Dd has just got her maths gcse mock result which she's pleased with.

She wants to do A level maths. Nearly all of her friends are having private coaching.

She sees coaching as cheating. I worry she is at an unfair disadvantage by not having it.

I don't know what to do. Despite her comments, I know she would happily accept coaching if it was organised.

She is good at maths, though.

All the coaching she needs will be provided by the school. There are usually loads of additional help sessions she can make use of.

What message are the parents giving their children to get them coached?

Your DD is doing well by her own effort and the teaching they are all getting in school. Her friends are either only at the required level with the intervention of private tutoring on top of the first two - or their parents believe that they wouldn't achieve the required level without the additional tutoring.

Your DD will do fine (why do you think that she will be at a disadvantage, btw?).

Her friends might not, further down the line, though - are their parents going to pay for private tutoring for A levels and at university? I do rather hope their parents are totally wasting their money, though, and the young people concerned would do just as well without the extra input.

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They're getting coaching for GCSE? They won't have a hope at A level then....

I agree with Guest - the teachers should be providing support - and if they are not, if she asks, they will probably gladly give it. This will continue at A level - my son is a superb Mathematician but makes use of that facility at school all the time, to be absolutely sure he understands various topics - we do know lots of people who have a tutor for A level Maths...because they don't want the staff to know they don't understand something - it's ridiculous and the Head of Maths said as much when we spoke to him, after my son had asked for some support. He was mortified that parent's would rather pay for help than ask for help....

crossed with TM

If she is good at maths you would be both wasting your money on a tutor and wasting your daughter's time. What is the tutor going to teach her? She could better use her time revising other subjects or doing sport or relaxing.

If she is having problems with any particular topics get her to seek assistance at school - teacher / maths clinic / an older student may be able to support her ( my son who is in the 6th form spends a number of lunch breaks helping younger students who are struggling with science GCSEs on a one to one basis). But otherwise chill. Your daughter seems to be confident in her abilities.

3 children through GCSEs and 2 so far through A levels. Top grades, no coaching, tutoring or anything else. I don't think any disadvantage was inflicted or felt. In fact it is a positive advantage to be able to work independently and think for yourself. Don't go there, really.

It is a tricky one...my daughter had about 6 sessions with a maths tutor in yr 10 as she was having a wobble. The tutor just seemed to give her a bit of confidence that she was ok doing the maths...just tended to panic a bit if she couldn’t see what to do straight away...after that she got her confidence to ask her teacher if she was struggling with something and gained a good grade in her gcse.
I think I am a bit more open to the idea that some kids can get a bit lost in a big class and a bit of one to one can help....but they need to be weaned off it and not rely on it for everything

DC17C - most schools run a 'drop in' maths help session where anyone can go for additional support if they don't want to ask their teacher.
However, I worry when students feel they can't ask for help - that's what the teacher is paid to do!

Thanks for all your replies.

Dd is adamant she doesn't want coaching, she knows that if she has coaching now, she may need it in the future. And she thinks it is a waste of money - that's my girl.

Guest55, hHer teacher told her to knock on her door any time to ask for help, but dd is too shy and self conscious to do so, she feels that to need help is a sign of weakness, and she will stand out. Her teacher explained that now she is in year 11, the teacher can't go asking every girl if they want individual help, the girls have to approach the teacher. Dd has always been shy and very quiet. All the teachers are very approachable, and have taught her since year 7.

She got a better grade than her friends and now wishes she had done additional maths (or is it further maths, excuse my ignorance). She lacks confidence and being at a gs has not helped, not just in maths. She believes she can never do really well because she is not in the top class, and that there are so many girls better than her.

Not all her friends do not want to do Maths A level, they just want to do well in Maths GCSE, and some have struggled until they had coaching, many started having coaching in year 8.

She is a very moral girl, she knew the paper they would have for mocks was on YouTube, (isn't everything?) but refused to look at it - that's cheating. My other dc would all have been studying it and learning the answers - but not dd2. She prefers non calculator papers. For calculator papers, school have recommended some new calculator that does everything apparently - but she doesn't want one. I've told her it will help her, or she doesn't have to use the advanced functions, but she is stubborn, she would rather work things out herself with an ordinary scientific calculator. What do you think about that, Guest55?

She has decided - and your advice confirms this - she does not want coaching. She will have to ask her teacher.

Thank you. It's a hard decision - but I am sure many girls are having coaching.

Skipsmash. Lovely to read your last post. You have a sensible DD. My DD was in similar position and hit the highest grades with her own hard work and use of the school drop in maths clinics. Persuade your DD to speak to one of her (nicer) teachers as to why she is shy about approaching them. It will only take one conversation and they will make her feel more at ease. I'm always amazed that parents think the word "tutor" solves the problem. There are tutors and there are tutors. Kenyancowgirl is correct, if they need tutors for GCSE then they will really struggle with A levels.