Direct answers about GCSE maths in England for families with a child sitting the exams in 2027. Each answer stands on its own, so jump to the one you need; where something changes from year to year, we say where to check.
What is ClassArc?
ClassArc is live one-to-one online maths tutoring for school-age children. One teacher and one child, for 55 minutes. The same teacher every week. Classes run inside our own classroom software, not a video call: a shared worksheet you both write on, a shared whiteboard, and answers that sync live.
Before you start
GCSE maths in England is three written papers of 1 hour 30 minutes, one without a calculator, sat at the end of Year 11 at either Foundation tier (grades 1 to 5) or Higher tier (grades 4 to 9). Schools choose one of three boards — AQA, Pearson Edexcel or OCR — which all examine the same Department for Education content. A grade 4 is the standard pass; without it, maths continues after 16.
The answers below go into each part of that. Questions about ClassArc itself, rather than the exam, are on the main FAQ page.
Tiers
Exam boards
Papers and calculators
Grades and resits
Revision
Tutoring
Still unsure?
If your question is really "where is my child right now?", no FAQ can answer it. ClassArc's free first class can: 55 minutes, one-to-one, with the teacher who would go on to teach your child, working back from just above the school's current unit until the ground is solid.
You get an honest read afterwards, including if tutoring isn't needed. No card, nothing to cancel.
Most tier arguments dissolve once someone has watched the student work through a full question.
On the Year 11 tier meetingNext
The tier decision in full, including what happens after 16.
Read the postEvery topic, rated red, amber or green, for any board.
Find the gapsWhat the first GCSE year covers and where students fall behind.
Year 10 guideOne-to-one classes at Foundation or Higher, same teacher every week.
GCSE tutoringFirst class
55 minutes. The real classroom. No card. We confirm details on email and WhatsApp within a day.
Last updated · May 2026
When you book a demo or sign up for classes, we collect your name, your child's name, email, WhatsApp number, time zone, and the grade you're inquiring about. That's it. We don't ask for or store any payment details on this website. We don't use trackers, cookies for advertising, or third-party analytics that profile you.
Only to schedule and run your classes, send you class reminders, share homework and progress, and answer your questions. We'll reach out by email or WhatsApp, depending on what you tell us works better for you.
Your teacher, and the small team supporting them at ClassArc. We never sell, rent, or share your information with anyone outside ClassArc. We use Web3Forms to receive form submissions, and standard email and WhatsApp for messaging, nothing else.
We treat any information about your child with extra care. We only collect what we need to teach them well, such as their grade and what they're working on. We never use a child's photo, name, or work in any marketing without the parent's explicit written permission.
You can ask us to show you what we have on file, correct anything inaccurate, or delete your data entirely, at any time. Just email hello@theclassarc.com and we'll handle it within a few days.
Email hello@theclassarc.com. A real person will reply.
Last updated · May 2026
ClassArc is a one-on-one online tutoring service. We provide live, scheduled classes between a teacher and a student, along with homework, feedback, and study support.
Each class is 55 minutes. You can reschedule or cancel a class up to 5 minutes before it starts. If you miss a class without notice, we usually credit it back to your balance and reschedule based on what works for the teacher and student.
The first demo class is free, no card required. After that, plans are billed in advance for the number of classes you choose (8, 24, or ~48). We'll send you a payment link directly once you've picked a plan.
If you want to stop classes at any point, we refund whatever class balance is left on your plan. No questions asked, no friction. Refunds are processed within 7 business days.
We expect students and parents to treat teachers with respect, and teachers to do the same. We reserve the right to end the relationship if classes become unsafe, abusive, or disruptive, with a full refund of any unused balance.
If we update these terms, we'll email you before the changes take effect, so you have time to review them.
For anything, email hello@theclassarc.com.