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My journey to getting excellent grades at GCSE

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Sorry if you've already answered this, but how did you get an A* in eng lit? :smile:
Original post by surina16
Sorry if you've already answered this, but how did you get an A* in eng lit? :smile:


I did AIC, Heroes and OMAM. I bought the revision guides, made character notes, theme notes then just learnt them off by heart. Also, you have to be creative and make up your own points.

Offer alternative interpretations. On the essay questions, be concise or you'll lose marks for coherence. Also, make sure you're coursework is at a high level too. The idea is, the more original your piece is and the style of your writing can get you high marks.

You got to treat some questions like some sort of debate. In my exam, I got a question on one of them "how far can you sympathize with Sybil Birling. I explained how she's presented and linked it to the question. I offered alternative viewpoints and counter arguments.

Original post by the-future-medic
Hey, the grades that you want to get are great. I wanted to ask how you revise for maths because i do the same exam board but i just cant answer the questions properly. Also what topics do you do for history because I also do aqa but they have lots of different topics??
For maths, I review the content, then do practise questions from the work book and past papers given by schools. Maths is just practise. You have to be logical in your working. For history, Unit 1: Causes of World War 1, Treaty of Versailles and League of nations and Hitlers foreign policy.Unit 2: Roaring 20s, Hitlers Germany and War in Vietnam.
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
I did AIC, Heroes and OMAM. I bought the revision guides, made character notes, theme notes then just learnt them off by heart. Also, you have to be creative and make up your own points.

Offer alternative interpretations. On the essay questions, be concise or you'll lose marks for coherence. Also, make sure you're coursework is at a high level too. The idea is, the more original your piece is and the style of your writing can get you high marks.

You got to treat some questions like some sort of debate. In my exam, I got a question on one of them "how far can you sympathize with Sybil Birling. I explained how she's presented and linked it to the question. I offered alternative viewpoints and counter arguments.

For maths, I review the content, then do practise questions from the work book and past papers given by schools. Maths is just practise. You have to be logical in your working. For history, Unit 1: Causes of World War 1, Treaty of Versailles and League of nations and Hitlers foreign policy.Unit 2: Roaring 20s, Hitlers Germany and War in Vietnam.


Hey,
Sorry to interrupt but do you have to learn the quotes off by heart for English Lit exam? I have to but i find it a little hard :frown: i do wjec by the way :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by nisha.sri
Hey,
Sorry to interrupt but do you have to learn the quotes off by heart for English Lit exam? I have to but i find it a little hard :frown: i do wjec by the way :smile:


Quotes show understanding of the novels so I'd put them in.

I think you do but if you show good understanding of the novels without the quotes, then you'll be fine.

BUT you can't analyse very well and interpret well without quotes so I'd always advise to use quotes in literature.
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
:smile:Hello everyone!:smile:
So this year, I am very motivated to get those awesome grades at GCSE by trying my hardest in all the subjects I will sit exams in.

I did English Literature (WJEC) last year and got an A*!

Here are what I expect to get!

Biology (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Chemistry (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Physics (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Maths( Edexcel A) - A*
English Language ( WJEC)- A*
RE (Edexcel Unit 3 and Unit 8)- A*
History (AQA B)- A*
PE (Edexcel )- A*
French (AQA) - A ( Still will try my best to get A*)
Computing(OCR) - A

Total: 9A*s 2A's

So my update schedule for this thread will be once a day where I update where I am at with everything. So far things are looking good revision wise, just need to speed up with a few and then I am ready!

Thanks for reading!:wink:

General tips:

1/ Make revision notes

2/ Summarise notes

3/ Flashcards work well for fast paced revision

4/ Take breaks i.e 45 mins work 10 minutes. Not 10 minutes work and 45 minutes breaks!

5/ Practise techniques in questions.

6/ Use the computer for additional resources.


Lol, I'm doing biology chemistry and physics with OCR 21st century and for Re I'm doing unit 3 and 10 I can easily get an A* for unit 3 and science is ok that shouldn't be hard
Original post by zXcodeXz
Lol, I'm doing biology chemistry and physics with OCR 21st century and for Re I'm doing unit 3 and 10 I can easily get an A* for unit 3 and science is ok that shouldn't be hard


Yeah, it's about learning the content!
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
Yeah, it's about learning the content!


Yeah I even have a revision guide for science which pretty much has everything in it
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
:smile:Hello everyone!:smile:
So this year, I am very motivated to get those awesome grades at GCSE by trying my hardest in all the subjects I will sit exams in.

I did English Literature (WJEC) last year and got an A*!

Here are what I expect to get!

