Choosing subjects & tiers
What's on the GCSE maths syllabus?
GCSE maths covers six strands: number; algebra; ratio, proportion and rates of change; geometry and measures; probability; and statistics. Every exam board examines the same national content, so the list holds whichever board you sit. Foundation tier examines the core of each strand; higher tier adds the most demanding material on top. Used as a checklist, the strand list is the backbone of a revision plan.
Last updated 29 July 2026 · Written and fact-checked by the GCSEwiz team
The six strands, and what lives in each
The syllabus is set nationally, so AQA, Edexcel, OCR and the rest all examine the same mathematics - the boards differ in paper style, not content. Here is the map:
| Strand | The flavour of it |
|---|---|
| Number | Fractions, decimals and percentages, negative numbers, powers and roots, standard form, estimation and rounding - the arithmetic everything else stands on. |
| Algebra | Simplifying and solving, sequences, straight-line and curved graphs, quadratics, inequalities, and (higher) functions and algebraic proof. |
| Ratio, proportion and rates of change | Ratio sharing, direct and inverse proportion, percentage change, compound interest, speed and density - the most "real life" strand. |
| Geometry and measures | Angles, area and volume, Pythagoras and trigonometry, transformations, constructions, circle facts and (higher) circle theorems and vectors. |
| Probability | Chance on a 0–1 scale, listing outcomes, tree and Venn diagrams, and combined and conditional events. |
| Statistics | Averages and spread, charts and graphs, scatter diagrams and correlation, and sampling. |
Foundation vs higher: same strands, different depth
Both tiers draw from all six strands - there is no strand that foundation skips. The difference is depth: foundation (grades 1–5) examines the core of each strand and weights number and ratio more heavily, while higher (grades 4–9) assumes that core and adds the most demanding topics - surds, circle theorems, vectors, algebraic proof, quadratic sequences and their friends. If you are unsure which tier you are sitting, our foundation-or-higher guide walks through the decision.
Using the list as a revision checklist
A syllabus list becomes useful the moment you rate yourself against it. Go strand by strand and sort topics into three piles: solid, shaky, and not yet - be honest, nobody is watching. Your revision plan is then simply the shaky pile first (fastest marks per hour), the not-yet pile next, and the solid pile kept warm with occasional practice.
Two strands deserve special respect: number and algebra. They are not just topics - they are the language the other four strands are written in, so weakness there leaks marks everywhere. If your shaky pile includes basics like fractions or rearranging, start there even if grander topics feel more urgent.