For many students, the mock exam results and school parent evenings will provide reassurance that they are on track to achieve their target GCSE or A Level grades this summer. Many others, however, will be disappointed or, even worse, be in a state of shock or feeling very stressed, especially after a very difficult two years of educational challenges, and return to ‘normal’ exams.

If your child falls into the latter group, it’s worth remembering that mock exams are a “practice” and that there is still time for him/her to get back on track and achieve their exam/ university aspirations (although not without some work first!).

As a parent, it can be difficult to know how to best support your child. Not only are teenagers notorious for their lack of communication, but it’s also common for parents to tell us that their son/daughter doesn’t really understand what went wrong or what they need to do to improve their grades.

So before coming up with any drastic action plans, try and engage your son/daughter and their teachers in an objective assessment of what went wrong (as well as what went well!), whether that be insufficient preparation or dropping marks on specific types of question or topic.

Here are our top tips for students who were unhappy with their mock exam results:

1. Get organised now

Your mocks may have been disappointing but there is still time. So shake off your disappointment, focus on what’s ahead and start making changes today.

2. Learn from your mock results

Don’t pretend your mocks didn’t happen or make excuses for the results – if your results aren’t what you were expecting, take it as a sign that you need to change something.

This could be your study habits or how you split your attention across your subjects. If you do nothing different, you face the risk of getting similar results when it comes to the real thing.

3. Speak to your teachers

You may already have had feedback during parents evening but go and spend a bit more time with them; speak to them properly about where you went wrong (rather than a few minutes before you dash off for your next class!)

Ask questions where you don’t understand something and do take up offers of after-school revision classes or regular catch-ups for extra guidance.

4. Where did you go wrong exactly?

At its simplest level, bad mock results are due to you not scoring enough marks; it’s important to understand why this was the case. The most common reasons for poor mock exam results are:

• Time management: did you set aside enough time for different sections of the exam (particularly those worth the most marks)? If not, learn to keep an eye on the clock and identify the sections worth the most marks.
• Misreading the question: this is a common problem, particularly in time pressured exams.  Don’t be tempted to start writing immediately; make sure you’ve read the question two or three times and highlight key words so they stand out.
• Not showing calculations: a common one in maths and science exams especially, where your final result isn’t always what the examiner is looking at. If your method is sound, you can still pick up marks!
• Not providing evidence: correct sourcing is important in subjects like history or psychology where there are lots of dates, names and case studies to remember. Making your case/argument isn’t enough; you have to show evidence to back up everything you say.

5. Create a revision timetable now

Draw up a timetable you can realistically stick to, breaking down what you need to study into chunks to make revision more manageable and factoring in extra time for past papers as well as topics which need more attention. Doing past papers and reading the examiners reports are one of the most useful and important resources you have – utilise them.

If you’re unsure abut how to make the most of your revision time, why not brush up on your technique with our revision tips?

So where does Justin Craig fit in to all of this?

With expert yet friendly tutors and small group classes, our classes are tailored to individual needs and help students by:

• addressing subject knowledge gaps
• providing invaluable exam technique insights and tips
• sharpening up their approach to revising and tackling exam papers

With courses throughout the year, and online or 1-2-1 tuition options, students can tackle and get on top of their weakest subject(s) earlier in the year rather than trying to cram everything into the Easter holidays. As well as making Easter revision less stressful, it also means that students have more time for revising their other subjects, enabling them to achieve a better set of results overall.

Still not sure? Read our customer reviews here.  Alternatively, take a look at our student videos and/or reviews :

• Student video
• Kitty’s review
• Oliver’s review

If you would like to find out more about our courses, please contact us here or call our friendly team on 01727 744340.

Exam Boards & Papers

English Literature is a standard exam at GCSE level, taken with English Language, resulting in a double award for both English exams. It is fully examined with two papers (except I-GCSE or WJEC as these also include NEA Non-Examined Assessments).

Most boards use an essay style question paper for both papers based on texts taught in class. They are graded using the numerical 1 to 9 grading system where a 9 is the equivalent of a top A* and a grade 4 is a pass (equivalent to a C grade). Sixth form colleges will generally require a Grade 6 for students to study Literature at A Level.

The best way to prepare

The best way to prepare for this exam is to know the set texts well.

In Britain the exams are closed text, meaning the text or notes cannot be taken into the exam with you. While you will be expected to know and use some quotes in the exam, short one- or two-word quotes or paraphrasing or reference to method will trump revising long quotations. You must also revise context, theory, purpose and author methods.

Firstly, you will need to be able to produce a reading of each text analytically and use both structural and language analysis. However, each question is worded to elicit an essay response of two or more pages- they are mostly theme or character based.

For example, “How is violence presented in Macbeth” is answered using the examples and perpetrators of violence in the play to comment on analytically with quotes, references, context and methods to underpin the essay points you make. The author’s perspective should also be considered- whether it is critical or condoning.

Secondly, you will need to be able to write clearly, using accurate punctuation, grammar and spelling. In addition, you must answer the question clearly and thoroughly to be successful.

You will need to build a coherent argument, such as the idea that violence in Macbeth is presented to excess. Evidence to support might be that the motif of blood is prominent throughout and the noun ‘blood’ appears 300 times. An essay framework and paragraph acronym might help you such as PEACI- point, evidence, analysis, context, intention of the writer.

Extended Questions

On each paper there will be extended questions, rather than short questions. They will be on a Shakespeare, 19^th Century text, 20th Century text, a set of poems and unseen poetry (where you analyse a poem not seen before to show your understanding). The order of these varies for each exam board, but one paper will be longer than the other to include the unseen poetry.

Looking on to A Level Literature

Both papers feed into A Level Literature which requires an advanced understanding of texts, building upon the base knowledge of language, form and structure at GCSE.

In addition, the reading skills used to analyse language and structure, to compare and evaluate also form part of the questions on the A Level Literature exam. This is also comprised of two exams, but also includes NEA, where students must undergo their own reading and research into literature. Most NEAs for most boards are 20% of the overall mark based on a comparison of three selected texts. Again, the texts on this course will include Shakespeare, 19^th century and 20^th century texts.

What to do if you feel you are struggling with subject/ keeping up

If help is sought from a teacher or a tutor it is best to firstly identify what you are finding difficult, such as not knowing how to approach a particular question or any other clear reason for being unable to keep up.

There are measures that can be taken to address many of the issues students experience, such as support for essay construction (a common problem) or individual questions, such as learning methods of approach which suit your style of learning.

Frequently, in first mocks, students complete the longer exam (over 2 hours) there are issues with timings so do practise the essays in a timed way at home when using exam questions.

It is important to seek help as soon as it is needed as early intervention is the most effective. If you leave it until weeks before the exam, it might be too late. Ideally, the November mocks in Year 11 should mirror true progress and show if you are having difficulty in either exam.

Useful information to study in each of the different years

Years 9-13:

Students in these years benefit from reading of any kind, fiction or non-fiction. However, to do well in Literature it is important to have read a broad range of texts. In conjunction with this, the texts need to be reading age appropriate.

GCSE students will not benefit from reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but anything 15+ is beneficial, regardless of the genre. This range will enable students to get to grips with reading conventions, typical structures and a range of methods.

Years 10 to 11:

Students might also benefit from reading texts from earlier periods to support their knowledge of literary conventions and context. Contextual knowledge of literature is currency in the GCSE exams.

Years 12-13:

Need to develop better subject knowledge, it is useful to be widely read, including the classics from 1600 onwards.

Subject specific

You will need to know a variety of author methods, textual references and context for every question on the exam. However, key methods will include irony, metaphor, symbolism, allusion, extended metaphor, juxtaposition, paradox and motif as these methods appear the most consistently and can be used effectively (and used in the English exam reading questions).

Tips & techniques for exams / study

Youtube, TikTok and so on feature many reputable teachers or organisations addressing specific texts and skills to help study, such as schooling online. Most of these are free, but there are additional subscription packages offered as an option too, such as for Mr Bruff. These resources support plot, methods and context.

In addition, free sites such as Seneca offer free quizzes to support knowledge. You can also buy study guides – ensure these are for the exam board used for your school as many of the same texts are covered by different exam boards. However, practising the questions and getting feedback will support improvement the most.

EPQs– You can expand your NEA to a literary or author investigation to develop it into an EPQ. This may enhance or reinforce your subject knowledge and benefit you in the A Level Exam.

UCAS applications- although students are no longer required to produce a personal statement, they are required to answer structured questions for information.

Universities will look at your GCSE and A level grades for English. A Grade 6 is needed in English Language GCSE, regardless of the course applied for, however a high grade in Literature may mitigate this for some universities. Certainly for A Level, the expectation for English Literature is usually a Grade 6 in order to study at this level.

We wish you all the best with your studies.

Exams are an integral part of academic life, often bringing a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Effective preparation can transform this anxiety into confidence, leading to better performance and outcomes.

Understanding the Importance of Preparation

Before we delve into specific strategies, it’s crucial to understand why preparation is so important. Preparation not only helps reinforce your understanding of the material but also builds confidence and reduces anxiety. It allows you to manage your time effectively and ensures you are well-equipped to handle different types of questions. Now, let’s look at the key steps to preparing effectively for exams.

Step 1: Organise Your Study Space

A well-organised study space can significantly enhance your productivity and concentration. Ensure your study area is free from distractions and has all the necessary materials. Good lighting, a comfortable chair, and a clutter-free desk are essential. Keep all your notes, textbooks, and other resources within easy reach. Personalise your space with motivational quotes or anything that keeps you focused and inspired.

Step 2: Create a Study Plan

A study plan is your roadmap to effective revision. Start by listing all the subjects and topics you need to cover. Break down your study sessions into manageable chunks, allocating specific time slots for each topic. Be realistic about your time and energy levels, and include short breaks to avoid burnout. A well-structured study plan helps you stay organized and ensures comprehensive coverage of the syllabus. Revising regularly according to a plan helps reinforce your memory and understanding over time, rather than relying on last-minute cramming.

Step 3: Utilize Active Revision Techniques

Active revision techniques engage your brain more effectively than passive reading. Here are some techniques to consider:

1. Summarisation: Condense the material into concise notes. Highlight key points and concepts.
2. Mind Mapping: Create visual representations of the material. This technique is particularly useful for complex topics, as it allows you to see the connections between different pieces of information.
3. Flashcards: Use flashcards for quick reviews and self-testing. They are especially helpful for memorizing definitions, formulas, and key terms. Flashcards are portable and convenient, allowing you to revise anywhere.
4. Teaching: Explain the material to someone else. Teaching forces you to understand the topic deeply and identify any gaps in your knowledge.
5. Practice Papers: Regularly complete past exam papers and sample questions. This not only familiarizes you with the exam format but also helps you gauge your understanding and timing.

