I got all 8s and 9s in my GCSEs- AMA

OP

Original post by richilove15

How did you revise for maths, all the sciences and French. Also, history has a lot of topics so how did you memorize so much content?
And well done! you should be very proud of yourself.

this is going to be long so apologies in advance!!

before i started revising for even a single subject i sat down and wrote out for every subject a list of areas i was weaker in and *exactly* what i would do to combat and eliminate those weaknesses (very dramatic description)

maths and sciences i will say was absolute hell and i hated every second of it
for maths i did as many practise questions as i could get my hands on- past papers, textbook questions, mathsgenie worksheets, etc. i got tutoring for about 3 months nearer to the exams but this is not completely necessary as i found my independent learning to be the most beneficial. the day before each exam, i did a predicted paper from first class maths and (for topics i found absolutely ghastly) a few more practise questions

for the sciences i watched videos for each individual topic and rewatched them until i was fully able to understand the topic (mygcsescience and cognito were amazing for this). dont rely on the practise questions given under those videos, theyre mostly pointless and unhelpful. for broader topics i struggled on (eg the heart) i made mindmaps for and i did every past paper available (make sure to stagger this as theyre precious resources and if you do them all at once you'll have nothing left around the time of the actual exams). after marking the papers i wrote on a sticky note topics i made mistakes in and went back and rewatched the videos and consulted other sources of information (eg savemyexams). for required practicals i had one flashcard for every single one, the method in detail on one side and on the other i listed the variables, drew diagrams if applicable, sources of possible error and reasons for potential anomalies. i blurted the method onto a whiteboard and rewrote them until they were word perfect

for french i'll be honest i didnt do much because i was quite good at it naturally, so i dont want to promote any tips without making that clear as i know its a very difficult subject for a lot of people and i fully understand why its difficult. my KEY KEY tip is to put a lot of effort into your speaking answers for the oral exam- show off your knowledge of grammar and vocab in a way that comes across authentic and not too flashy but would still impress the examiners. have fun with your answers! i treated each response like a mini story and added jokes and sarcasm a lot, it makes your responses stand out. use and abuse your textbook- there's literally a goldmine of stellar grade 9 sentences, literally steal those word for word for guaranteed perfect grammar. to memorise my answers i was very finnicky and i put the theme and question number on one of those spin the wheel generators (eg theme 2 q3 using

) i memorised all 94 answers and counted that as revision for the writing exam too. listenings just do the listening past papers and questions in the book.

history was pretty simple for me, i just made a quizlet for every topic and forced myself to sit down and memorise every card so that i knew each topic back to front. in terms of question structure, ask your teacher for a step by step guide to each question and just learn that guide. although i will highlight that structure is not completely concrete and you can get away with freeballing a little bit- just as long as youre reaching the question criteria (eg do you clearly make comparisons, are you making effective links, etc.)

sorry for so much writing but i hope this helps!!

Reply 3

Original post by dontspellicup

i have revision tips and resources galore for those who need it!

subjects i did:
english lit and lang (AQA)
maths (AQA higher)
chemistry (AQA higher)
physics (AQA higher)
biology (AQA higher)
french (AQA higher)
rs (WJEC/Eduqas)
classical civilisation (OCR)
history (WJEC/Eduqas)

Hi, do you have any tips and resources for OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation? I'm currently in year 10 and self-studying it, but I can't seem to find many resources so I was wondering if you had any of your own you could share. My topics are Women in the Ancient World and Roman City Life. Thank you!

Reply 4

OP

Original post by acruelsummer

Hi, do you have any tips and resources for OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation? I'm currently in year 10 and self-studying it, but I can't seem to find many resources so I was wondering if you had any of your own you could share. My topics are Women in the Ancient World and Roman City Life. Thank you!

i’m so sorry but i did complete different topics😭 i did homeric world and myth and religion, my study methods were quizlets, mindmaps for things like festivals that had a lot of small details and lots and lots of practice questions which i got marked for feedback

Reply 5

Original post by dontspellicup

i’m so sorry but i did complete different topics😭 i did homeric world and myth and religion, my study methods were quizlets, mindmaps for things like festivals that had a lot of small details and lots and lots of practice questions which i got marked for feedback

okay its fine dw but thank you so much for your advice!

