It's no big secret. Your General Certificate of Secondary Education - your GCSE is a pretty huge deal. You may be tired of hearing that, though. Who could blame you? You've been told all along that every exam is a big deal. How much bigger a deal could GCSEs be? Let's see:

  • they can help you land a good apprenticeship
  • they pave the way to top Sixth Form schools
  • they may weigh on your university application
  • they may be a deciding factor in getting hired

Granted, since England's educational standards changed (thanks to the Education and Skills Act), GCSEs have lessened in value. These days, every student must enrol in some sort of further education. They can work part-time or volunteer and attend classes. They may take Advanced Level (A-Level) courses or seek an apprenticeship.

For apprenticeships and part-time work, GCSEs matter a great deal. However, thanks to the expanded education requirements, employers now prefer to see A-Level marks than GCSEs. Even the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has done away with virtually every GCSE requirement.

But does it even matter whether GCSEs are important? Not really. They are required though. And, as the old saying goes, any job worth doing is worth doing well. In that spirit, let's find the best ways to get the job done.

The best Academic tutoring tutors available
Daniel
5
5 (18 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Siddharth
5
5 (39 reviews)
Siddharth
£70
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Syed
5
5 (47 reviews)
Syed
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Gokhan
4.9
4.9 (22 reviews)
Gokhan
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Marianne
5
5 (12 reviews)
Marianne
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr amin
5
5 (5 reviews)
Dr amin
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (30 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Aya
5
5 (6 reviews)
Aya
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Daniel
5
5 (18 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Siddharth
5
5 (39 reviews)
Siddharth
£70
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Syed
5
5 (47 reviews)
Syed
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Gokhan
4.9
4.9 (22 reviews)
Gokhan
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Marianne
5
5 (12 reviews)
Marianne
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr amin
5
5 (5 reviews)
Dr amin
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (30 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Aya
5
5 (6 reviews)
Aya
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

How to Get Good Grades in GCSE

Our tips to get good grades in GCSE exams include:

  1. Make the Most of Online Resources
  2. Find Past Papers and Marking Schemes
  3. Use Visual Aids
  4. Experiment with Different Recall Strategies
  5. Form a Study Group
  6. Consider a Tutor

The first and most important step to acing GCSEs is knowing what's expected of you. Of course, you know that showing up and earning high marks are the Top 2 expectations. We'll talk about ways to earn those high marks later in this article. But there's more to delivering a stellar exam performance than earning top-tier grades.

A boy in a blue hoodie sitting in a classroom looking at the teacher
Students want to know how to study effectively for GCSEs. Photo by Taylor Flowe on Unsplash

It all starts when you select your GCSE subjects. You can choose as few as five and as many as nine. Some super diligent students go for 10 but the average number of subjects is eight. You have to sit English, Science and Maths. That leaves you anywhere from two to five choices you get to make on your own. How to choose them?

Striking a balance between 'hard' and 'soft' courses is the best GCSE advice you'll ever get. If you're a Science Superstar - meaning science is easy for you, plan on sitting a double or triple science exam. And then, choose an equal number of courses that demand more focus and concentration. Conversely, if you draw manga for the fun of it, sign up for Art & Design and... why not learn Japanese, for a bit of a challenge?

This balancing act serves you in more ways than one. First, when you set up your revision schedule, you'll get to look forward to 'favourite subject' review sessions. Next, it eases you into expanding your intellectual horizons. Finally, it demonstrates you're open to learning about a wide range of subjects. If nothing else, that level of flexibility prepares you for work and life.

Revision Ideas for GCSEs: Time Management

Most GCSE students would probably be surprised to learn that time management is one of the most important techniques they need to master. Time management isn't just vital to revising for exams. This is a skill that will serve you well throughout your life. What does time management involve?

Time management: what all you have to do versus how much time you have to do it in.

That's the easiest way to think about time management. To make our example easy, we'll assume you selected eight GCSE courses. You can't work on all eight of them in one evening so your workload will span several days.

Besides revisions, you have school and family commitments. You want and need to spend time with friends. You have to get adequate amounts of sleep. And you need downtime. You need time away from your studies, family obligations and anything else you might have going on. It appears you have quite a bit to do! How to manage it all?

Schedule four, two-hour revision sessions. Say, from seven to nine in the evening. Each session will see you revising a different subject. Don't forget to switch up between soft and hard courses; one each per evening. That's Monday through Thursday evening planned out. For Friday's session, map and review everything you've gone over during the past week. That's your revision schedule sorted.

As soon as you set your revision schedule, let everyone know you'll not be available on those days during those times. Not even to walk the dog, have some ice cream or see something hilarious on the telly. Because even your two-hour revision block is scheduled down to the minute.

