apply post 16 after year 10 mocks

my GCSE mocks are not that great.so I have science 5/4, maths 4, and 5 for photography—that's all the subjects I passed my GCSE. and I have 3 for my English. these are my first mock results. and I want to choose psychology, biology, and maths for my A/L.but I really don't know what to do. can you give me a feedback?

Reply 1

Super Sprinkles

First of all, most people apply for things in year 11 (approx January) with their year 11 predicted grades, so please don't worry too much. You can 100% improve your current grades - you've still got a LOT of time.

Do you have an idea of where you want to go - for sixth form or college? Because the grade requirements are different. The sixth form I'm going to for example needs 5+ in English & maths and at least 6 grade 6s to join them, although this is on the higher side afaik. Explore potential paths and see what grades you need to get for them.

Revision Tips

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Pay attention in lesson, if you aren't already - this is the top learning technique.

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Little but often - even 30 minutes a day allows effective revision & progress over time.

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Try to make sure you're doing active revision (flashcards, brain dumps/blurting, exam questions & eventually past papers under timed conditions) as this is how people learn stuff.

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Ask why to dig deeper into your understanding.

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Focus on the things you're struggling at as this is where you'll make the most progress.

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Ask your teachers questions - they're there to help you!

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You might be able to revise with friends to make it more enjoyable. Find a method that works for you.

English Tips & Resources

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English language is all about writing fast to get past the waffle.

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Make sure you're answering the flippin' question! Each question wants you to do a different thing (I hate this, but you've got to learn to the test).

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For the writing sections, use a variety of punctuation, sentence lengths and high-level vocabulary (look online).

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Do questions & get your teacher to mark them (the AQA mark schemes are god awful) then act on this advice.

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Mr Salles, Mr Everything English, First Rate Tutors, Stacey Reay, Mr Bruff on youtube are super helpful.

Feel free to message me if you need more help.

Finally, remember that GCSEs aren't everything. You would still be able to find something to do after secondary school with what you're getting right now. Don't worry excessively, but make sure you're trying your best :smile: