Mock examinations for Year 11 pupils tend to take place in December or January. However, be prepared for some schools setting earlier Mocks. Running an October or November Mock series allows for extra practice under examination conditions and can be an important moment of assessment for learning. This is where the singular result is not as important as developing an overall picture of where each pupil is, in terms of their skills and knowledge. This then enables teachers to develop individualised plans focussing on what still needs to be worked on. Running extra Mock sessions allows pupils the important opportunity for repeated practise of writing timed answers, so that this becomes second nature by the time the public examination season starts in May/June.
Mock examinations are a run through – it is the time to make mistakes, but importantly, to learn from them. The temptation is to simply look at a score and move on, but it is important to learn from the experience each time.
In advance of the mocks, bear these things in mind:
A revision timetable is a brilliant tool. This should include not only the week of examinations but the weeks in the run up to the Mocks. It must be realistic. There must be downtime. Social activities and breaks must be part of the plan, to ensure that pupils are in the best place by the time they get to the examination week.
Use the right revision aids for each subjects and examination board. These will assist with the way the questions are written and what is expected, as well as the general content.
Go through class notes well in advance. Is there something there that you don’t remember, or recall struggling with when covered in class. Go ask for a refresher from your teacher, they will be happy you are seeking help!
Past papers and exam questions for revision are amazing as they are what you will meet in the end, so make sure that you mix these into your revision process. But, and this is a key point - if you find something easy, then move on! Don’t keep returning to things that you know. If topics are challenging, if you make mistakes, you are learning!
Comments