The best Academic tutoring tutors available
Daniel
5
5 (18 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Siddharth
5
5 (39 reviews)
Siddharth
£70
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Syed
5
5 (47 reviews)
Syed
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Gokhan
4.9
4.9 (22 reviews)
Gokhan
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Marianne
5
5 (12 reviews)
Marianne
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr amin
5
5 (5 reviews)
Dr amin
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (30 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Aya
5
5 (6 reviews)
Aya
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Daniel
5
5 (18 reviews)
Daniel
£90
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Siddharth
5
5 (39 reviews)
Siddharth
£70
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Syed
5
5 (47 reviews)
Syed
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Gokhan
4.9
4.9 (22 reviews)
Gokhan
£45
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Marianne
5
5 (12 reviews)
Marianne
£30
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr amin
5
5 (5 reviews)
Dr amin
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Dr fouzia
5
5 (30 reviews)
Dr fouzia
£80
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Aya
5
5 (6 reviews)
Aya
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

GCSE Revision Tips: Productivity Tools

It's hard to stare an eight-course workload in the face and not feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, if you plan your studies as described above, you don't have to worry about that. You only need to revise two subjects on any given day. And only for an hour apiece. If only there were a way to stick to that!

There is. Have you ever heard about the Pomodoro time management system? It's named after a kitchen timer, of all things! It involves setting a timer for the minutes you'll be productive. When the timer sounds, you get to take a break. Put down your pen and walk away from your notes.

A white digital kitchen timer with light blue buttons set to zero, standing on a white surface
The best GCSE revision techniques include time management. Photo by Manik Roy on Unsplash

Studies show that this time management method is effective not only to manage heavy workloads but to help workers stay focused on their tasks. Let's say you're revising for the statistics GCSE. Before you crack the books open, you would set your timer for 48 minutes. As soon as you hit 'Start', you open your books, go over your notes and look up whatever information you're lacking.

You don't stop until the timer goes off. And then, you have 10 minutes to check your phone, get something to drink, visit the loo and generally walk around. You also have two minutes to lay out your next subject's study materials. When the timer signals your break is over, it's time to start revising your second subject.

You may use a kitchen timer but you'd have to keep manually setting it. Much better for you to download a timer app from the app or play store. You'll have a wide selection to choose from. While you're there, why not browse around for other helpful apps? Planners, calendars, note organisers... That way, you'll have a revision tool for every GCSE from Construction to Drama.

How to Pass Your GCSEs

So far, we've established that doing well at GCSEs depends on creating and sticking to an efficient study plan. You should create yours months - not weeks before your exams. Organisation is only half the battle, though. It will take more than that to get top results. The next batch of GCSE revision tips allows you to build on the hard work you have been putting in all year. These initiatives will convert your past efforts into success in the exam hall.

Make the Most of Online Resources

Throughout these GCSE tips, we've mentioned several apps to help you prepare. Pomodoro time management systems, note-taking and scheduling apps and more. We haven't even scratched the surface of what's available! The Internet is a rich source of all kinds of information that will help you prepare for your GCSEs.

GCSE Bitesize is a good place to start. It's organised first by exam board and then into subjects. Each Bitesize page features tips on everything from how to write a non-fiction text to how to interpret mathematical graphs. For something a little more interactive, try Channel 4 Learning. It features games to help you hone your knowledge in areas like algebra.

If you are preparing for a subject like art, broaden your search and turn to sites like Pinterest. This site is full of past students' art projects. They will inspire you not only in terms of content, but in terms of style and presentation as well. YouTube is another rich source of videos that will help you with both revision techniques and exam content.

Find Past Papers and Marking Schemes

Past exam papers have to be one of the best ways to revise for GCSE exams. You can use them in several different ways. Doing past exams is vital. Not just because of their content, but because they can help you perfect your time management skills during the exam itself. You can figure out how you'll allocate precious minutes to each question and decide on your test-taking strategy.

Some students prefer to whip through the exam booklet, marking all the answers they know off the top of their head. Then, they go back to answer the more challenging problems. They usually save the essay questions for last. You can give this method a try to see how well it would work for you. Make sure to give yourself a few extra minutes to check your answers as well.

Use Visual Aids

Don’t underestimate the power of the visual. Mind maps and large posters on the walls of your room will do the trick. Mind maps are particularly useful for subjects like GCSE Geography, where you need to collate a lot of facts about a particular period or world event. Mind maps help you connect ideas and see how different ideas relate to each other.

It can be very hard to study without a summary of your notes. Mind maps are the ultimate minimalist aid since they condense highly complex ideas into a few keywords. They make it easy for you to recall and reproduce the most important information during exams. Then, you only need to expand on the information those keywords contain.

Flashcards are another handy visual revision tool. If you take public transport to and from school, go over your revision cards as you ride. Or, if you prefer, you can build electronic flashcard decks with an app like Anki or Quizlet. Remember, every second counts during exam time.