Reply 6

Original post by dontspellicup

i’m so sorry but i did complete different topics😭 i did homeric world and myth and religion, my study methods were quizlets, mindmaps for things like festivals that had a lot of small details and lots and lots of practice questions which i got marked for feedback

Hi do you know where I could find those practice questions? Were they online or school given? Also do you have any exam preparation materials or tips (e.g. essay writing, exam structure etc) that could help? Thank you I'm just struggling to get any :smile:

Reply 7

K...,

2

Original post by dontspellicup

i have revision tips and resources galore for those who need it!

subjects i did:
english lit and lang (AQA)
maths (AQA higher)
chemistry (AQA higher)
physics (AQA higher)
biology (AQA higher)
french (AQA higher)
rs (WJEC/Eduqas)
classical civilisation (OCR)
history (WJEC/Eduqas)

Hi, when is it too late to start revising? I'm in Yr 10, & we've covered all Bio P1 content, and nearly Phys P1 + Chem P1 too. I feel pretty behind on all my subjects with close to nil self-made resources on them. If I buckle down now + become committed to constant revision, can I guarantee all 9s or will I be wasting my energy? I'm in a constant state of regret for not working hard, and I understand this is all my own fault.

I really aspire to achieve all 9s - but what I've been noticing is that often when I attempt to revise, I am overcome with this overwhelming sense of guilt for being so behind, and then I put it off even further. I don't know what to do with myself.

(edited 5 months ago)

Reply 8

OP

Original post by acruelsummer

Hi do you know where I could find those practice questions? Were they online or school given? Also do you have any exam preparation materials or tips (e.g. essay writing, exam structure etc) that could help? Thank you I'm just struggling to get any :smile:

my teacher was honestly amazing in terms of resources, she knew the subject and exam board back to front so she had a lot of her own made resources eg predicted papers and knowledge booklets, i’d recommend greekmythcomix on youtube for topic summaries and to make use of the past papers available on the ocr website

Reply 9

OP

Original post by K...,

Hi, when is it too late to start revising? I'm in Yr 10, & we've covered all Bio P1 content, and nearly Phys P1 + Chem P1 too. I feel pretty behind on all my subjects with close to nil self-made resources on them. If I buckle down now + become committed to constant revision, can I guarantee all 9s or will I be wasting my energy? I'm in a constant state of regret for not working hard, and I understand this is all my own fault.

I really aspire to achieve all 9s - but what I've been noticing is that often when I attempt to revise, I am overcome with this overwhelming sense of guilt for being so behind, and then I put it off even further. I don't know what to do with myself.

you dont necessarily need to be revising in year 10 to get good grades! obviously everyone’s different, but the vast majority of people begin revising around 3-5 months before the exam. me personally i made absolutely zero resources in year 10 besides a **** ton of flashcards for history in the summer before year 11. have fun in year 10!!!!! if you start overworking yourself and begin revising too early you’ll make that perpetual feeling of dread even worse and harder to bear, you can absolutely get away with not revising in year ten. yes, pay attention in lessons and make sure you understand topics as you study them. consolidate them as you go along, if that’s something that would help you (eg just watching a cognito science video after the lesson or speak to your teacher or an older student mentor if you find something difficult) but you don’t need to be making mind maps and flashcards and doing active recall in year ten. unless you do consistent, hyper focused revision extremely regularly (ie daily) there is a very fat chance that none of the information you learn will be retained long term- you will burn out very quickly and/or just forget everything when you learn it.

