Top 5 Exam Tips

From small end of unit tests, to A-Levels and GCSEs, these are our top five tips to help unlock your potential in exams. Exams can be daunting but coming in prepared with a positive attitude can make a big difference. Let us know what you think of these tips!

1. Read the question twice… and read it again!

If you counted the times I’ve said this to my students, it would be well past infinity! In an exam, when you are feeling stressed and rushed, it is very easy to misinterpret questions. Make sure to read the questions multiple times, slowly, to ensure that you fully understand what it is asking.

2. Double check your answers

We all know 2 + 2 = 5 is wrong, but it’s easy to write that in an exam without realising. Double checking your answers can help to avoid silly mistakes you may not have noticed. Nobody wants to lose marks on the things they know - make sure to double check your answers!

3. Show your working out

Showing your working out is essential to show the examiner your method and thought process. No matter how simple the question may seem, you should show as much working out as possible. This ensures that even if you do go wrong in the question you can still gain marks for using the right method. If there is no working out however, you won’t be able to get those marks.

4. Plan your answers

This tip is most useful for taking on bigger questions in the exam. After following tip one and reading the question twice, plan your method of answering the question. Planning before writing helps consolidate your method and stops you getting lost in the question. Having a ‘game plan’ for the bigger questions can help make them less challenging and sets you on the right track.

5. Don’t stress!

An exam is always just an exam. Although it can be difficult to set emotions aside, remembering that this is just one exam is very important. If you don’t get the mark you were aiming for it is not the end of the world. Go easy on yourself and try your best.