Bad GCSE mock results can be demoralising – especially if you worked hard for them.
But if your results aren’t what you’d hoped for, it’s not the end of the world. Rather, it’s what you do next that really counts!
Remember, the whole point of mocks is to give you a practice run for the real thing. So, use them as an opportunity to learn, grow and make some changes in order to come back stronger than ever!
With that in mind, here are our top tips if you’ve failed your GCSE mocks or not got the grades you wanted.
1. Take a closer look at what went wrong
Go through your GCSE mock results with a fine-tooth comb and ask yourself what actually went wrong.
For instance, which subjects were you disappointed with? Any particular topics or papers?
Go through each of your exam papers carefully to see where you lost marks. These are the areas you’ll need to work on most before the real exams roll around!
Equally, don’t ignore the areas where you’ve done well. These deserve a pat on the back – it’s here that your hard work paid off!
With an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what you need to focus on before the real thing.
2. Consider what might need to change
Now you know which areas let you down, it’s time to consider why that might be.
There are lots of different reasons why you might not have fulfilled your potential in these areas. Here are just a few.
Time management
Did you manage to finish each exam paper? Did you leave yourself enough time to answer every question to the best of your ability? Or to check your answers?
Time management can be the undoing of many capable students.
Plan in advance how you’re going to split your time between the different sections of an exam and maximise the marks available.
As a guide, you’ll want to spend the longest on the questions that are worth the most.
Lack of subject knowledge
Found that you’re lacking in subject-specific knowledge or skills?
Consider whether you need to adjust your revision strategies – perhaps you need to start earlier, give more weighting to specific subjects or even try different revision techniques to help you memorise information more effectively.
Alternatively, it might be that there’s a gap in your understanding that’s letting you down – in this case, asking for help is vital!
Misreading the question
No matter how great your answer is, it won’t be worth anything if you misread the question!
We always recommend you read each question through at least twice before answering it. And remember, you can highlight or underline key words in a question to help you stay focused.
Similarly, every year, pupils lose marks in subjects like English literature because they accidentally try to answer questions on topics or texts that they haven’t studied.
Exam fear or anxiety
Do you struggle with exam fear or anxiety? Then you might have found that all your knowledge flew out of your head as soon as you set foot in that exam room.
Working on coping strategies could help you make sure it doesn’t happen again in the real thing.
For example, in the lead up to your exams, make sure to take regular breaks, offload to someone and get plenty of sleep.
On the day, things like a good breakfast and listening to a calming playlist can also help to get you in the right mindset for your exam.
Exam technique
Exam success isn’t just about subject knowledge – it’s also about exam technique.
Did you show your workings out in subjects like maths and science? If not, make sure you do it next time – you could get points even if you don’t reach the right answer.
Likewise, did you remember to provide evidence in subjects like history and psychology? You’ll need to back up your arguments with things like case studies, names and dates.
Perhaps most importantly, make sure to always answer all the questions that apply to you – even if you’re not sure of the answer. This will help you to maximise your available marks.
“It is important to realise that a blank answer guarantees zero marks, whereas an attempted answer may gain some marks for working out – and worst case, zero marks, which is no worse than skipping.
“Be brave and have a go. The extra mark here and there is worth it!”
– Dee A, GCSE Maths tutor
3. Get the right support behind you
There’s a saying that two heads are better than one.
Even though you have to be on your own in the exam room, that doesn’t mean you have to be on your own in the lead up!
You’ll want to build a support network around you who can cheer you on and hold you accountable when you’re trying to improve on your mock exam results for the real thing.
For example, why not ask your parents to help make sure you’re keeping up with your revision timetable? Ask a sibling or friend if you can offload to them when things get too much? Or ask your teachers to mark your practice papers and give you tips on how you could improve?
It can also be a massive help to get extra support in the form of private tutoring.
A GCSE tutor will be able to give you one-on-one attention that you won’t usually get at school or college, helping you to wrap your head around difficult concepts and turn your weaknesses into strengths.
In fact, it takes on average just eight hours of tutoring to move up one GCSE grade!
The right tutor can be the perfect cross between a teacher and a mentor, helping you to build your confidence and unlock your potential in any subject.
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
4. Set goals
Setting goals gives you something to work towards, sets a minimum standard and allows you to recognise and celebrate your successes.