when it comes to the guilt of not revising, this is something i could HEAVILY relate to because i experienced (still do) a lot of academic anxiety in gcses. to overcome this just remember that practically all students at the stage you’re at are not revising yet. nobody (with very very few exceptions) is doing revision for the actual exam, so you are not falling behind for not doing so either as you are in the same boat as everyone else. the only ‘consistent’ revision you should be doing is for tests as they come up eg end of topic tests or potential mocks. treat these tests as what they are- an opportunity to learn and develop from mistakes and affirm your strengths in the subject. it’s such a cliche thing to say but those tests are genuinely vital in terms of preparing you for actual exams- focus and work hard on these exams, but if you have nothing specific to prepare for then enjoy your free time! try your best to remember that these exams are done by quite literally MILLIONS of students in the uk, and i’d bet on my life that most of those students are doing/did little to no revision in year 10 besides for tests that pop up every now and then. please please please just have fun this year and don’t stress too much!!

(edited 5 months ago)

Reply 10

K...,

2

Original post by dontspellicup

you dont necessarily need to be revising in year 10 to get good grades! obviously everyone’s different, but the vast majority of people behind revising around 3-5 months before the exam. me personally i made absolutely zero resources in year 10 besides a **** ton of flashcards for history in the summer before year 11. have fun in year 10!!!!! if you start overworking yourself and begging revising too early you’ll make that perpetual feeling of dread even worse and harder to bear, you can absolutely get away with not revising in year ten. yes, pay attention in lessons and make sure you understand topics as you study them. consolidate them as you go along, if that’s something that would help you (eg just watching a cognito science video after the lesson or speak to your teacher or an older student mentor if you find something difficult) but you don’t need to be making mind maps and flashcards and doing active recall in year ten. unless you do consistent, hyper focused revision extremely regularly (ie daily) there is a very fat chance that none of the information you learn will be retained long term- you will burn out very quickly and/or just forget everything when you learn it.

when it comes to the guilt of not revising, this is something i could HEAVILY relate to because i experienced (still do) a lot of academic anxiety in gcses. to overcome this just remember that practically all students at the stage you’re at are not revising yet. nobody (with very very few exceptions) is doing revision for the actual exam, so you are not falling behind for not doing so either as you are in the same boat as everyone else. the only ‘consistent’ revision you should be doing is for tests as they come up eg end of topic tests or potential mocks. treat these tests as what they are- an opportunity to learn and develop from mistakes and affirm your strengths in the subject. it’s such a cliche thing to say but those tests are genuinely vital in terms of preparing you for actual exams- focus and work hard on these exams, but if you have nothing specific to prepare for then enjoy your free time! try your best to remember that these exams are done by quite literally MILLIONS of students in the uk, and i’d bet on my life that most of those students are doing/did little to no revision in year 10 besides for tests that pop up every now and then. please please please just have fun this year and don’t stress too much!!

Thank you so, so much for taking the time out to write this. It's made me feel a great deal better - knowing that someone else experienced similar feelings to what I am now, and that I can indeed achieve my goals. Also because I think I set unrealistically high expectations for myself in that I must have everything all planned out and set from now, when in reality that is quite self-destructive and silly almost because it often results in me doing very little / not even making marginal gains due to fear of even beginning. So once again thanks a lot - I'll try to refer back to this when I feel overwhelmed again, and huge congratulations on your GCSE success. I hope you succeed in your next academic phase of life too. :smile:

Reply 11

milesmorales

3

Original post by acruelsummer

Hi, do you have any tips and resources for OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation? I'm currently in year 10 and self-studying it, but I can't seem to find many resources so I was wondering if you had any of your own you could share. My topics are Women in the Ancient World and Roman City Life. Thank you!

hi! I'm also in yr10 and I recommend using OCR Classical Civilisation GCSE Route 2: Women in the Ancient World (this is my school book) idk if you use this but hope this helps 🙂 im not sure about roman city life though

Reply 12

Yeah I've got the textbook but thank you :smile:

I was wondering if you had any other resources maybe from your teacher e.g. revision materials, source analysis, essay prep etc I could use? Thank you so much; I'd appreciate it a lot

