GCSE Science Revision: 5 top tips from a teacher!

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What mark would you say guarantees a 9, regardless of how high/low the grade boundaries are? (e.g. I know sometimes 65/100 is a 9 but sometimes it can be more like 70/100) I'm assuming if it's above 70 it's safe to say it's a 9?

Also, do you have any advice on how to improve my chemistry grade - I'm getting 9s in bio and physics but only 7s in chemistry and I'm very unsure as to why since I use the same revision technique for all of them :frown:

Thanks!

I'm assuming this is for triple- If so, last year the grade boundaries for a 9 were 69 on paper one, and 65 on paper 2. Realistically, grade boundaries will go up this year as teachers get more used to teaching the course and there are more examples of past papers and mark schemes available. It's very hard to estimate what grade boundaries will be this year, but actually if I had to put money on it I would say 70 would be an 8 this year. Personally, I'd want to be getting 85+ to feel like my 9 was nailed on- bear in mind 9s are meant to be rare, only a small percentage of students in the country get them each year.

It's hard to know what the issue is with chemistry without seeing things like your mock papers, especially as you are doing so well in the other sciences- however, I would suggest:
-Make sure you are really secure on atomic structure and bonding, as this forms the basis of the whole chemistry GCSE (pretty much).
-Make sure you are practicing chemistry only skills, such as balancing equations and moles.
-Check there's not one particular topic in chemistry that's letting you down e.g. chemistry of the atmosphere or electrolysis.

Most of all, speak to one of your science teachers for advice- they're best placed to help you figure out what is going on!

Reply 21

HeenaK

Hi do you have any tips for current year 10 students

Reply 22

SarcAndSpark

Original post by HeenaK

Hi do you have any tips for current year 10 students

Best tips for current Year 10s:

-Get into good revision habits now, especially for end of topic tests. Figure out strategies that work for you.
-Make sure you understand the content you are learning now- this time next year will be too late!
-Make revision resources such as flashcards as you go.
-Keep revisiting old topics too- you don't want to have to relearn Y9 stuff from scratch next year!

Reply 23

Icy Wolf

Original post by Cherrygrape1234

I’m predicted a 9 and I’m in yr 10 with my mocks next week

Wow, well done!

Reply 24

Cherrygrape1234

Original post by biran4454

Wow, well done!

Thanks

Reply 25

SarcAndSpark

Just a quick reminder that if schools do have to close (let's hope not) then a lot of this is stuff you can do by yourself at home.

However, do speak to your teachers about how to contact them in the event of school closures and if they will e.g. be able to mark work you send through, and/or where they will be setting work for you.

Reply 26

leoishush

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Flashcards an amazing form of revision, but they can be made even better with spaced repetition.

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Brainscape uses both spaced repetition and flashcards. It also challenges the weakest areas of your knowledge as difficult concepts are studied more frequently than the easier ones.

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