Is Your Child Ready for GCSEs? 3 Warning Signs and What Parents Can Do Now

Lucia Wanguri
Jan 29
3 min read

GCSEs feel far away when your child is in Year 8, 9 or 10.

But the students who struggle most in Year 11 often showed warning signs years earlier. These signs were missed or dismissed.

Often, by the time they reach Year 11, there's not enough time to make the progress they need.

Here are 3 specific signs your child needs extra support, and practical steps you can take at home to help:

1. Big Gaps Between Classroom Performance and Test Results

Your child understands topics in class but struggles when assessments arrive.

This often signals exam technique issues or working memory challenges.

What you can do at home:

Practise timed mini-tests. Set a timer for 10 minutes and give your child 5 questions from their textbook. This builds exam pressure tolerance without overwhelming them.

Review their test papers together. Ask "what made this question tricky?" This helps them identify patterns in what trips them up.

Teach them to highlight key words in questions. Many students rush and miss what the question actually asks. Slowing down to identify command words like "explain," "describe," or "compare" improves accuracy.

Create a one-page formula sheet for maths or a key terms list for science. Working memory issues often mean students forget basics under pressure. Having these to hand during homework builds familiarity.

2. They're Taking Much Longer on Homework Than Expected

Simple tasks take hours. This isn't about effort.

This points to gaps in foundational knowledge. Years 8 and 9 are when these gaps start to widen.

What you can do at home:

Identify the specific gaps. Sit with your child during homework and ask them to explain their working. When they get stuck, note the topic. After three homework sessions, you'll see patterns.

Go back to basics. If fractions are the issue, spend 15 minutes twice a week on fraction practice from Year 6 or 7 resources. Khan Academy and BBC Bitesize offer free materials organised by year group.

Break homework into chunks. Set a timer for 20 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This prevents frustration and helps your child stay focused.

Ask their teacher for targeted resources. Email and say "my child struggles with algebra. Which specific skills should we practise at home?" Most teachers appreciate parents who want to help and will point you to exact topics.

3. Avoiding Specific Subjects or Saying "I Don't Get It"

Your child consistently avoids maths homework or says they don't understand a subject. Confidence is slipping.

By Year 11, this becomes entrenched anxiety.

What you can do at home:

Start with success. Find topics within the subject your child feels confident about. Spend time reinforcing these before tackling harder areas. Success builds momentum.

Make it low-pressure. Say "let's just look at this together" instead of "you need to finish this." Remove the performance pressure and focus on understanding.

Use different resources. If the textbook doesn't work, try YouTube videos, educational apps or different explanation styles. Some children respond better to visual explanations than written ones.

Celebrate small wins. When your child solves one problem or understands one concept, acknowledge the progress. Confidence grows through repeated small successes, not one big achievement.

Connect the subject to their interests. If your child loves gaming, show how maths applies to game design. If they enjoy cooking, use recipe ratios to teach fractions. Relevance increases engagement.

When Home Support Isn't Enough

Sometimes gaps are too wide or time is too limited for home support alone to bridge them.

If you've tried these steps for a few weeks and your child still shows these warning signs, professional support helps accelerate progress.

Starting extra support in Years 8, 9 or 10 gives your child time to build confidence, fill gaps, and develop exam skills before Year 11 pressure starts.