Step 4: Stay Healthy

Physical and mental well-being are crucial during exam preparation. Ensure you get enough sleep, eat balanced meals, and stay hydrated. Regular physical activity, such as a short walk or a workout, can reduce stress and improve concentration. Avoid excessive caffeine and ensure you take regular breaks to rest and recharge. Remember, a healthy body supports a healthy mind, making it easier to absorb and retain information.

Step 5: Manage Your Time Effectively

Time management is key to effective exam preparation. Prioritise your tasks based on their importance and deadlines. Use techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique, where you study for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. This helps maintain focus and productivity. Keep track of your progress and adjust your study plan if needed. Time management also involves knowing when to stop and take a break, ensuring you don’t overwork yourself and burn out.

Step 6: Use Technology Wisely

Technology can be a powerful ally if used wisely. There are numerous apps and tools designed to aid study and revision. Apps like Quizlet for flashcards, Evernote for note-taking, and Trello for organising your study plan can be very helpful. However, be mindful of digital distractions. Limit social media use and avoid unnecessary online activities during study sessions. Using website blockers or setting specific times for checking notifications can help maintain focus.

Step 7: Join Study Groups

Study groups can be highly beneficial. Collaborating with peers allows you to gain different perspectives and insights. It also provides opportunities for discussion, clarification, and mutual support. Ensure that your study group is focused and goal-oriented to maximise its effectiveness. Group studies can also introduce a social element to studying, making the process less isolating.

Step 8: Seek Help When Needed

Don’t hesitate to seek help if you’re struggling with a particular topic. Reach out to your teachers, classmates, or use online resources. There are countless tutorials, forums, and educational websites that can provide additional explanations and practice. Seeking help ensures that you understand the material thoroughly, rather than moving on with gaps in your knowledge.

Step 9: Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Stress management is crucial during exam preparation. Incorporate mindfulness and relaxation techniques into your routine. Practices such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can help reduce anxiety and improve concentration. A calm mind is more receptive to learning and retaining information. Regular relaxation breaks can prevent stress from building up, allowing you to maintain a steady, productive pace.

Step 10: Simulate Exam Conditions

Simulating exam conditions can help reduce anxiety and improve your time management. Allocate a specific time to complete practice papers under exam conditions. This exercise familiarises you with the pressure of the exam environment and helps you manage your time more effectively. Simulating exam conditions also helps identify areas where you may need to improve speed or accuracy.

Conclusion: Confidence Through Preparation

Effective exam preparation is about more than just cramming information. It involves a holistic approach that includes organisation, active revision, time management, and self-care. By following these steps, you can build a strong foundation of knowledge, reduce anxiety, and approach your exams with confidence.

Remember, preparation is a personal journey. What works for one person may not work for another, so find the strategies that suit you best. Stay focused, stay positive, and believe in your ability to succeed. With diligent preparation and a positive mindset, you can conquer your exams and achieve your academic goals.

Good luck!

Why is A Level Biology so tricky?

If you’re a parent of a child who’s studying A Level Biology, you have probably seen them reading a massive textbook, and lugging it back and forth between home and school.

And it’s true – A Level Biology is incredibly content heavy. Students are not only expected to build upon their knowledge of the GCSE curriculum, but to learn a great swathe of new information, from kidneys to karyotypes, to the Krebs cycle. The course is designed to test the student’s ability to retain information, as well as higher-level scientific thinking. This equips students with the knowledge and skills to study sciences or medicine at university.

But simply learning the content is perhaps the ‘easy’ bit in A Level Biology. What sets the A Level apart from the GCSE, is that exam technique and detailed knowledge of past papers and mark schemes is absolutely critical to obtain an excellent mark. Not only this, but students are also expected to learn technical laboratory skills, showcasing these techniques under exam conditions. With all of this in mind, where should students start, and how should they revise to ensure they ace the exams?

Start with the specification and revise only what you really need to know

Every exam board and every subject at A Level will have a ‘specification’. This document is primarily aimed at teachers as it shows them everything they need to teach their students. However, students can also access these for free on the exam board website, and they can be incredibly helpful for revision.

When students are creating their notes for a topic or revising for a test, they should refer to the specification to see exactly what they need to know. I often advise students to write down a specification point, e.g., ‘understand the differences and similarities between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells’ and then add their notes on this particular point below.

The textbooks that exam boards provide often go into levels of detail beyond the exams. Unless your child is being invited for medical interviews, learning extra information is not necessary, and it only adds to the stress of memorising the course. Sticking to the specification will ensure your child knows exactly what the exam board is asking of them for each topic and should focus their revision efforts only to the information they really need.

Past papers, past papers…and more past papers

For GCSEs, it’s usually recommended that you do past papers for each subject, but most of the time you can get away with only doing one or two, because it’s more about memory than exam technique.

A Level is different. Many students will spend countless hours memorising the course, to only get a C or a D in a mock exam, leaving them feeling demotivated and unconfident. There’s no ‘quick fix’ to get a good mark in A Level Biology, and past papers need to become the student’s best friend. Students should complete a minimum of 10 past papers for each exam, but I would recommend more.

