Mastering Mock Exams: Essential Tips for Year 11 Success

Mock exams are upon us, and for year 11 in particular (although this certainly applies to other year groups as well), it’s a crucial time to get an accurate indicator of how things might actually go in the real exam. For this reason, it’s incredibly important to take them seriously, because, for better or worse, they could show you what you need to work on. The success of your mocks comes down to YOU, not your teachers, or the people at home. A lot of students fail to realise that their results really do stick with them for life. It is essential we get it right, and mocks are the first part of that process.

Here at Sullivan Tutor Academy, we’ve designed a free revision techniques course that can help you master the art of effective revision – not just superficial note-taking and the associated mindless reading that too often accompanies it. In the past, we’ve talked about how the Cornell Method can be a brilliant tool in your toolbox, particularly as students get older. Now it’s time to actually put it into practice. We have a whole section on this notetaking method in the course, and outline the benefits compared with traditional notetaking. Now use it!

Of course, there are other techniques to try out as well. For instance, the Pomodoro technique, or flash cards, or knowledge organisers. Maybe what you need is some deliberate practice time for just programming challenges? Whatever the fix, it’s important to take time to self-reflect and avoid choosing the revision that is easy, instead opting for what is useful. This is the one thing that I see students get wrong time and time again. They take the path of least resistance, and unsurprisingly, hardly benefit from it at all.

It’s all very well me talking about a mind map, or look-cover-write-check, when I recognise that there are a ton of distractions out there, fighting for your attention at the same time. It’s a real problem – and I sympathise with students that struggle to keep their focus. I was, and in many ways, still am one of them. But I questioned something when I was younger – what was more important to me – one more game, or going up a grade? When I kept that at the forefront of my mind, revision became a lot easier. I had the drive to push past the distractions, and the result spoke for itself.

I started to complete past papers… repeatedly, until there were no more available! As students, you have plenty of ways to access the previous few years of exam papers, and it’s worth spending some time going through them, writing out your answers first, then correcting them with the mark scheme. You’d be amazed on the exam technique you’ll develop as you learn how to write the way the examiner wants to see.

Of course, there’s another reason to care about mocks. As we saw through the pandemic, predicted grades ended up mattering a lot for many students… You never know what’s going to happen in the world, and leaving our best impression at any given time, might be the only opportunity we’re given to do so.

That’s all from me for now, but keep up the revision, and I would encourage all students to check out our free course. All you need to do is sign up on our website, verify your email, and get started from our course page. Let us know directly how you’re revising, and we might even share the best ones!

I wish you all the best of luck in your mock exams.

-Harvey