However, setting goals that are vague or unrealistic can be a motivation killer.
Instead, make sure to set SMART goals – meaning goals that are…
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
It’s also wise to break bigger goals down into smaller goals and action steps. This will prevent you from getting overwhelmed and help you stay on track.
For instance, if your goal is to get an A in GCSE maths, some action steps might be…
- Ask my teacher for advice
- Revise for 20 minutes every night
- Source past papers
- Find a private tutor I click with
Meanwhile, smaller goals might include things like ‘move up one grade in next month’s practice exam’ – but remember, this will also need action steps!
Bear in mind that achieving your goal won’t happen overnight. Rather, small steps and improvements can make a big difference over time.
“Incremental steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day!
“If you’ve remembered something that you didn’t know last week then you’re one step further along your journey than you were last week.”
– Matthew B, GCSE maths and English tutor
5. Create a revision timetable
Now you’ve got your support network, your goals and you know what you need to improve on, you just need a plan to follow!
Creating a good revision timetable is key.
Map out all the time you have left until the exams, along with all the action steps you’ve pinpointed and all the subjects and topics you have to cover.
Then, plan out your time, making sure to give each action and subject the attention it needs – but placing a greater weighting on your weaker spots.
This will help you to understand how you need to use the time you have left in order to reach your goals.
Plus, it will help you stress less – as long as you follow the timetable, you’ll know you’re on the right track.
Just make sure you schedule plenty of breaks and downtime as well as revision – the last thing you want to do is burn yourself out!
And don’t beat yourself up if you end up straying from your timetable for whatever reason. It’s important that you try to stick to it, but sometimes things change – and that’s okay.
You should be constantly reviewing and tweaking your timetable to make sure it’s continuing to work with you and not against you!
6. Start working!
Lastly, work hard and start now!
It’s always easier to put off revision until the next day, or the day after.
But ultimately, the earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to turn those bad GCSE mock results into fantastic GCSE grades.
Plus, starting earlier means you can take a ‘little and often’ approach.
This will be a lot more effective than trying to cram the night before your exams, as you’ll have time for your knowledge to assimilate and will be able to try putting it into practice in past papers and tasks you’re set in class.
Plus, it will be way less stressful!
Remember, improving on bad GCSE results won’t happen without hard work, perseverance and the right support around you. But with all those ingredients, there’s no reason why you can’t ace it.
At Tutorful, our tutors are all carefully handpicked and have at least two years of experience. So, they know what they’re doing when it comes to turning bad grades around and helping students to reach their full potential!
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
FAQs
Do mock GCSE results matter?
Yes – even though they’re not the real thing, mock GCSE results do matter.
They’re an important opportunity to learn where you’re at in your learning journey. Plus, your teachers may even use them to form your predicted grades, which are used by some sixth form colleges when they’re deciding which students to offer places to.
Is it okay to fail GCSE mocks?
Failing your GCSE mocks isn’t ideal, but it’s also not the end of the world. Rather, it’s what you do next that counts.
Using your bad GCSE mock results as a learning opportunity is a great way to ensure you get the grades you want in the real thing.
What to do after a bad mock test?
The most important thing to do after a bad mock test is to go through your test paper to see exactly what went right and what went wrong. By pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll have a clearer picture of what you need to work on before the real thing.
What if my GCSE results are bad?
If your GCSE results are bad or you fail your GCSEs, don’t panic. There are several different options available to you. For instance, you could apply for your exam paper to be remarked or retake your GCSEs.
Often, you can even study for GCSE resits alongside studying for your A levels in other subjects.
Are GCSE mocks harder than the real GCSE?
No, GCSE mocks aren’t harder than the real GCSE. Instead, they’re especially designed to be as similar as possible.
If you find your mocks harder, this might be because you’re facing them without the extra few months of learning time that you’ll have before the real exam.
What happens if you fail GCSE mocks?
If you fail your GCSE mocks, this won’t have any impact on your final grade. After all, mocks are a practice run! In this way, you can use your experience to get your revision and learning back on track.
A private GCSE tutor can help to fill any gaps in your understanding so you can improve on your results for the real thing. In fact, it takes just 8 hours of tutoring on average to move up one GCSE grade.