Even if their schoolteacher is giving them some for homework, they should be completing additional ones in their spare time. But completing exam questions is not quite enough. Students should also become familiar with mark schemes and should spend a lot of time going through their answers and adding key words and phrases from the mark schemes to their notes. Students will often write good answers in exams but miss out on marks because they haven’t used key words. Mark schemes will show the exact key words, terminology, and phrasing that is needed.

For example, let’s say there was a 4-mark question asking to, ‘describe and explain the effect of temperature on enzyme activity.’

Student 1 says: ‘As temperature increases, so does the activity. This is because things move around more, and the reaction happens quicker. When the temperature gets too high, the enzymes die, and the reaction stops.’

This student has got the general gist of the question, but they are not including key words and they have used some incorrect terminology (the word ‘die’ should not be included as this only relates to living things). They have also only written 3 sentences, and we generally need one sentence/point per mark. This student would probably only get 1 out of 4 marks.

Student 2 says: ‘As the temperature increases, so does the kinetic energy. This means that the enzymes and substrates are moving around more, meaning there will be more successful collisions between the substrate and the active site of the enzyme, leading to a faster rate of reaction. Beyond the optimum temperature, the bonds in the active site of the enzyme break- meaning the enzyme is denatured. This means that the enzyme’s active site is no longer complementary to the substrate, meaning fewer successful collisions, and a lower rate of reaction.

I have underlined all the key words in this answer. You can see that student 2 knows the exact key words to include, and they have practiced plenty of questions, so they also know the difference between the command words ‘describe’ and ‘explain.’ This answer would have scored full marks. Exam boards also like comparative words ending in ‘er’, like, ‘faster’, ‘longer’, ‘greater’, which this student has also included. Students may find Maths, experimental, and ‘suggest’ questions in Biology tricky, but as with everything, practice makes perfect, and this comes by completing past paper questions.

Find a revision strategy that works

Students often struggle to know exactly how to revise, so it’s important that they start to figure this out early. Some students may be either visual or text-based learners. For example, some may prefer to revise from long notes, whereas others might prefer spider diagrams or pictures. It’s important to do ‘active’ revision – simply reading notes and highlighting them is not going to help with longer-term memory.

Instead, students could turn their notes into diagrams, or pretend they’re teaching a topic to someone aloud. Mixing it up really helps and ensures the student doesn’t get bored. There are plenty of revision videos on YouTube, flashcards on Quizlet, and revision guides with summary notes (CGP are particularly good). As they get closer to exams, creating a detailed revision timetable will help them organise their time and ensures they will cover everything they need to. For example, ‘on Monday from 12-3pm, I will revise cells and magnification in Biology and answer paper 1 (2019) under timed conditions.’

And finally…breathe!

A Levels are tough, and your child will need regular breaks. Hard work is important, but focusing their efforts to the strategies above will ensure the student is concentrating on the things that really matter. When they get into their final exams, they should take a deep breath, remember that they really know their stuff, and they should remember to think like an examiner”.  Good luck!

Having worked as a maths teacher, and a Justin Craig maths tutor for several years, I use the end of June and the first two weeks of July to mark GCSE Maths exam papers for the two largest exam boards. I won’t name them, but we only have four and two of them are much larger than the others.

It is from my perspective that I would like to offer GCSE maths candidates some key advice for how to maximise your marks. In the last 4 days, I have marked over 3,000 questions and unfortunately, I have seen lots of marks given away due to poor technique and a lack of attention to detail.

Attention to Detail Points:

• Failure to show working out for higher value questions. If there are only 1 or 2 marks available then just writing down an answer is okay, although I would still advise showing a calculation even if it is a trivial one.

For 3 or 4 mark questions, do not just write down an answer. Whatever steps you went through to get that answer, PLEASE write them down.

• Failure to show working when explicitly asked to do so. If a questions states, “Show how you get your answer.” you MUST do this otherwise you will be penalised.
• Put your answer on the answer line. We will mark a correct answer wherever we find it, but get into the habit of writing your final answer on the answer line once you have finished your working out.
• Scruffy or tiny writing. I am genuinely shocked by the state of some of the handwriting I see. I know you are in a hurry and in a stressful situation, but PLEASE try to write clearly, neatly and maybe larger than you might normally write. The examiner will not have your actual paper. They will be working online and looking at a scanned image of your work. Give yourself the best chance by making your work readable by someone who does not know you.
• Guide the examiner. If you write something you later think is incorrect. Cross it out neatly and replace it with what you think is correct. Feel free to use a comment or arrow to guide the examiner to what you want them to mark. Use extra paper if need be. Ask yourself if some who doesn’t know you could follow your work.
• Failure to state units. If a question asks you to state the units of your answer, writing 24.5 instead of 24.5 cm will cost you a mark. You will also be penalised for incorrect units. Please remember to use linear units for lengths and perimeters, square units for area (including surface area), and cube units for volume.
• Failure to answer a question. You may get a question that says something like, “Robert’s year group has 180 students. 45% of them have pets. He says that this is 80 people. Is he correct?” A yes or no answer without any supporting maths will not score, even if you guess correctly. You either work 45% of 180 and compare that value to 80, or you turn 80 out of 180 into a percentage and compare that value to 45. After doing your calculations, you MUST state a yes or no conclusion. It is not enough to hint at it in your answer. You need to be explicit.

