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GCSE combined science higher

people of TSR i need your help.
i need a step by step plan on how to get a grade 7 or higher in combined science fast
i use the blurting which is a technique that you have to write everything that you know of that topic off your head, then with any color write everything you have missed . use cue cards/ flash cards for the topics you don't know, do a lot of past papers A LOT , if you do many past papers at this point you will see questions being repeated as you done every single question possible. just active recall is the way to go
and be organize like have a checklist the topics that will come up in the exam ect
.hopefully this helps:smile:
Original post by johnjohn1223
people of TSR i need your help.
i need a step by step plan on how to get a grade 7 or higher in combined science fast


It depends on your current grade.

Grade 4 or below:
- learn the content, I'd use the CGP guides, they only give you the info you need to know and their practice questions are a good way to make sure you haven't missed anything out.
- flashcards are ideal, either online or actual ones. Do a few everyday, try to incorporate some active recall (there are many videos on YouTube about this but don't overdo it, just make sure you space out your revision)
- if not flashcards, make mindmaps without using any help to see what you know. Don't make them pretty.

Grade 5-borderline 7
- If your confident on content, focus on exam technique. Do a past paper under timed condition. Once the time is up, if you haven't finished the questions yet, change your ink colour and finish the paper to the best of your ability. Mark yourself harshly and identify what your issues were. Was it timing? Accuracy? Understanding?

Don't look at grade boundaries at this point, as they change year to year. Aim to get as many questions right as possible every time.
Hope this helps.
Original post by uniqueen8888
i use the blurting which is a technique that you have to write everything that you know of that topic off your head, then with any color write everything you have missed . use cue cards/ flash cards for the topics you don't know, do a lot of past papers A LOT , if you do many past papers at this point you will see questions being repeated as you done every single question possible. just active recall is the way to go
and be organize like have a checklist the topics that will come up in the exam ect
.hopefully this helps:smile:


thank you this is helpful, but i wanted to ask what information source would you recommend so that i can put that info onto flashcards and start blurting
Original post by Roses.Are.Red
It depends on your current grade.

Grade 4 or below:
- learn the content, I'd use the CGP guides, they only give you the info you need to know and their practice questions are a good way to make sure you haven't missed anything out.
- flashcards are ideal, either online or actual ones. Do a few everyday, try to incorporate some active recall (there are many videos on YouTube about this but don't overdo it, just make sure you space out your revision)
- if not flashcards, make mindmaps without using any help to see what you know. Don't make them pretty.

Grade 5-borderline 7
- If your confident on content, focus on exam technique. Do a past paper under timed condition. Once the time is up, if you haven't finished the questions yet, change your ink colour and finish the paper to the best of your ability. Mark yourself harshly and identify what your issues were. Was it timing? Accuracy? Understanding?

Don't look at grade boundaries at this point, as they change year to year. Aim to get as many questions right as possible every time.
Hope this helps.

this is helpful thank you i am currently working at a 6-5
i wanted to ask about the cgp guides would it be a good idea if i just memorised them put them onto flashcards blurt them and do pastpapers and work on exam technique?
the mains ones are CGP books or kerboodle ( if you have access to it and if you do AQA i believe ) or you can use PMT - physics math's tutor they have very good notes for each science topic , in PDF and it has flash card and past papers ect. hopeful this helps to get that 7 that you want in science, but focus more on getting the revision done, less on the grade :smile:

Original post by johnjohn1223
thank you this is helpful, but i wanted to ask what information source would you recommend so that i can put that info onto flashcards and start blurting
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by johnjohn1223
this is helpful thank you i am currently working at a 6-5
i wanted to ask about the cgp guides would it be a good idea if i just memorised them put them onto flashcards blurt them and do pastpapers and work on exam technique?


Once you understand the stuff, definitely! but make sure you only memorise the key bits, for some of the topics this might even just be the headings [e.g. for uses of stem cells, just listing two or three uses is enough, you don't need to know the details). For cycles and processes, it would be better to blurt.

Obviously use past papers and their mark schemes to find out exactly what the examiners want.
Seneca end of topic tests are also good for overviews and recapping knowledge.

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