If you’ve returned from the Christmas holidays and received your GCSE mock grades, it could be that you feel a little deflated.
Perhaps you’ve missed your target grades by a considerable margin or the pressure got to you in the exam room. Don’t worry. This is entirely normal.
Take a breath and relax. You still have plenty of time to make sure that your learning and exam preparation is in top shape come June.
In this guide, we will take you through what to do if you are worried about your GCSE mock results.
1. Go Through Your Exam Paper with Your Teacher
This is a very common practice in schools and most students should be familiar with evaluating their exam mocks and papers. Here you will be able to see where you went wrong and make notes on the topics you need to revise further.
You might see a pattern in the types of questions you got right, for example, multiple-choice or longer-form answers. Once you recognise which questions you need to focus on in more detail, this can inform your revision schedule.
2. Remember That Your GCSEs are Still Months Away
It can be quite scary to think that at the moment, you aren’t quite achieving your target grades. But you have to remember that you still have 2 terms left of teaching and a revision period before you sit your exams.
You’ll have plenty of time to cement all your learning and revise before your GCSE exams. There is a tendency to feel a bit overwhelmed but you have plenty of support and guidance you can access in the next few months.
3. Seek Out an Online or In-person Tutor
If you want that extra level of support, a private tutor can be a great way to boost your learning and confidence in a subject. In mainstream learning, teachers can sometimes have to teach upwards of 30 students per classroom. This means that some students don’t get the necessary teaching they need to fulfil their full potential.
A private tutor can accurately assess a student’s capabilities and identify the areas in which they need to improve. Working in a 1:1 environment allows the student to flourish and grow in confidence with their learning and improves their grades in the process.
4. Create a Revision Timetable
Starting your revision in January or February can give you plenty of time to build up your knowledge in your chosen subjects. This will also prevent you from cramming last minute which can be stressful and not as effective.
Even setting aside a couple of hours a week on your core subjects will help exponentially for your GCSE exams.
You can even join forces with a friend to study together and make it into a fun learning experience. Why not devise some quizzes and test each other on your subject knowledge? Or you could even make PowerPoints on certain topics and present them to a small group. Revision doesn’t have to be a solitary process. Try to vary your revision tactics and develop unique ways to learn.
5. Practice Sitting More Mock Exams
The only way you will feel more comfortable doing things under exam conditions is to practice. You will have plenty of opportunities to sit more exams under timed conditions in the next few months. Give yourself a moment before you go in to do some breathing exercises and focus on the task ahead.
Exams can leave you feeling slightly anxious however the more you do them the easier it will become. You can even set yourself your own mock exams by downloading past papers from your school’s chosen examination board.
Just make sure that you select the right examination board as you could be learning information that won’t turn up on your exam paper in June.
Get Help With Your GCSE Mocks With Sandeman Tutoring
Sandeman Tutoring has teachers with years of experience teaching students so that they can achieve their best and hit their target grades. Even if your GCSE mocks have been disappointing, we are here to help you improve and build confidence
If you are wondering how our tutoring packages work, we are available for online or in-person tutoring, depending on your schedule and what works best for you.
Contact us today to find out more about our tutors and how we can support you through your GCSE year.