Make sure you know some key basics.

Here is a short list of some things that GCSE maths candidates simply have to know:

• Name and recognise the parts of a circle
• I see lots of candidates make mistakes with division and subtraction. Make sure you master these skills
• Name and recognise acute, obtuse and reflex angles
• Know what co-interior, alternate and corresponding angles are
• Know how to use a protractor to measure angles.
• Be able to measure lines accurately
• Know the angle sum of a triangle and a quadrilateral
• Know what equilateral, isosceles and scalene mean
• Understand and apply angles on a straight line and angles at a point
• Make sure you can convert between metric units
• Convert backwards and forwards between fractions, decimals and percentages

These are just a few, but they are some key areas where candidates lose marks through not having a good enough grasp of basics.

An examiner’s perspective on technique and basics helps candidates avoid losing marks unnecessarily. Good luck with all your study, revision and exams.

Many Economics students in year 12 can struggle to grasp the basic concepts and theories as it is often a new subject for them, having never had the opportunity to study the subject previously at GCSE. It can be overwhelming to hear lots of new concepts and theories, along with having to draw and adapt many diagrams. This can be a real barrier for students, particularly in year 12.

Making a positive start

To help with this, students may find it useful to stay organised and revise early on.

Even if you do not have an assessment coming up it is always good practice to revise and consolidate your notes and learning from previous lessons and topics, or even ahead of lessons in a ‘flipped’ learning style. This may help you understand the content within your next lesson more easily.

Flipped learning

This is the idea of trying to ‘learn’ and become familiar with key terms and topics before your teacher goes through it in class. This can help students understand the main building blocks and allow you to challenge yourself more during the actual lesson and deepen your understanding further through classroom led discussions.

This can be done in various ways:

• Reading a chapter ahead in a set text
• Finding news articles related to your current topics
• Current mind maps and ‘blurting’
• Watching a revision clip from the famous Youtuber – Econplusdal.

All of this can help to build your confidence and engagement not only within the lessons to help provide a solid foundation of good practice, but it is particularly useful to help build routine for independent learning. This becomes even more vital during further education such as a University degree and the exam season.

Confidence

The main idea of year 12 is to help build your confidence within the subject and help you to become familiar with using key terms and theory within your verbal responses and written responses when answering examination questions – this can help you to hit the exam codes of knowledge, application, analysis and evaluation.

Speak to your teacher

Speaking to your teacher and finding out their point of view or gaining their advice on why you may be struggling would also be a recommended strategy.

Having those conversations early on can help to reassure you that you may actually know more than you think and that progress really isn’t ‘that’ bad at the moment. Your teacher may be able to provide you with extra materials in class to help practice certain parts of the specification or exam technique to help you settle into the course during the early stages.

Your teacher may even run regular support sessions to go through theory and eventually exam technique when enough content has been covered. This can be a great way to work with other students of a similar ability who may be in different classes but also struggling with the same things as yourself. Revising in groups and with friends also helps to make it more sociable and gives you’re the opportunity to test each other.

Mind maps

To help you with the content, students often find creating mind Maps and blurting a useful technique as shown in the images from some past students. This is a great way to brainstorm your knowledge of particular areas of the specification and see where any gaps may exist in your subject knowledge.

These can then act as a building block of knowledge to aid you when answering examination-based questions as at the end of the day the questions are based around the specification and content of the course.

As a result, trying to revise definitions and practice drawing diagrams on a regular basis can help consolidate this knowledge and give a great foundation to build upon.

A tip with these mind maps is to keep building an expanding the ‘legs’ or ‘arms’ of them, this can really help you to develop and promote your analytical skill set of trying to think about the knock on impacts or effects within Economics.

Understanding examination questions

Students often struggle with the level of depth required in A Level question responses and often remark about the jump up from GCSE to A-level.

There is certainly a requirement to show a lot more depth and knowledge of key terms and theory in Economics. The longer questions and ‘essays’ that we come across at A level tend to be far more open and allow students to develop a range of skills such as; justification and the idea of being able to debate a view point.

To help overcome this it is vital for students studying Economics to understand what the exam questions and examiners are actually looking for.

Exam Question practise

Very useful exercises include going through mark schemes and examiner reports to see ‘model’ answers with suggested structures and layouts of questions. A model answer could even be an answer that has scored poorly as this can help you understand common pitfalls from previous examination students.

Chain of reasoning

This could be seen in various ways such as; incorrect knowledge shown, inaccurate drawing and adapting of diagrams or common situations where students have failed to develop their chain of reasoning.

This is one of the most common pitfalls and reasons that students score lower marks in longer type questions within Economics. One of the most important skills to develop throughout your course of study is the ability to develop your ideas and analysis.

Key Terms

It is important to remember that all of the key terms you learn during your studies can and should be used where appropriate to help develop your thought process and provide clear links or ‘knock on’ effects, such as the potential impacts on an economy of loosening monetary policy.

It is your job as an Economics student to take the examiner through the implications of such a policy change in a step by step approach This also helps to show your precise knowledge of the specification and secure A01 marks.

Command words

Define, explain, examine, assess and evaluate – these are all common command words we would expect to see at the start of questions within Economic papers. Each command word is a big clue on what you should be aiming to do, or not do, during your response.

