MathematicsGCSE

You don’t need any previous qualifications to take this course.

If English is your second language, we recommend you have an IELTS 5.5 or equivalent, but we’re happy to review your case on an individual basis.

This course follows the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics syllabus (1MA1 specification) and allows you to study entirely at your own pace.

You’ll work through four units, carefully structured by difficulty:

• Start with the fundamentals at grades 1–3 (G–D) to build a strong foundation.
• Then move on to topics at grades 3–4 (D–C) as your confidence grows.
• Progress to grade 5–6 (C–B) material to deepen your understanding.
• Finally, choose your path: either continue to grade 6–9 (B–A)* content for the Higher tier exam, or focus on revision and practice for the Foundation tier.

Want to know more? Download your free GCSE Maths course guide today!

While your course is 100% online, you must sit your exam in person. 

You are responsible for booking your exam and should arrange to sit your exam at a school or college roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date.

If you're overseas, you can contact your local British Council to assist you with finding an exam centre before you enrol. However, please note that international exam centres are limited and the option for entry isn't guaranteed. 

Before you register for the exam, you'll choose whether to sit the Foundation or Higher tier paper. 

• If you sit the Foundation tier exam, only grades 1 to 5 are available.
• If you sit the Higher tier exam, grades 3 to 9 are available.

Your exam fees aren't included in the course cost as you'll pay these directly to your exam centre.

As the world’s most experienced distance learning provider, we’re committed to helping you build a career you’re proud of. That’s why we offer flexible High School courses designed with you in mind, so you can study anywhere, any time, and on your own terms. 

Our courses are perfect for you if you have a full-time job, kids, a busy schedule, or if you simply want to be in control of your learning.

From our self-paced course structure to our extended study periods and personalised tutor support, we give you the flexibility to develop your career, no matter what life throws at you.

That’s why every year, we help thousands of GCSE students gain the qualifications they need to succeed.

Yes, it’s exactly the same.

You’ll sit the same GCSE Maths exams at the same time as all the other students in the UK, and you’ll receive the same results, transcript and qualification.

Your GCSE Maths will be accepted by colleges, universities and employers worldwide, exactly the same as if you'd studied in school or college.

While our GCSE and International GCSE courses are delivered entirely online, some subjects may require you to purchase additional resources.

For GCSE Maths, you’ll receive two full digital textbooks from Cambridge University Press – one for Foundation Tier and one for Higher Tier.

You’ll also need a scientific calculator and a geometry set (including a ruler, protractor, and compasses). If you don’t already own these items, you’ll need to purchase them separately.

For full details on your online GCSE Maths course, download your free course guide today. 

Right away! There’s no need to wait until September to enrol – you can begin your course at any time.

Once you enrol, you’ll be able to log in to your course and get started within the hour. 

As an ICS Learn student, you'll always have the support you need to succeed. From the moment you enrol, you'll gain access to:

• Our all-in-one virtual learning platform, mystudyspace
• Interactive online learning broken down into easy-to-follow units
• Personalised tutor support to help you achieve your goals 
• Practice tests marked by your tutor
• Online Induction Programme, Live webinar sessions and AI-led videos
• FREE online study planners 
• Access to our Resource Library, full of tools, tips and guidance
• Our friendly Student Services team to help you with non-academic questions

You'll also have lifetime access to our Career Hub, which offers you thousands of resources to help you impress employers, master critical business skills, and build your dream career. This includes:

• A CV and cover letter builder
• An interview simulator
• An elevator pitch builder
• Career and work psychology assessments
• In-depth industry and employer profiles
• 350+ employer films with practical advice from hiring managers
• 1000+ short courses, articles and videos on key career skills like negotiating a raise and leading a team

You can take a sneak peek at the Career Hub and sign up for free today.

Roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date, you should book your place at an exam centre to take the Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1 specification) exam.

If you're overseas, you can contact your local British Council to assist you with finding an exam centre before you enrol. However, please note that international exam centres are limited and the option for entry isn't guaranteed. 

Your exam centre could be a school or college that's also submitting its own students for the exam, or it could be a private exam centre. Our partner centre, Tutors & Exams, offers various discounts to ICS Learn students and has nine exam venues across the UK, including Belfast, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.

You can use the JCQ search tool to look for an exam centre near you that accepts private candidates. However, this tool won’t cover every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.

Please also note that your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. These fees will vary depending on which centre you choose.

Student Course Summaries are monthly reports we create (per subject) for both students and parents who want to remain in the know with any of the following throughout their course: 

• Access History: tells you how many days within the month the student has logged in and how many days they've viewed the course. 
• Submitted Assignments/Mock Exams: documents what assignments have been submitted, as well as when it was submitted, how many times the assignment has been attempted, and what grade they received. 
• Help Requests: this will show the correspondence between the student and the tutor, any questions that have been asked and what the tutor's response was. 
• Course Announcements: this is where students and parents can find updates on things such as live sessions, course updates, exam booking info and tutor holidays.

The fee for this monthly report is a one-off price, no matter how many courses a student is enrolled in, and the fee can be integrated into your flexible payment plan. However, please keep in mind that this fee is separate from the multi-buy discount. 

If you’d like to pay in full, you can enrol online using the ‘Add to Basket’ button at the top of the page.

If you’d like to set up an interest-free* payment plan, get in touch with our GCSE Course Advisors on 0800 015 3326. You can also verify that your course is budget-friendly when you use our handy affordability calculator. 

If you have any disabilities which you think might affect your studies or assessments, please tell your Course Advisor before you enrol so we can advise you on whether reasonable adjustments can be made to accommodate your needs.