Can I teach myself the whole of the GCSE Biology and Physics paper 1 content?

You absolutely can! Seneca is a great free resource for this sort of last-minute learning, try doing as many practice questions as you can once you've covered all the content to make sure you can get enough marks for your grade sevens. I'd say to start with, work out how many topics you need to cover and how many days you have, then from that see how many topics you'd need to cover a day. Make your learning active- so no just reading the textbook!

If you need any more specific advice feel free to message me on instagram @/amyukulele- I got a 9 in biology and an 8 in physics & would be more than happy to help.

Good luck!!

Hi there, it definitely is possible. When i did my GCSEs i had no actual science teachers (they were supply) and taught myself the whole course. I achieved grade 9s in all my subjects. If i can do it, you can too!! make a timetable to plan out your revision and yes, do as many exam questions as you can!!

If you really don't understand and you need some more support, please feel free to PM me and i can help you out, even if that means giving you a free tuition session!! (honestly, i want to help!) I'm currently a dental student so i've done both my gcses and a levels.

Due to personal reasons I missed the whole of year 9 (when we learnt the paper 1 content) and now I have my year 10 mocks. Do you think I could teach my self the whole paper 1 course for these two subjects and get at least above a 7??? I have 60 days left... Please motivate me and give me advice and any resources that can help me. I also cannot afford a tutor therefore I have to do it myself. Thank you!!!

Thank you! this made me feel like I could actually do it I was getting really stressed a while ago but this makes me feel better. I will definitely ask you if I need help and I'll start making a timetable right now because I usually study late. Thanks!

You definitely can. Practice questions are vital but this is an exceptional circumstance where you don’t actually know the content to do the questions and need to understand the material first. Please scroll to the bottom of my answer for specific physics advice.

I’d recommend a speedrun before you start learning just so you’ve seen everything and can get started with revision more easily.

Here is how I would speedrun it:
- Find PrimroseKitten’s video on YouTube for paper 1 biology and the one for paper 1 physics (about an hour each). Just start with either bio or physics first. Play the video on 0.75x speed and make notes along the way. Now you’ll have done a sort of speed run of the content and it will be easier actually revising because things will feel a bit familiar. Do not worry about understanding everything. Just chill and make notes, try to keep up. You won’t understand it all at once but now you’ve seen everything.

Then

- Buy the CGP revision guide for each subject
!!! This is essential, I think - the textbook will be a bit dense to learn quickly and you’re not necessarily looking for a grade nine here
- It’s possible to take the CGP books at a rate of one topic a day, ten pages in a day. This isn’t in-depth revision, it’s just getting all the content in your head so you’d be on equal footing with a classmate who hasn’t revised.

PHYSICS: I didn’t revise for my Year 10 physics mocks - I’d just missed ten weeks of school. And I was fine, got a six or something.
Learn the equations!! It’s so similar to a maths paper.
This is so so crucial and if you know every single equation (there are about 21, google the list for your exam board), the paper is not a big problem. Biology is the problem here because you need to have had practised doing the questions (mark scheme is very specific), but you’re missing the knowledge. I don’t know what the solution is to that to be honest but Physics is absolutely doable for you.
I learned the physics equations by literally writing them out again and again. They start to make sense soon and you’ll feel good when you know them. Quizlet app is great!!!!! Would really really recommend making flash cards on quizlet for the equations. I also wrote the physics equations out using the symbols on revision cards in big sharpie letters and stuck them on my bedroom wall so I could read them from my bed!
Physics questions aren’t as big a problem as biology questions because learning the equations is half the work for physics. Even if you’ve never seen a specific physics question before because you haven’t practiced enough, if you know all the equations you can write down all the ones for that topic and you can figure it out by logic. To reiterate: Physics - don’t worry, learn your equations as a priority. Biology - I’m sorry, I don’t know what to suggest. Learn the content, hope for the best.
It’s so easy to learn the equations and you’ll feel happy when you know them because the subject is easy after that. Physics is not a huge worry - I hated it so much but it’s straightforward when you know your theory.

Most importantly: don’t worry too much. Your teachers know you’ve missed year nine! People will respect and commend any effort you’ve made but no one is expecting that you’re going to do amazingly. They won’t expect you to get the same mark as someone who was there all year nine!! Think of it this way- you won’t be the first person in the entire school who’s missed a year. There’s definitely protocol for this. It’s okay.