Explain

Far too often, students write too much for a response when it is not needed – such as ‘explain’.

This command word often means no evaluation is needed, yet a common examiner remark in these types of questions is that students waste too much time in the exam by overwriting to try and ‘guarantee’ marks.

This is bad practice as not only is it not contributing to marks in the question, but it would also waste vital time in the exam that you could be using on other questions where more skills such as evaluation are actually needed!

Past Papers & Mark Schemes

It is a good strategy to read through past exam papers and mark schemes to understand what the questions are actually asking and expecting of students.

Try planning out questions and thinking ‘What would I write’ before comparing to the mark scheme or model answers from the exam board website where possible.

If you are struggling with a particular question and have a habit of writing too much and overcomplicating your answers a good affirmation can be ‘keep things simple’. Show your knowledge, link this knowledge to the case study material that you are often provided with and develop your analysis of the Economics to explain the knock-on effects.

Overall

The command words and questions can take time to get to grips with, especially if this is a new subject for you. Economic teachers often remark that year 12 is like a jigsaw. At first you are presented with many pieces, but you have no idea what the picture is that you are trying to build.

It can take many topics and time for you to collect enough jigsaw pieces, but overtime as you start to piece more and more of them together the picture becomes clearer.

Economics is a very synoptic subject, meaning a lot of it is all linked. Therefore, once you have covered more topics and covered a greater part of the specification, you will be better placed to draw upon this expansive pool of knowledge and theory that you have built up to help construct answers of a higher standard.

Tips and Resources for A Level Geographers from our expert tutor, Joel.

As a teacher since 1997, I’ve lived with the growth of the internet and the massive number of resources and ideas available for teachers and students. It’s hard to keep track of them all, and the ‘bookmarks’ on my internet browser have become so large that I often can’t find the outstanding ones anymore.

So, to help you, I’ve tried to summarise some key resources I use more often.

From GCSE to A Level

Firstly, the most obvious place to look is the news, a big difference in my mind between GCSE and A- -level is that A-level Geographers should have a good understanding of the world around them. It’s not just memorising facts anymore but being aware of what is going on and having an opinion to help you answer questions like ‘Assess’ or ‘Evaluate’ or ‘To what extent do you agree’

How to keep updated

To help with this try to watch the news on TV a few times a week, or if you want to focus on Geography topics, look for the climate, and environment sections on news websites. The Guardian does an excellent environmental news email they send out each week: https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters, there are other options here too. I like the fact that their email has a ‘good news’ section on environmental issues, which gives us a bit of hope!

The BBC website articles:

https://www.bbc.com/future/earth/ – Some great topical articles and other links at the top of this page to ‘future planet’ ‘health’ and ‘sustainability’:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cmj34zmwm1zt – BBC News climate page: up-to-date climate change stories:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c2vdnvdg6xxt – Israel-Gaza War: all links here and some clear explanations on the issues:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c1vw6q14rzqt – Russia-Ukraine War:

Book:

Many Geography teachers recommend reading ‘The Power of Geography’ and ‘Prisoners of Geography’ by Tim Marshall. Although these books are interesting and very detailed, personally I found them quite heavy-going and didn’t really remember much of the content after I’d finished them.

I recently found an excellent alternative ‘The Travelling Ape’ by Michael Mackay Richards. The tagline on the cover is ‘What travelling (nearly) everywhere has taught me about Humanity, Geopolitics, and Happiness. It is a fun and enjoyable read by someone who has travelled to nearly every country.

For example, one chapter outlines a trip he made to North Korea and another on the ‘Stan’ countries and how the size of their flags often equated to the oppressiveness of their regimes. A good light read to help you understand the world for many of the Geopolitical topics such as Superpowers or Global Systems.

Other websites I use regularly include:

https://timeforgeography.co.uk/: A great selection of short professional-made videos on different topics, mostly physical, but some human ones too, all excellent.

https://geographyeducationonline.org/a-level: Useful presentations and resources across all topic areas from the Geographical Association:

https://www.rgs.org/schools/resources-for-schools : Great resources and topical articles from the Royal Geographical Society:

https://dredfern.substack.com/  : Topical articles, sample exam questions, and lots more from a former examiner. May need to subscribe but all free:

Edexcel only: Most of the course summarised by topics can be found here: https://geographyrevisionalevel.weebly.com/

https://earth.nullschool.net/: if you’ve never played on this site before, have a look, a live map of the globe with air pressure movements. Great to observe the latest hurricane and see the wind directions etc.

Documentaries

If you prefer to watch rather than read, there are plenty of excellent documentaries out there that link to the course

https://ed.ted.com/ A massive set of really good videos, most are also on YouTube, you may need to search for what you are after, but nearly every option you find will be good.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/group/p06rrnkm  Simon Reeve has a whole range of great stories, if you are studying Cornwall for any ‘places’ topics, I strongly recommend those episodes, but plenty of others too.

