GCSE Resits - November 2018: Last Minute Revision
GCSE resits always serve as a reminder of how quickly time goes by. On Monday 5th November, and Wednesday 7th November, students across the country will sit in exam halls to have another attempt at getting the grade they want or need in English Language GCSE. Merely ten and a half weeks since opening those much awaited results envelopes, students will be pinning their hopes on this next attempt. I have no doubt that the closeness of these dates can be beneficial if students have retained all that they learned about the exams, and have had eight precious weeks in school or college to top up their skills, however for some students it may just serve as a hopeful stab in the dark as they hope that a repeat performance may garner them a precious few extra marks. Either way, I wish luck to everyone re-sitting this year!
This weekend serves as a last opportunity for revision, and if you subscribe to Grouty's Guide email list then you'll have seen our sensory description sheet and our AQA-style practice questions - download them and give them a go!
Top tips:
- Read each question carefully and underline key words - this makes sure that you know exactly what the exam is asking you to do, and you don't throw away any important marks by missing out a part of an instruction, or misinterpreting the task as a result of rushing.
- Use your time wisely - if a question is worth half the marks on the paper, make sure you spend a suitable amount of time on it! Don't spend a disproportionate amount of time writing an answer to a question just because you have lots to say and risk missing out other questions altogether.
- Showcase your skills - remember that this is your chance to show the examiner what you can do. You class teacher or tutor might know that you can use a semi colon or speech, or write a simile, but your exam marker doesn't: if you can do it, show them!
Perhaps most importantly, get a good night's sleep the night before each exam, eat a decent breakfast on the day, and remember that your exam results don't define you! While yes, perhaps you need that pass mark to finally stop studying English, or you want that 7, 8, or 9 to set yourself apart from the competition, you are so much more than a number on a piece of paper - you can always attempt it again, or prove yourself in other ways!
Best of luck to everyone re-sitting any exams this month!