You’ll be surprised what you can do. Take it from someone who missed ten weeks of year ten and got 5 grade 8’s and 5 grade 9’s at GCSE. Year ten exams don’t even matter after you do your GCSEs. They only go on your report and get used to predict target grades (not for uni!). Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help !! Sorry this advice is so convoluted I’m trying to just chuck in anything helpful at all.
Good luck, you’ll be ok, let us know how you get on
- Lauren

You definitely can. Practice questions are vital but this is an exceptional circumstance where you don’t actually know the content to do the questions and need to understand the material first. Please scroll to the bottom of my answer for specific physics advice.

I’d recommend a speedrun before you start learning just so you’ve seen everything and can get started with revision more easily.

Here is how I would speedrun it:
- Find PrimroseKitten’s video on YouTube for paper 1 biology and the one for paper 1 physics (about an hour each). Just start with either bio or physics first. Play the video on 0.75x speed and make notes along the way. Now you’ll have done a sort of speed run of the content and it will be easier actually revising because things will feel a bit familiar. Do not worry about understanding everything. Just chill and make notes, try to keep up. You won’t understand it all at once but now you’ve seen everything.

Then

- Buy the CGP revision guide for each subject
!!! This is essential, I think - the textbook will be a bit dense to learn quickly and you’re not necessarily looking for a grade nine here
- It’s possible to take the CGP books at a rate of one topic a day, ten pages in a day. This isn’t in-depth revision, it’s just getting all the content in your head so you’d be on equal footing with a classmate who hasn’t revised.

PHYSICS: I didn’t revise for my Year 10 physics mocks - I’d just missed ten weeks of school. And I was fine, got a six or something.
Learn the equations!! It’s so similar to a maths paper.
This is so so crucial and if you know every single equation (there are about 21, google the list for your exam board), the paper is not a big problem. Biology is the problem here because you need to have had practised doing the questions (mark scheme is very specific), but you’re missing the knowledge. I don’t know what the solution is to that to be honest but Physics is absolutely doable for you.
I learned the physics equations by literally writing them out again and again. They start to make sense soon and you’ll feel good when you know them. Quizlet app is great!!!!! Would really really recommend making flash cards on quizlet for the equations. I also wrote the physics equations out using the symbols on revision cards in big sharpie letters and stuck them on my bedroom wall so I could read them from my bed!
Physics questions aren’t as big a problem as biology questions because learning the equations is half the work for physics. Even if you’ve never seen a specific physics question before because you haven’t practiced enough, if you know all the equations you can write down all the ones for that topic and you can figure it out by logic. To reiterate: Physics - don’t worry, learn your equations as a priority. Biology - I’m sorry, I don’t know what to suggest. Learn the content, hope for the best.
It’s so easy to learn the equations and you’ll feel happy when you know them because the subject is easy after that. Physics is not a huge worry - I hated it so much but it’s straightforward when you know your theory.

Most importantly: don’t worry too much. Your teachers know you’ve missed year nine! People will respect and commend any effort you’ve made but no one is expecting that you’re going to do amazingly. They won’t expect you to get the same mark as someone who was there all year nine!! Think of it this way- you won’t be the first person in the entire school who’s missed a year. There’s definitely protocol for this. It’s okay.

You’ll be surprised what you can do. Take it from someone who missed ten weeks of year ten and got 5 grade 8’s and 5 grade 9’s at GCSE. Year ten exams don’t even matter after you do your GCSEs. They only go on your report and get used to predict target grades (not for uni!). Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help !! Sorry this advice is so convoluted I’m trying to just chuck in anything helpful at all.
Good luck, you’ll be ok, let us know how you get on
- Lauren

https://www.gcsescience.com/peq.htm
Here’s the equations, check if your exam board has any more

this is amazing advice, def follow this @dumbo23 but if Primrose Kitten doesn't cover your exam board try ScienceWithHazel link . She covers ALL of paper 1 of both of these in every single exam boards. The videos are 2 hours.... however it's because they cover EVERYTHING, you won't have missed any detail. I personally prefer her videos but that's just my personal opinion

freesciencelessons guy on yt is mwah
also good luckkkkkkk : )

Year 10 mocks wont kill you, try your best but if you don't get the grades you want- it's fine. Don't beat yourself up about it.

yes true but are they important in our current situation because teachers might give us grades?