Why Strong Maths Students Fail IGCSE Maths: A Hidden Exam Trap Parents Often Miss

Many parents are surprised when a child who has always been strong at maths suddenly underperforms or even fails IGCSE Maths or GCSE Maths.

The common assumption is that the exam is “basic” and that a student who understands mathematics beyond the required level should have no difficulty. In reality, this is exactly where many capable students fall into a hidden exam trap. IGCSE Maths is not only a test of mathematical understanding; it is a test of how well a student can follow the exam board’s rules, structure their work, and perform under strict time pressure.

A very common mindset among strong students is “I can do this in my head, so why should I write it down?” In IGCSE Maths, this approach is costly. If a question is worth three marks or more, those marks are usually awarded not only for the final answer but also for the method and intermediate steps. Even a completely correct answer can receive zero marks if no workings are shown. Examiners do not award marks for what a student understands internally; they award marks only for what is written clearly on the page. What seems obvious to the student is invisible to the examiner.

Another frequent source of lost marks is precision in written answers. Students often believe that small differences in wording do not matter. For example, writing “one hundred twenty five” instead of “one hundred and twenty five” feels like a minor detail, as both expressions are understood in everyday English. In IGCSE Maths, however, this distinction can cost a mark. Mark schemes are strict and literal. They are designed to reward exact compliance with the expected mathematical language, not interpretation or common sense. This is not about English fluency; it is about meeting the formal requirements of the exam board.

Perhaps the most dangerous misconception is the belief that showing clear workings can simply be done “properly in the exam”. Many students say they understand the need to show their steps and assume they will manage it under exam conditions. Unfortunately, this is rarely true. Writing clear, efficient workings is a skill that must be trained until it becomes automatic. During the exam, students are under significant stress and extreme time pressure. There is no mental space to decide how to set out calculations or how much detail to include. Without prior training, students either write too little and lose method marks, or write too much and run out of time.

A useful rule of thumb for IGCSE Maths is one mark per minute, with around ten minutes at the end for a quick check. If a student has not practised writing concise, examiner-friendly workings at speed, they will struggle to keep up. Even students who fully understand the mathematics may fail to finish the paper, leaving many marks unattempted.

This is why preparation for IGCSE Maths is often not about learning new mathematics. Many students already know the content and can solve the problems mentally. What they actually need is systematic training in exam technique: how to show workings efficiently, how to meet marking criteria, how to manage time, and how to perform reliably under pressure. Success in IGCSE Maths depends as much on mastering the exam format as it does on mathematical ability. Without this training, even strong students can experience disappointing and unexpected results.