Michael Palin is the David Attenborough of Geography and is still travelling the world reporting back with some excellent programmes on Channel 5, have a look at these and you will learn a lot.

https://www.channel5.com/show/michael-palin-in-north-korea

https://www.channel5.com/show/michael-palin-in-nigeria

https://www.channel5.com/show/michael-palin-into-iraq

There are so many great climate change documentaries/movies out there that it’s hard to know where to start, so try these links for some ideas

https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/climate-crisis-documentaries-watch-recommended-global-witness-staff/

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/30/disaster-movies-films-climate-crisis-documentaries

NEA

Your coursework is a great chance to take your time and show your Geography skills. There are plenty of sites out there to help you.

https://www.theislandgeographer.co.uk/ An amazing site full of templates and advice on carrying out your fieldwork.

https://www.rapidtables.com/tools/bar-graph.html Need to make some good-looking graphs, try here. Not just bar graphs, but other options too.

https://www.field-studies-council.org/resources/ Some great resources from the experts.

Revision books

Although attending some in-person revision courses is the best method, there are plenty of great revision books out there. A good tip is to type into Amazon ‘your exam board’ A level Geography and see what comes up. You can often find some 2^nd hand copies quite cheap and usually in a good condition.

Past Papers

Many old papers are out there for you to look at, along with marking guides and examiner reports that often have sample answers with them. If you type in your exam board and ‘A level Geography’ you should find them. Usually, the most recent exam is not available and there may not be detailed examiner reports from 2020 and 2021 when not many students sat the exam.

Some other sites that have past papers are

https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/past-papers/a-level-geography/

https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/geography-level-revision/geography-level-past-papers

Best of luck with your studies and remember Geography is always changing, mentioning current events in your exams will really impress the examiners and make you realise what a relevant and topical subject it is.

Many students find their MFL GCSE to be one of the most challenging to master, but with careful preparation you can ace those exams, and finish your GCSE with a great grasp of your chosen language. The following tips will help you secure success with your GCSE course.

 Get to grips with the grammar

Mastering the grammar is a MUST for attaining the highest grades.

Knowing the different verb conjugations and different endings relating to different pronouns and tenses opens up a whole new perspective for dealing with French.

Start off with present, move onto perfect, then onto future, imperfect and if you’re feeling really in the mood, try and learn the pluperfect and subjunctive.

Websites such as https://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/ provide great self marking exercises to support your practise

Value your vocabulary

Knowledge of vocabulary is absolutely key, especially for the reading and listening papers. Not knowing vocab shuts off the potential you have to achieve highly.

Knowing vocabulary is a memory game.

Make mind maps of key vocabulary for each topic. Break each one down into verbs, key vocabulary, opinion phrases + adjectives and problems + solutions.

Use a bit of colour to help chunk the information up and organise your thinking.

Using ‘look, cover, say, spell, check’ to test yourself on the key words and use Quizlet or Memrise to make sure you’re going over all the key words, and if you are competent with grammar and tenses, then French will soon become the subject for you.

Speak up

Many students can feel intimidated by the prospect of their speaking exam, but actually, it can be one of the most controllable elements of the GCSE.

Depending on your school, you should be provided with Speaking Booklets which give you GCSE practice questions. Many students write down answers and attempt to learn these answers by heart, hoping the questions come up in the exam. This is just impractical. Factoring in how many topic questions there could be, you will have to remember hundreds of sentences if you use that method.

My advice, is to learn key phrases and vocab, and have in mind a few ideas you want to talk about if that topic comes up. For example, if in the exam the topic of leisure activities comes up, you could be ready mention something along the lines of playing football or going out with friends.

Having a rough idea for every topic area will only boost your confidence and fluency going into the exam. It is really important to practise these questions – either with a parent or carer at home, or with one of your friends.

Other helpful strategies to prepare for the speaking exam are;

• Practice forming and understanding a range of questions.
• Practice and learn key verb formations in a range of tenses.
• Practice explaining opinions in detail.
• Practice narration (telling a story).
• Practice describing a photo.

 Practice Past Papers

Past papers are your best friends! Aim at doing at least two each month, from different exam boards. You can find them online or you ask your teacher or tutor for some more. Here are the main GCSE French exam boards. You should be able to find past papers for each:

AQA GCSE French Papers

Edexcel GCSE French Papers

OCR GCSE French Papers

Use authentic resources

Listening to a Spanish, German or French podcast on YouTube (intermediate level) that you can relatively understand is a great way to broaden your vocabulary and become accustomed to common phrases and pick up on words that  you have never heard before.

There are also lots of great series and films on Netflix and Prime which  you could watch with subtitles to help to broaden your vocabulary and practise listening.  Equally, for the reading exam, you could practise with, some articles on a Spanish, German or French news website.

You could also change the settings on your phone or other devices to the language you are studying to support with your acquisition of vocabulary.

Our expert tutor, David, explains how the Duke of Edinburgh award can really help students grow, academically and personally.

Introduction

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is a globally recognized program that encourages young people to develop essential life skills through a series of challenges and activities. Available at three levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—the award is designed to be completed over several months and includes volunteering, physical activities, skill development, expeditions, and, at the Gold level, a residential project. This article will explore the myriad benefits of the DofE program for students, highlighting how it enhances personal growth, academic success, and future career opportunities. We will also discuss how participation in extracurricular activities can support students as they study for GCSEs and A-levels.

Benefits of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Personal Development

1. Confidence and Self-Esteem: Completing the various sections of the DofE award helps students build confidence. Whether it’s mastering a new skill, completing a challenging hike, or contributing to the community through volunteering, these accomplishments boost self-esteem and provide a sense of achievement.
2. Resilience and Perseverance: The program’s challenges are designed to push students out of their comfort zones, teaching them to persevere through difficulties. This resilience is invaluable in both personal and academic pursuits.
3. Leadership and Teamwork: Many DofE activities require students to work in teams, fostering leadership skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with others.

