Acing your GCSE Science exams can open up lots of opportunities in your future studies and career. But what’s the best way to revise Science GCSE?
You’re in the right place!
Here, we’ll walk you through how to revise for GCSE Science to give you the best chance of passing with 9s!
Psst! Want more specific tips for each core science? Make sure to read our guides on revising for GCSE Chemistry, Biology and Physics too!
How to revise Science GCSE: 10 top tips for starting things off on the right foot
With hard work, the right support, and the right approach to revision, there’s no reason why you can’t pass your Science GCSE exams with flying colours – and potentially even get a 9!
Here are 10 top tips to start you off on the right foot.
1. Keep up-to-date with your schoolwork
First things first, it pays to keep up-to-date with your science schoolwork.
Remember, revision isn’t supposed to be about learning material from scratch. Instead, it should be about refreshing what you already know.
Be sure to concentrate, engage and participate in class as much as possible.
And if you miss a lesson for whatever reason, make sure to catch up by copying down notes from your friends and checking in with your teachers if there’s anything you don’t understand.
This will put you in the best position possible when you start your formal Science GCSE revision.
2. Recap after each lesson
Similarly, we always recommend taking 10 minutes after each science lesson to go over what you’ve learned in class – either that evening or at the weekend.
Go through your notes, check that you understand everything and try out a few practice questions to solidify what you’ve learned.
It’s just a small chunk of your day, but will make a huge difference when you come to revise – as you’ll already have the foundations in place!
3. Start your Science GCSE revision early
It can be tempting to leave your Science GCSE revision until just a few weeks – or even days – before your exams.
But you’ll get the best results by starting early.
We always suggest starting your science revision at the beginning of Year 11, as you can spend this time recapping everything you learned in Year 10.
This way, you’ll have plenty of time to put your knowledge into practice. Plus, you can revise little and often instead of cramming at the last-miniute, which will make revision a lot less stressful.
4. Know what to expect
It’s important to know exactly what you can expect in your Science GCSE exams so that you can prepare yourself fully and avoid any nasty surprises in the exam room.
No matter whether you’re taking the double or triple science award – and the foundation or higher tier – you’ll be assessed on all three core science subjects.
You’ll have two papers to sit for each. So, two papers for chemistry, two for biology and two for physics – meaning six altogether.
Every exam board will work slightly differently. So, check your exam board’s specification to make sure you know exactly what topics could come up in each paper.
That way, you can make sure to tick every topic off your list, and to make sure the right topics are at the forefront of your mind before each exam.
5. Create a rock solid revision timetable
Instead of diving into revision without a plan, take the time to create a great revision timetable.
This will help you to ensure you have every topic covered.
Plus, you’ll be able to stress less, knowing that your revision is on track.
- Check your exam schedule
- Calculate how much time you have to study
- Decide which topics you need to spend the most time on
- Allocate time to each topic
It’s important that you do your best to stick to your revision timetable.
But don’t beat yourself up if things change – after all, you might need to spend longer on some topics that you expect, and less time on others.
6. Set up your study space
Setting up a study space where you can focus is key to productive revision.
Every learner is different, so you’ll need to think about what kind of environment you work best in.
However, as a rough guide, the ideal study space is usually:
- Clutter-free
- Clear of distractions (eg. your mobile phone!)
- Comfy
- Light
- Well-stocked (eg. with revision supplies and healthy snacks)
- Clean and organised
It’s a good idea to have a clock easily visible from where you’re sitting, so you can easily manage your time (without checking your smartphone!).
And don’t forget to think about noise levels too. Do you work best in silence, or with some background noise?
Whatever your preference, it’s usually best for the noise to be consistent so that it isn’t distracting – you might want to grab a pair of headphones to set your own soundscape.
7. Brush up on those practical skills
There’s no coursework element to GCSE Science, so you won’t get directly assessed on the practical experiments you carry out in class.
However, you will still need to revise them as you’ll come across questions in your exams that are connected to these practical experiments and skills.
Brush up on elements of your practical work in class such as…
- Apparatus
- Measurements and units
- Plotting graphs
- Making informed conclusions
- Identifying necessary precautions
- Identifying potential hazards
- Procedures
- Limitations
Recalling these details will help you to answer questions about practical experiments and skills in the exams.
8. Get clued up on scientific formulae
Increasing your familiarity with scientific formulae is a must to succeed in your Science GCSE exams.
Some formulae will be given to you in the exam room, whereas others you’ll have to learn. So, make sure you know the difference.
Memorise those that won’t be provided in the exam room and make sure that you fully understand all the formulae that might come up.