A woman in a blue shirt lies back on a bed with her hands covering her face, surrounded by polaroid snapshots
Include visual aids in your revision methods GCSE. Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

Experiment with Different Recall Strategies

You'll find that certain subjects require you to memorise long lists of information. As noted above, creating visuals as you revise helps you remember vital keywords. Remembering them is good but you still have to figure out what to do with them. For that, you can use a host of memory tricks.

Many students rely on mnemonics. These can include everything from wordplays to songs, rhymes, catchphrases and stories. One popular mnemonic is the phrase ‘Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally’. It's used to describe the order of operations in mathematics: Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. You can get creative as you like! The best mnemonics are the ones you create yourself!

Put Together a Study Group

You might be the kind of pupil who likes learning from others and sharing your own knowledge. If so, consider starting up a study group early on in the year. Make sure you have a set agenda at every meeting. Also, set regular breaks to ensure that you are using your study time to its fullest.

Set tasks for each member. For instance, one person might be in charge of creating a mind map for a specific topic. Another person might read and summarise a particular research topic. Yet another might be assigned to source past papers and marking schemes. Unless everyone has a job, your study group could end up being more of a social gathering.

How would you incorporate group study sessions into your meticulously planned revision schedule? Such would be ideal for your Friday night study time. Remember, that's when you'll compile everything you've gone over throughout the week. Or you could do it over the weekend. Order some pizza, have something to drink on standby... Set your productivity timers and off you go!

Consider a Tutor

For all of your good intentions and despite all of the sage advice you follow, you could still run into trouble ahead of your exams. It wouldn't hurt to get a shot of confidence from someone who knows exactly what you're up against. A mentor who knows all of the best revision and test-taking strategies. Someone who has coached many students to success.

You might consider a test-prep tutor or, if one subject in particular is giving you fits, a tutor who specialises in that subject. You could book a few sessions with an academic coach to chart a path to your revision goals and help you get organised. If you are, indeed, interested in forming a study group, a private tutor would be the ideal leader to help you organise that initiative.

Superprof tutors know all the best revision techniques for GCSE. They know all of the exam boards' criteria, materials and specifications. Indeed, they will likely bring past papers and the examiners' reports to your learning sessions so you can go over them together.

Should you prefer online lessons, Superprof tutors have you covered. They excel at lesson delivery via webcam and know all the best web-based learning tools. You may even find online tutoring sessions the best value for your money. Most Superprof tutors offer their first hour at no charge and many give discounts to students who buy lesson bundles.

A young woman asleep in under a brown blanket with her head resting on a matching pillowcase
Sleeping well and regularly is some of the best GCSE advice anyone could give you. Photo by Lux Graves on Unsplash

GCSE Advice: on a Personal Note

Sitting exams isn't only about knowing stuff and spewing it on exam papers. It's also about taking care of yourself. You can't drive yourself mad just to get good grades. You shouldn't neglect your needs in pursuit of high marks. And you certainly mustn't stint on motivation drivers. That's why you have to...

Reward Yourself

Set weekly or monthly study goals. Once you reach that target, reward yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe just an outing with friends. Or, perhaps, an afternoon off to enjoy your favourite sports or leisure pursuit.

Eat Well and Exercise Regularly

Regular aerobic and strength exercise do wonders for your stamina. Short exercise sessions can help you feel fresh and energetic instead of stressed and frazzled. Meditating even for just 20 minutes a day is proven to increase a student’s ability at performing cognitive tests. Amidst all you have to do, setting aside this amount of time for fitness every day will be very beneficial.

What you eat during this time is likewise important. Stay away from processed and high-sugar/high-salt foods like store-bought biscuits, pastries and snacks. These foods cause your blood sugar to rise quickly and then dip, leading to fatigue. Fizzy drinks heighten that effect.

Keep your energy levels steady by eating balanced meals each day. They should consist of seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts, and lean sources of protein. Also, make sure to eat wild salmon and other fatty fish. They are filled with Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been shown to boost brain function.

Sleep is also vital. When you are tired, it is easier to make silly mistakes in exams. Your ability to recollect and piece together information can also be affected.

Don’t short your sleep as a general rule. Above all, don't make the mistake of cramming the night before a GCSE exam. Stop looking at your notes by around 8pm on exam eve. Do something relaxing like listening to music or doing some light reading, maybe even going for a short walk.

The sole exception would be if you're revising for GCSE Drama. You should still close the books and leave your study area. But nothing says you can't recite dialogue from your favourite play as you stroll around the block.

Don’t Panic

Anxiety interferes with your ability to concentrate and analyse a problem. Don’t let worry block you and ruin all the hard work you have been dedicating to your studies all year. You have the knowledge, discipline and drive. Get out there and show the examiners what you’ve got!

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

5.00 (2 rating(s))
Loading...

Imogen

I'm an active energetic person. I enjoy long-distance running and have taken part in many organised events including the 2016 Prague Marathon. I'm a keen skier and love open-water swimming, when the weather is right!