Academic and Professional Skills

1. Time Management: Balancing DofE activities with academic responsibilities teaches students crucial time management skills, helping them prioritize tasks and manage their schedules effectively.
2. Problem-Solving: Whether navigating during an expedition or planning a community project, students develop strong problem-solving skills that are beneficial in academic settings and beyond.
3. Communication: The award encourages students to communicate clearly and effectively, a skill that is essential for group projects, presentations, and future professional environments.

Specific Skill Development

1. Volunteering: Volunteering as part of the DofE award helps students develop empathy, social responsibility, and a sense of community. It also provides valuable work experience and can enhance university applications and CVs.
2. First Aid Training: Learning first aid is a practical and potentially life-saving skill. It not only prepares students to handle emergencies but also demonstrates responsibility and preparedness to future employers.

Importance of Extracurricular Activities

While academic achievements are crucial, extra-curricular activities play a significant role in a well-rounded education. They offer a break from the rigors of academic study, reducing stress and improving overall well-being. Participating in activities like the DofE award can enhance university applications and job resumes, showcasing a student’s ability to manage diverse commitments and pursue personal growth.

Preparing for Future Opportunities

1. University Applications: Universities look for well-rounded candidates who have demonstrated initiative and commitment outside of the classroom. Completing the DofE award signals to admissions officers that a student possesses qualities like resilience, leadership, and a willingness to contribute to the community.
2. Apprenticeships: Apprenticeships often require candidates who are proactive, reliable, and capable of working in teams. The skills gained through the DofE program align closely with these requirements.
3. Job Interviews: The experiences gained through the DofE award provide concrete examples that students can use during job interviews to demonstrate their competencies and personal qualities.

Justin Craig Education and the DofE Gold Award

At Justin Craig Education, we recognize the value of programs such as cadets and DofE and are proud to offer courses that qualify for the DofE Gold Award. Our programs are designed to complement the DofE’s objectives by providing high-quality educational support and opportunities for personal development. By participating in our courses, students can work towards their Gold Award while receiving top-notch academic instruction, further enhancing their university and job prospects.

Conclusion

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is more than just a prestigious accolade; it is a transformative experience that equips students with essential life skills, enhances their academic journey, and prepares them for future success. By engaging in the DofE program and other extracurricular activities, students can achieve a well-rounded education that stands out to universities and employers alike.

At Justin Craig Education, we are committed to supporting students on this journey, helping them reach their full potential and achieve their goals.

GCSE and A Level Mocks are an important step in students’ preparation for the summer exams.  As well as providing students with valuable perspective on their readiness to sit the actual exams, mocks provide a great opportunity to try out different revision strategies, identify and address gaps in knowledge and build confidence.

It’s common for students to be unfamiliar with the most effective strategies so here are our top five tips for independent revision to improve long-term memory and help your child succeed in exams.

1. Spacing: Doing something little and often is far more effective than cramming.  Rather than revising one subject for seven hours in one day, it’s better to do one hour of revision for seven days. This is because the time in between allows you to forget and re-learn the information, which cements it in your long-term memory.  Whilst there is no ideal amount of time to leave between study sessions, research suggests that how long you want to retain the information is key.  As a rough guide, for an exam in a month’s time, then the aim should be to revisit the material around once a week. If the test is in a week, students should try to create time once a day.
2. Interleaving:  Doing a variety of subjects every day, rather than focusing on a single subject, is proven to be a more effective revision strategy. By helping students make links and distinctions between different subjects, interleaving allows them to understand and practice the different thought processes required for different subjects and problems.
3. Testing: Active revision techniques such as tests, quizzes or past papers are some of the most effective ways to improve memory, with students who regularly test themselves remembering significantly more than more those using more passive techniques such as note writing or underlining.  Regular testing also make students more immune to the detrimental effects of stress on memory, helping them to perform better in the actual exam.
4. A good study partner: Whilst this won’t work for children who are easily distracted, it can be very beneficial in some circumstances. For example, some students become more motivated and focused if their buddy is working hard.  Researchers also found that teenagers working through a problem-solving task together became engaged in more exploratory behaviour and learned faster, compared with those working on their own.
5. Keep it varied and active: Writing notes and highlighting are two of the most common techniques used by students. However, they are relatively passive and students frequently “switch off”, impacting information recall and understanding. Here are some ideas for more active techniques that students can try:
   • Flash cards to help with consolidation and testing of knowledge
   • Topic focused posters encapsulating the key points/diagrams
   • Spider diagrams to help form connections between points
   • Post it notes to make practicing essay planning more interesting/fun
   • Online apps such as Quizlet and Gojimo for knowledge consolidation and testing

As for parental help, encouragement and interest can make a spectacular difference to your child’s motivation and ability to cope with the exams, so plenty of non-judgemental support is important.  Students also often need some help with planning their revision and striking the right balance between work, play and rest.  Doing a revision timetable can be really helpful – for advice, please read our article on “How to Create a Revision Timetable That Works”.

For extra revision or tuition, our October half term and Christmas courses are an excellent alternative to independent study.  If you are unsure if a course is right for your child, our quick guide to the main tuition options may help.

For more advice, please call our Course Advisors on 01727 744340.