Biology (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Chemistry (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Physics (OCR 21st Century) - A*
Maths( Edexcel A) - A*
English Language ( WJEC)- A*
RE (Edexcel Unit 3 and Unit 8)- A*
History (AQA B)- A*
PE (Edexcel )- A*
French (AQA) - A ( Still will try my best to get A*)
Computing(OCR) - A

Total: 9A*s 2A's

So my update schedule for this thread will be once a day where I update where I am at with everything. So far things are looking good revision wise, just need to speed up with a few and then I am ready!

Thanks for reading!:wink:

General tips:

1/ Make revision notes

2/ Summarise notes

3/ Flashcards work well for fast paced revision

4/ Take breaks i.e 45 mins work 10 minutes. Not 10 minutes work and 45 minutes breaks!

5/ Practise techniques in questions.

6/ Use the computer for additional resources.



I'm also doing the same subjects as you (except PE) :smile: . After receiving my mock results, i have learnt that its not how long you revise in a day, instead its how much work you accomplish in a day. By doing this it would help you to attain your targets you set out at the beginning of the day. I believe that this is what would separates people from being a B/A grade student to A*. I hope you get your grades and don't stop working hard (Hopefully it will all pay off at the end )
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by AlexisSanchez2
I'm also doing the same subjects as you (except PE) :smile: . After receiving my mock results, i have learnt that its not how long you revise in a day, instead its how much work you accomplish in a day. By doing this it would help you to attain your targets you set out at the beginning of the day. I believe that this is what would separates people from being a B/A grade student to A*. I hope you get your grades and don't stop working hard (Hopefully it will all pay off at the end )


Yeah that's a method I follow now too! I do one hour (maybe more on weekend) on a subject, then take a break. Then another session, then a break. Then another session, then a break. That way I go through subjects and do everything. I know some people revise for like 5 hours straight, but that usually involves procrastination and actually not very productive!
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
Yeah that's a method I follow now too! I do one hour (maybe more on weekend) on a subject, then take a break. Then another session, then a break. Then another session, then a break. That way I go through subjects and do everything. I know some people revise for like 5 hours straight, but that usually involves procrastination and actually not very productive!


Where you very productive this holiday? In addition did you finish all your revision notes for for all your subjects?
Original post by AlexisSanchez2
Where you very productive this holiday? In addition did you finish all your revision notes for for all your subjects?

Generally on most days, I was very productive. I've finished my notes, and did some questions. I am using April as a review to go over everything and past papers.
*Review of 2/4/16*
1) Physics P7- past papers done further to support knowledge. Improvements: H-R Sprung diagram, E=MC^2 work.

2) Religous Education Unit 3- Topic 3/4 fully reviewed.

3) RE past paper completed on Marriage and Family life which I am asking a teacher to mark because it is very subjective. Improvements- Media in relation to this topic, family life

4) Physical Education Review done up to start of principles of training! Should be completed fully tomorrow so 2/4 done.

5) Physical education past papers attempted. 37/42- on a solid A*.


6) French Memrise work done with learning vocab from home and local environment and environment itself.

7) Listening and reading practise done on French. My listening has improved again- Score from all reading and listening : (listening) 7/8, (Reading) 6/6, (Reading 2) 4/5. Listening has improved

8) Watched some French news for 10 minutes!

9) C5 Review halfway through (Hydrosphere section reached). Going to finished this tomorrow and finish C6 tomorrow.

So overall another successful day. Another week of the easter holidays left for me so I am going to utilise it!
*Review of 2/4/16*

C5 review done completely

Past Papers done on C5. June 2014, 18/20 A*, Jan 2013 17/20 A* Weaknesses: Covalent properties

PE theory revision segment done till the end of specification point: drugs. Only few review topics left to finish tomorrow.

PE Theory Past papers done. 21/25- Approx A* Weaknesses: (Individual needs/differences, Expanding points more)

Maths- review on Histograms, Circle theorems, Probability

Past Paper done. 97/100 scored. Weaknesses- Stupid errors multiplying branches made me lose 3 marks :smile:

History- Paper 1 review again. Completed but want to look at the 'spark that lit the bonfire' section again.

That is it for the day, less than usual but everything is looking good as I am on track with my schedule! But planning to get a bit more tomorrow! Anyway, going to relax by watching a bit of Creme de la creme and Masterchef!
Hello there! You've got fantastic goals and you look well on track to achieve them!

We do quite a few of the same subjects and even exam boards (it's a struggle trying to find people who do OCR 21st C science!) so I'd be happy to share tips with you at some point if you would like

I too am aiming quite highly - around 7A*s and 4As, although preferably I would like this to be higher.

Good luck with your revision and ultimately exams! :biggrin:
Please share any tips you have for OCR 21st C as they'd be extremely appreciated! I'd love to see new ways of revising the content!
Original post by NiamhM1801
Hello there! You've got fantastic goals and you look well on track to achieve them!

