How to prepare for GCSEs 2024
GCSE exams across all exam boards take place during May and June 2024. The first exam starts on 9 May 2024, and the final exam is due on 19 June. With 12 weeks left, here's how to get your exam prep and revision into full swing.
Manage revision anxiety
Procrastinating about revision, worrying about how to revise and how much you have to do are all signs of exam anxiety. With so much pressure on in the last 12 weeks, it's easy to go into panic mode and find yourself not doing anything but worrying. What helps here is to organise your thoughts with three practical tasks:
1. Make a copy of the exam specification for each subject
2. Know your exam timetable
3. Work out how much time you have to revise each day
Create a simple study schedule
To create a revision timetable, you need to determine which subjects or topics require more attention based on their complexity and the amount of material you need to cover. Prioritise subjects that are important to your goals and the ones you find challenging.
Next, divide your revision time into manageable blocks. Be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to revision daily without burning out. Allocate specific time slots for each subject or topic based on your priorities and available time.
Be flexible with your timetable and allow room for adjustments as needed. It's okay if you don't stick to your schedule perfectly every day. The key is to balance structure and flexibility while staying realistic about what you can do.
Check your notes
Once you have done the above, the next objective is to check your notes against the subject revision checklist/ exam specification. If the checklist shows you are missing notes on some subjects, then you can ask your teacher and peers for the missing notes or download them from one of the revision sites (see resources below).
It's always better to have all your notes together before you start to save time when revising. As your aim is to break your revision into subjects, topics, and key facts, you need to have a complete or nearly complete set of notes.
Use past papers
Remember that revision always works best when you practice what you'll be doing in the exam, i.e., answering questions the way examiners want to see. This means past papers are key as a part of your revision process.
Note-taking and memorising have their place, but you need to know how to utilise the subject matter in the best way to gain marks, and this is where past paper revision work comes in. With every piece of revision, tackle a related exam question to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
The more you practice with past papers, the more you'll get used to exam questions and the marking scheme.
Tackle knowledge gaps
To establish your knowledge gaps:
1. Begin by assessing your current understanding of the subject matter.
2. Review past assignments, quizzes, tests, and class notes to identify areas where you feel less confident or have received lower scores.
3. Revisit the topics where you have identified knowledge gaps.
4. Take thorough notes, highlight key points, and pay close attention to challenging or confusing areas.
Don't hesitate to seek clarification from your teachers, professors, tutors, or classmates if you encounter complex concepts. Asking questions and engaging in discussions help clarify misunderstandings and fill knowledge gaps.
Also, take advantage of online resources such as educational websites, video tutorials, interactive quizzes, and online forums to supplement your learning.
Know what the examiner wants
Examiners expect students to demonstrate depth of analysis and understanding in subjects such as English literature, history, and the sciences. This may involve exploring different perspectives, evaluating arguments, interpreting texts or data, and drawing reasoned conclusions.
They also want you to demonstrate a clear understanding of the subject matter. This includes factual knowledge, key concepts, terminology, theories, and principles relevant to the specific subject.
In Maths and the sciences, examiners want to see that students understand mathematical concepts, including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and probability. They also look for evidence of logical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to precisely devise strategies to solve complex problems. This includes performing calculations correctly, using appropriate mathematical notation, and expressing answers in the correct units where applicable.
Resource recommendations
There are a range of resources to use for your GCSEs. Outside of your teachers, and the examination boards, YouTube offers various educational content across various subjects.
You can also work with a tutor and use any of the following for GCSE revision material: BBC Bitesize GCSE, Khan Academy and Revision World.