Past Paper Revision

Where can I get past papers from?

Ask your class teacher and they will be able to direct you to the best place to access these. It's important that you get these through your teacher as they know best the type of paper you will be sitting. Otherwise you may end up doing a paper that is actually on the wrong area of the curriculum.

How should I approach the paper?

There are different reasons for why you might be completing a paper, so if you can identify this, it will help you to know how to approach the paper.

1) To get some practice at what exam questions are like. If you are just wanting to see what the exam is like and get some practice at the question style then use your notes to help you with this. You don't need to do this under timed conditions, just do it at your own pace. You might even want to do it bit by bit over several different revision sessions

2) To test a particular skill. You might want to test a particular topic that you have just been revising. Find these topics in your exam paper and work through those specific questions. Try not to look at any of your notes as you want to see what you remember and what you need to go back over

3) To see what your strengths and weaknesses are. Complete the test without looking at your notes. When you're done, use the mark scheme to mark the paper and have a look which areas you have got right and wrong. There is a document below to help you with this

4) To see around about what grade you are currently working at. If you want an idea of around about what grade you would achieve on the paper, you need to model exam conditions as closely as you can. Find somewhere quiet to work, make sure there are no distractions around, put your notes away and set up a timer so you sit it in the exact time you would have in the test. Use the mark scheme to mark the questions and ask your teacher what sort of grade your score would give you. Remember this is not exactly the same as the real thing so this does not mean you will definitely achieve that grade in a proper exam.

Exam Reflection Document

Below you will find a document to help you reflect upon your performance in an assessment.Complete this after each time you do an exam paper or some exam questions and use it to help you compile your strengths and weaknesses and to inform your future revision. Hover over it and click on the download icon in the top right hand corner.