We do quite a few of the same subjects and even exam boards (it's a struggle trying to find people who do OCR 21st C science!) so I'd be happy to share tips with you at some point if you would like

I too am aiming quite highly - around 7A*s and 4As, although preferably I would like this to be higher.

Good luck with your revision and ultimately exams! :biggrin:


I'm sure you'd get what you want as you seem motivated! Wish you the very best!
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
Please share any tips you have for OCR 21st C as they'd be extremely appreciated! I'd love to see new ways of revising the content!


I'm sure you'd get what you want as you seem motivated! Wish you the very best!


Ah thank you :smile:
Now then, for science (I do triple) I bought these 3 little index card holders that came with 50 cards each but I bought another 50 for each one as there weren't enough. I use the pink one for biology, blue for chemistry, and black for physics.
What I've done with these is divided them into 7 sections leaving approximately 13 cards for each module (including 7 used up for the names of the modules)
Then, I'm using the cgp revision guides (who isn't at this point) and condensing what they need an entire page for onto the size of one of these cards (they're very small), but I try not to leave out any vital information, just condense it so that all of the waffle cgp love doesn't work it's way into my revision
The good thing about them is because they're so small, they make revision seem less daunting as there's "less of it" (constant mind games haha)
Also it's more convenient because I can review them on the bus (where I am for an hour a day when I have school)
I haven't been doing this for that long but so far it seems to be working so fingers crossed! (And it shortens the amount of time I have to revise science which is always a good thing!:tongue:)
Original post by NiamhM1801
Ah thank you :smile:
Now then, for science (I do triple) I bought these 3 little index card holders that came with 50 cards each but I bought another 50 for each one as there weren't enough. I use the pink one for biology, blue for chemistry, and black for physics.
What I've done with these is divided them into 7 sections leaving approximately 13 cards for each module (including 7 used up for the names of the modules)
Then, I'm using the cgp revision guides (who isn't at this point) and condensing what they need an entire page for onto the size of one of these cards (they're very small), but I try not to leave out any vital information, just condense it so that all of the waffle cgp love doesn't work it's way into my revision
The good thing about them is because they're so small, they make revision seem less daunting as there's "less of it" (constant mind games haha)
Also it's more convenient because I can review them on the bus (where I am for an hour a day when I have school)
I haven't been doing this for that long but so far it seems to be working so fingers crossed! (And it shortens the amount of time I have to revise science which is always a good thing!:tongue:)

That's really useful as you can basically revise anywhere! Triple science on OCR especially 7's are so long!
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
That's really useful as you can basically revise anywhere! Triple science on OCR especially 7's are so long!


Yup, very portable!
And tell me about it - c7 is melting my brain!
However I find B7 is pretty much GCSE PE theory tbh, for a small section of it at least so I've breezed through that so far
P7 was ok - interesting content, easy enough to learn, horrific exams as per with OCR (whyyy)
Original post by MezmorisedPotato
*Review of 2/4/16*

C5 review done completely

Past Papers done on C5. June 2014, 18/20 A*, Jan 2013 17/20 A* Weaknesses: Covalent properties

PE theory revision segment done till the end of specification point: drugs. Only few review topics left to finish tomorrow.

PE Theory Past papers done. 21/25- Approx A* Weaknesses: (Individual needs/differences, Expanding points more)

Maths- review on Histograms, Circle theorems, Probability

Past Paper done. 97/100 scored. Weaknesses- Stupid errors multiplying branches made me lose 3 marks :smile:

History- Paper 1 review again. Completed but want to look at the 'spark that lit the bonfire' section again.

That is it for the day, less than usual but everything is looking good as I am on track with my schedule! But planning to get a bit more tomorrow! Anyway, going to relax by watching a bit of Creme de la creme and Masterchef!



Hey well done for all of this , you seem really hard working :smile:
How did you get an A* in English Literature ? It's also my weakest subject :frown: , so could you help me out on how you revised plus we do the same exam boards :biggrin:
Exams; Unit 1 - Unseen Poetry and Of mice and men
Unit 2B - Lord of the flies and A view from the bridge

Thank you so much :tongue:
Original post by nisha.sri
Hey well done for all of this , you seem really hard working :smile:
How did you get an A* in English Literature ? It's also my weakest subject :frown: , so could you help me out on how you revised plus we do the same exam boards :biggrin:
Exams; Unit 1 - Unseen Poetry and Of mice and men
Unit 2B - Lord of the flies and A view from the bridge

Thank you so much :tongue:

Literature was my weakest subject as I was tracking an A/B at first. My coursework got an A so I knew I had to work hard for an A*. So I made notes for every character and theme in novels and did past paper questions to revise. I tried to be original. So I managed the 60/60 in paper 1 and 75/80 in paper 2 which got me a mid/high A*

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