths channels out there, but his was by far the best for the Edexcel IGCSE (4MA1). What made it stand out was how clearly everything was explained and how well-organised the videos were.
His main video— “Edexcel Maths IGCSE 4MA1 Course – Everything You Need To Know” — goes through every topic that might come up in the exam. He explains how to approach each kind of question, step by step, in a way that’s easy to follow. Then, in the video description, he includes links to separate practice videos for each topic, where you can try past paper-style questions on exactly what you just learned.
Another favourite of mine was “The Ultimate Revision Paper” , which has one question for every topic in the exam. It helped me spot areas I still wasn’t fully confident on. And finally, there’s the “Everything You Need to Memorise” video—it lists all the formulas and facts you’re expected to remember. I’ve now watched it, and I found it super helpful. It made it really easy to check whether I actually had everything in my head, or if I needed to go back and revise a few key points.
ChatGPT: My On‑Demand Tutor
When a concept didn’t click, I’d turn to ChatGPT:
Example prompt:
“I’m working on simultaneous equations for Edexcel iGCSE: 2x + y = 7, x – y = 1. Please show me step by step how to solve.”
It breaks problems down slowly and lets me choose between different methods—then I pick whichever makes most sense for me. If ChatGPT ever felt confusing, I’d bounce back to Cognito or Mr Astbury for another take.
Mock Exams Under Real Conditions
One of the most important things I did to prepare was taking past papers—and I always made sure to do them under real exam conditions. That meant:
- A completely clear desk
- No distractions (no phone, no music)
- A timer set for exactly the exam time
- Only using equipment that’s allowed in the real exam
This helped me get used to the pressure and pace of the actual test. But just doing the papers wasn’t enough—the real progress came when I marked them myself using the official mark schemes. This let me see exactly how the examiners award marks and what kind of wording they’re looking for.
I didn’t just glance at the mark scheme either—I’d go through a walkthrough video, usually by either Mr Astbury or Mr Flynn IB, and take proper notes as I went. I’d write down the correct way to solve the questions I got wrong, then go back and revise that topic using ChatGPT, Cognito or the relevant YouTube video.
Getting questions wrong wasn’t something to avoid—it showed me what to focus on next.
📝 Note‑Taking: The Unsung Hero
Through it all, I kept a trusty notebook:
- Jotted formulas and shortcuts
- Sketched diagrams
- Summarised key concepts
Flipping back through my notes always triggered that “aha!” moment—so don’t skip the pen‑and‑paper work.
