Achieving success in the GCSE Science exam has become increasingly important to students attending school in recent years. It’s a high-stakes test, and the results of this exam can determine A Level subject choices, colleges, future education opportunities and career paths.
It is therefore crucial to be well prepared and maximise your chances of achieving the best grades. Here are some top tips to help you succeed.
Know the Syllabus!
The first step is to be fully familiar with the syllabus for the GCSE Science exam, understanding exactly which topics are in your exam board will help you identify what the examiner will assess you on. Use this as a checklist whilst you are revising and make sure that by the end of it you can confidently address all the points.
Revision timetable
Let’s face it…there’s a LOT of content in Science. The key to staying on top of this is to develop an organised plan for revision and make sure you have sufficient time to look over concepts in suitable detail. Drawing up a revision timetable with goals and objectives will help you not only stay organised but also motivated during the preparation period.
Practice Papers
Papers papers and more papers!! Taking practice papers is a GREAT way of gauging how ready you are for the exam, it also provides insight into the exam style, format and time management. If there’s one thing you take away from this blog- please do as many practice papers as possible!
Mark Schemes
You may be wondering- but why? Make schemes are a fantastic way to understand how the examiner thinks when they are assessing your answers. Do you ever feel like you’ve Written the right answer but haven’t quite got the marks that they were looking for in the exam? Mark schemes will be your best friend! As you go through papers and understand the. mark schemes you will start to notice the exact terminology needed to get you those all important marks.
Flashcards!
As there is a lot of content in Science you need a way of compacting material in an easy to read, easy to understand and eye catching way. You also don’t want to be going through pages and pages of notes to find a particular topic. Revision flashcards or visual aids can really assist in this- the memorisation of these cards ensure that you have an in-depth understanding of the key points you need to know. What’s better is that you can carry around these flashcards at ease and stick the visual aids up around your room!
Use the internet!
We live in a world where there are so many sources of knowledge that can be found online, such as flashcards, quizzes, videos, websites and blogs created by experts in the teaching sector. Utilise these resources when necessary as they can aid understanding on complex topics and act as an indispensable supplement to your own research. Here are some of our favourite student apps:
QUIZLET
You can browse millions of flashcard sets or build your own! Quizlet contains a gamify feature which allows students to have fun while learning all the material needed to pass the tests. It also has many pictures that you can choose from to add to your flashcards to make them more interesting.
EVERNOTE
The perfect organisation app where you can add to-do lists, images, webpages, memos and more! You can type up notes, handwrite notes, photograph them & store things as word docs or PDFs.
Exam Countdown Lite
This is a handy visual reminder of all your important dates. You can colour code all your exams and tests and use icons as a quick visual reference for each subject. You can also add notes to remind yourself of anything you need to bring on the day.
BBC BITESIZE
This app is for GCSE, Nationals and Highers & allows you to pick the subjects & exam boards you want to study. Bitesize Flashcards are also available.
Ask for Help!
Lastly, if you feel that particularly need support with your studies, then it might be worthwhile to find a tutor who is experienced in teaching GCSE Science. This can provide extra guidance with the content and provide you with skills to answer past papers from someone who has mastery of the topic area!
Overall, with the right amount of careful preparation, it is possible to achieve excellence in GCSE Science. With enough knowledge and experience handling exam-style questions, past papers plus guidance from experts and online resources, success will be within your grasp.
Dedicate sufficient time to revise and plan ahead, so you can make sure you maximise your chances of acing the GCSE Science exam!
Good luck!