IGCSE Study Resources
What to Do After an IGCSE Mock
Keep the marked script, including the original working. Pick two recurring difficulties, practise them, then try a new question without the earlier answer beside you. The total score flags a concern; the answers tell you what to work on.
Put the script and exam details together
Gather the questions, complete answers, marks or teacher comments and the marking guidance used. Note the exam board, subject code, paper or component, year and whether the attempt was timed. Ask the school about missing details; totals from different papers are not directly comparable.
Include successful answers as well as mistakes. They help show whether a method already works. If the school has not returned the paper, record the specific feedback you have rather than guessing a whole subject is weak from one total.
| What you notice | Check before deciding | Next practice task |
|---|---|---|
| A blank answer | Was the topic untaught, the first step unclear, or time used up? Try the question again without a timer. | If the first step is still unclear, learn that point and try a related question. If it works untimed, practise a short timed set. |
| Correct method, error midway | Find the first incorrect line. Later consequences may come from the same error. | Redo the full working, then test the method on a question with different numbers. |
| Relevant facts, incomplete response | Compare each sentence with the command word and the subject-specific marking guidance. | Rewrite one explanation or comparison, checking that the relationship or specific comparison is actually stated. |
| Inconsistent extended answers | Check the argument, precise evidence and explanation, not just the answer length. | Rewrite one paragraph. Keep the original and explain the reason for each change. |
| Unfinished final section | Look at time spent on each part, question choices and where you stayed too long. | Complete a short timed set using the paper timing as a guide. Record where you stopped, then check the answers. |
Write an error note you can act on
“Careless”, “revise more” and “read the question” do not specify the next task. Record the question reference, first error, change to make and recheck date. These are original practice examples we have written, not official marking decisions or real student results.
| Question and first attempt | Error note | Correction and recheck |
|---|---|---|
| Solve 3(x − 2) = 15. The first line was written as 3x − 2 = 15. | The multiplier was applied to x but not to −2. Check expansion first. | Write 3x − 6 = 15, giving x = 7; substitute into the original equation. Later solve 4(y − 3) = 20 independently: y = 8. |
| A table changes from 20 to 35. The response says only “it increases”. | The direction is stated, but no figures support the description. | Write “from 20 to 35, an increase of 15”, adding the unit in the question. Test this on a different data set. |
| Analyse the tone of a passage. The answer says “the writer uses adjectives, so it is effective”. | A word class is named, but there is no precise evidence or explanation of tone. | Select a short phrase from the passage. Explain its meaning and contribution to tone, then check that the paragraph answers the question. |
Repeating an answer you have just read shows that the correction is complete. Try a related but unfamiliar question later to check whether you can use the method independently. For an uncertain extended-answer mark, ask a teacher to check the question, original response and marking guidance together.
Plan the next two weeks
This example suits a student with a marked script and room for several short practice sessions. It is not a complete revision programme for every subject. Try the first week, then adjust the workload around school assignments, other exams and rest.
| When | Work to do | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | Review one marked script. Select two recurring difficulties and check the exam board and paper details. | Question reference, first error and the change to practise. |
| Days 3–5 | Use two short sessions to work on those difficulties, checking a small set of related questions. | Original work, correction and one independently completed answer. |
| Days 6–7 | Keep room for rest and schoolwork, with one brief recheck rather than filling every day. | Which questions still need a prompt and which can be completed independently. |
| Days 8–11 | Try an unfamiliar question or a different short set without the earlier answer in view. | Time used, where help was needed and any new error. |
| Days 12–14 | Compare the new and earlier attempts. Reduce time on secure work; keep repeated difficulties in the next week. | Two specific priorities for the following week. |
Decide whether further help is needed
You can solve a new question independently
Continue with short sets and recheck the topic next week. Give less time to secure work so there is room for the difficulties that remain.
You understand the answer but cannot start alone
Bring the question and your working. A focused lesson can explain and practise that method without requiring a long package first.
You completed the paper but cannot explain the lost marks
Request mock marking. For the agreed paper scope, we provide feedback, three practice priorities and one written clarification.
Three questions for a parent check-in
- Which recurring error did you work on? Look at one correction.
- Could you complete a different question independently?
- Which two priorities fit into next week?
If the plan is repeatedly unfinished, reduce the workload and check school commitments first. Weekly check-ins may help with follow-through; a topic the student does not understand still needs explanation.
Related Guides
Exam-board resources
Read command words alongside the subject requirements. Check the board, subject code, paper and relevant year before using a paper; some recent papers are restricted to authorised centres.
Book Help for the Part You Need
One-paper mock marking · £45
For a completed paper. Includes feedback, three practice priorities and one written clarification. Two papers in the same subject cost £79.
Short study plan · £59
A 2 to 4 week task schedule for one subject. Marking already includes revision priorities; buy a plan only for a detailed schedule. No ongoing tracking, teaching or full-paper marking.
55-minute individual lesson · from £45
For explanation and guided practice on a specific difficulty. A single lesson can be booked separately.
Four-week study check-ins · £179
Weekly tasks, review of agreed work and a parent summary: four rounds in four weeks. Live teaching is not included.
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