Many school pupils across the country will have recently completed or be in the middle of prelims or mock exams. Whilst these can be nerve wracking they are incredibly useful for reviewing your progress so far and getting some practice in before your main exams in the summer.
Some of you will be happy with your results and some of you may feel disappointed. Remember, your mock exams are there to help you prepare for your SQA/GCSE/A Level exams in the summer. Therefore, it is really important to use your mock exams as a learning experience to help you move forward with your learning and improve your skills and knowledge.
Review any feedback carefully
It is likely you will be allowed to review your exam answers after you have received your results. Some teachers may even go through the paper with the class to discuss the questions and what was expected. This is a great opportunity to identify the areas in which you performed well and any areas for improvement.
Reflect carefully on your mock exams/prelim results
Think about why you got the results you did. If you achieved the grades you were hoping what did you do that was successful? However, if your grades were not what you were aiming for have a think about what you could have done differently. At this stage, it is important to be honest with yourself. Ask yourself questions such as:
- Did you study as much as you could have done?
- Did your study techniques work well?
- Did you understand the exam questions?
- Were you able to complete the exam on time?
If you are studying several subjects it is a good idea to identify the subjects you are performing well in and if there are any subjects you perhaps need some extra support.
Think about what you will do in the future
Once you have reflected on your results you should take the opportunity to think about what you will do moving forward. A good starting point is to make a list of the subjects/topics you are particularly good at and which areas you need to work on.
Next, you should consider how well you prepared for your exams. How much studying did you do and do you feel this was enough? Which methods of revision did you use and did you find them helpful? Did you practice answering questions? Be honest with yourself when considering how you prepared and think about what you could do differently moving forward.
Is there a particular method of studying that you found worked particularly well for you? Or do you need to find new ways of studying that could be more beneficial for you? It may be a good idea to try out some other revision techniques to see if you find these to be more helpful for you.
Ask for help if you need it
Don’t be afraid to ask for more help if you need it. There are lots of people who can help you including your teachers, guidance teacher, parents/carers and your fellow pupils.
Plus there are lots of free resources online that you may find useful such as:
- BBC Bitesize
- SCHOLAR
- SQA Understanding Standards
- Khan Academy
- YouTube Tutorials
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