Top tips for your mock exams

With all the uncertainty surrounding how this year's A Levels will be awarded, your mock exams may end up playing a more important role than ever. So here are our top tips on how to ace them.

1. Read the examiners' reports.
   These, along with mark schemes, will give you a good idea of what examiners are looking for in your answers. They not only give you the correct answer, but also the examiners’ observations - including the common mistakes that students make every year. All this can help you understand where to place your energy when answering questions by knowing exactly what examiners are expecting.

2. Practice with past papers. 
   Compare your answers to past exam questions with the answers provided and make a note of the differences and areas where you could improve. This is a good way to see how certain exam answers can be best structured.

3. Try talking through your answers.
   Find someone to listen to you answer a past paper question out loud. This is a good way to reconceptualise the material you've learnt in your own words, as well as to see which elements of your revision have stuck.

4. Understand what works well for you.
   What works for your friend may not work for you and what works for one subject may not work for another. Some examples of revision techniques to mix and match include: timetables, mind-maps, consistent repetition, sticking important ideas to the walls, teaching the topic to someone else, pretending you are giving a presentation on the subject, flashcards, and using study apps. There is no one way to revise - adapt your process to you and to your subject.

5. Understand the question objectives.
   Understanding the phrasing and question style can be vital as it allows you to confidently recognise what the examiner is looking for in an answer. Are you being asked to compare two concepts? Is a deeper analysis required? Are you being asked to evaluate data? Knowing what the phrasing of the question means can help you refine your answers.

6. Take good care of yourself.
   Make sure you are eating well, exercising, getting fresh air, drinking water, and taking well-needed breaks from your revision. And please remember that online mental health resources are available to you should you need them. Young Minds is a great mental health resource for young people, providing support and advice to get people through this and other stressful times.