Exam and revision advice to help you get your target grades in GCSE PE
When you're revising for your GCSE exams, you want to make the most of your study time.
So, we invited the experts at the AQA exam board to share their tips and advice on preparing for GCSE PE exams.
The article that follows has been written by an AQA curriculum expert, based on their years of experience in the assessment of their subject.
You can find more articles in this series, covering a range of subjects at both GCSE and A-level, over on our revision section.
Also on The Student Room, you can find student discussion of 2024 GCSE exams.
1) Do lots of practice
The best way to learn is to practise. Go back over past papers you’ve already done and have another go. You’ll see yourself improving and build your confidence.
2) Answer the question being asked
Make sure you read the question carefully. We see lots of examples every year where students have done some good work but haven’t answered the question asked.
Focus on what the question is asking for, not just the topic.
Identify all the key words in the question and look for the command words. Applying your knowledge using the command words will make sure you answer the question.
Be familiar with all the command words and what they’re asking for. Different command words indicate which assessment objectives are being assessed.
‘Justify’ means to support a case with evidence. ‘Discuss’ means to present key points about different ideas or strengths and weaknesses of an idea
Don’t miss important little words in the question – such as ‘explain two ways…’ or ‘for one of the structures…’
Check if the question is asking for examples - and use sporting examples.
3) Use specialist terminology
Make sure you know your PE vocabulary and build up a glossary of words for each topic.
Revise key terms, otherwise you may lose AO1 marks if you can’t give simple definitions.
4) If you're not sure...have a go
Don’t worry about questions that you’re unsure about. The important thing is that you come back to them and have a go at an answer.
If the question is multiple-choice, don’t just guess an answer or jump to the first answer that may be right. Eliminate the answers you know are wrong and choose your answer from the ones you have left.
Remember that often the ‘wrong’ options are chosen because they’re common mistakes.
5) Do keep going right to the end of a paper
Attempt to do something on every question, both in the exam and when you’re revising.
Don’t leave any gaps. You’ll be able to pick up marks for partly answering questions even if you can’t get to the end.
6) Be aware of timing... but take care not to rush
Take care not to miss any questions that ask you to fill in a table or graph or label an image.
Take a pencil, ruler and calculator into the exam and use them when you’re completing diagrams or drawing straight lines.
Take care when you’re completing diagrams or graphs to make sure you correctly number or label as requested – such as when you’re plotting on a graph.
If you’re asked to calculate a value, double-check your work to make sure you haven’t made any errors. It’s easy to make slips, even when using a calculator.
Write all answers legibly – examiners can’t mark what they can’t read.
Only write on the lines provided for each question. If you need more space then use additional paper.
Don’t write answers in the margins, outside the lines or on the lines for other questions. Examiners might not see it.
Leave time at the end to check your work.