Reply 13

Mkitchen_

Original post by dontspellicup

i’m so sorry but i did complete different topics😭 i did homeric world and myth and religion, my study methods were quizlets, mindmaps for things like festivals that had a lot of small details and lots and lots of practice questions which i got marked for feedback

Hi i am doing those topics for classics, do you by any chance have any resources I could use, because I am struggling and also how do you structure 16 markers

Reply 14

1qmat

1

Original post by dontspellicup

i have revision tips and resources galore for those who need it!
subjects i did:
english lit and lang (AQA)
maths (AQA higher)
chemistry (AQA higher)
physics (AQA higher)
biology (AQA higher)
french (AQA higher)
rs (WJEC/Eduqas)
classical civilisation (OCR)
history (WJEC/Eduqas)

Hey, how did you revise for english lit? im stuck between getting between 8s and 9s but i want to make sure i get a 9

Reply 15

OP

Original post by 1qmat

Hey, how did you revise for english lit? im stuck between getting between 8s and 9s but i want to make sure i get a 9

my biggest tip is to try as best as you can to come with unique, original points about the text instead of just regurgitating what gcse youtubers and tiktokers tell you are grade 9 points. obviously, most of those are of high quality but if you can form a good, well-thought out point about the text based off your own analytical skills then imo that’s a sign of a grade 9 student. examiners are more likely to see your skill if it’s a point you clearly came up with yourself instead of just regurgitating the same point as 400 other people who remembered a mr salles video. in terms of revision, i recommend making character mind maps where you draw an arrow and write a ‘topic sentence’ in one colour, draw arrows off that point in a different colour for quotes that link and another colour for how the character changed over the play (if they did at all) . so for inspector calls one eg i have is for mrs birling
ts: set in her beliefs and adamant not to change
q: ‘i accept no blame for it at all’
change: ‘well why shouldn’t we?’
to learn quotes i just made quizlets and did them over and over until i was word perfect

also make essay plans/write essays and get your teacher to grade them and give feedback!! hugely helpful as you don’t need to wait for an essay to be set once a half term to get feedback

Reply 16

Mkitchen_

Original post by dontspellicup

i have revision tips and resources galore for those who need it!
subjects i did:
english lit and lang (AQA)
maths (AQA higher)
chemistry (AQA higher)
physics (AQA higher)
biology (AQA higher)
french (AQA higher)
rs (WJEC/Eduqas)
classical civilisation (OCR)
history (WJEC/Eduqas)

do you have any tips for classics i am doing homeric world and myth and religion would really appreciate it xx

Reply 17

20ubas

2

Original post by dontspellicup

i have revision tips and resources galore for those who need it!
subjects i did:
english lit and lang (AQA)
maths (AQA higher)
chemistry (AQA higher)
physics (AQA higher)
biology (AQA higher)
french (AQA higher)
rs (WJEC/Eduqas)
classical civilisation (OCR)
history (WJEC/Eduqas)

Hii, do you have any revision resources for french? Thank you in advance :smile:

Reply 18

OP

Original post by Mkitchen_

do you have any tips for classics i am doing homeric world and myth and religion would really appreciate it xx

i’d recommend making mind maps for festivals and quizlets for the homeric world (esp for the odyssey chapters and have different facts and details bc the questions about odyssey ask very specific things.) practice writing questions and have your teacher mark them and for the myth and religion just do as much active recall ie quizlets again (i love quizlet) as possible and again make mindmaps for events eg amazonomachy. i’d also recommend writing out summaries of the stories for m+r and then after the summary write a table of the good and bad ways a key character(s) is presented with textual evidence to support. so for like the lesser adventures of hercules he is unable to maintain stoicism shown through the line saying he was “unable to act like a man” this would be significant bc stoicism was a key attribute for the greeks etc… make sure to do this by focusing on things significant to the greeks/romans eg stoicism, hubris, piety, etc

Reply 19

Jessicaokjeez23