We always recommend completing plenty of formula-related practice questions to make sure that you’re confident using formulae to answer numerical questions. Sometimes, you’ll even need to rearrange a formula!
Always remember to show your workings out on those 3-mark equation questions, as you can gain points from your workings even if you don’t have the right answer.
9. Ask for help
If there’s anything you’re struggling to wrap your head around in your Science GCSE revision, don’t struggle on alone!
Rather, it’s important to remember that asking for help is a strength – not a weakness.
A GCSE Science tutor is an expert who can explain difficult concepts in a way that will click for you.
They’ll give you one-on-one attention that you won’t usually get at school and will support you with tailored lesson plans that take into account your strengths, weaknesses and learning style.
In this way, they’ll be able to prepare you fully for the exams and guide you to the best marks possible.
In fact, 90% of Tutorful students improve by at least one grade!
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
10. Don’t burn yourself out
Working hard is important. But it’s also important that you look after yourself.
So, try to find a balance between studying and downtime.
Schedule in plenty of breaks, plan things to look forward to and make sure you’re eating and sleeping properly – there’s only so much a brain can assimilate in a day.
And perhaps most importantly, adjust your mindset. Know that you’ve worked hard, so you can be proud of yourself, no matter what the outcome.
“I would say don’t cram, take 20 minute study sessions then take a break. Look after yourself and try to stick to regular bedtimes, no computers late at night etc.
“Get some fresh air and exercise to help with pent up energy or nerves too.”
– Katherine R, core subjects tutor
Best way to revise Science GCSE: 10 revision techniques for all types of learners
Every student learns differently.
So, it’s important to take the time to find your learning style, and to pinpoint the revision techniques that work best for you.
Here are some tried and tested ways to revise for Science GCSE that you might find useful.
1. Create flashcards
Flashcards can be a fantastic way to learn the GCSE Science syllabus in bite-sized chunks.
Although you can find flashcards online, we always recommend creating your own.
This is because the process of creating them can be a fantastic revision exercise in itself. After all, it forces you to divide the information up in ways that make sense to you – and gives the content an extra chance to stick in your head!
2. Go mad with the post-it notes
Post-it notes can be a valuable tool when it comes to memorising snippets of information – like formulae or scientific lingo.
Stick them in places you’ll see them on a regular basis – like the bathroom mirror – to help information to stick in your brain.
You could even colour code them by topic, science (physics, biology or chemistry) or theme to give the information a visual reference when you’re racking your brains in the exam room.
3. Make mind maps
Mind maps and visual diagrams can be a great learning aid if you’re a visual learner.
You could even start each revision session by drawing a new mind map.
In this way, you can jog your memory to see what you already know about each topic – and then add to it as you progress through your revision.
4. Speak it back in your own words
Memorising content from textbooks or revision notes is a great way to absorb all the information you need to know.
But it’s important to make sure you fully understand it – rather than just learning it word-for-word.
Paraphrasing the content you’ve learned in your own words is a valuable exercise and will help you to check that you really do ‘get it.’
5. Explore different revision resources
There are lots of resources available to help you revise for GCSE Science.
These include:
- Revision guides
- YouTube channels
- Podcasts
- Revision apps
- Revision websites
Using resources like these can help to make your revision more engaging.
A GCSE Science tutor will also be able to point you towards the best revision resources for your learning style.
6. Record your notes and listen to them back
Many learners like to record their revision notes.
This way, you can listen to them back when you’re doing other things – whether you’re out and about or just doing the washing up!
Repeatedly listening to the information you need to remember can really help it stick.
7. Get someone to test you
Revising doesn’t have to be a solo activity!
Why not rope in a friend or family member to test your knowledge? It can be a fantastic way to see where you’re at in your learning and identify any gaps you still need to work on.
8. Teach someone else
Similarly, teaching someone else the content you’ve just learned can help you to increase your confidence in a topic.
It’s also a great test of how well you understand the material – if you can’t get your student to understand the concepts you’re teaching them, you probably don’t know them well enough yourself yet.
9. Form a study group
Revising can be lonely at times. Forming a study group can help you to gain some accountability and stay focused.
It’ll also give you the chance to support one another on any areas you’re struggling with.
Just make sure you pick your study mates wisely – the last thing you want is to distract one another!
10. Put your skills to the test with Science GCSE past papers
Regardless of what kind of learner you are, we always recommend regularly completing GCSE Science past papers and practice tests.
Past papers, mock exams and practice tests can…
- Familiarise you with the types of questions you might come across in the real thing
- Allow you to practise managing your time
- Give you valuable practice perfecting your exam technique
- Get you used to dealing with exam pressure
- Boost your confidence for the big day
- Reveal where you’re at in your learning
Always go through your completed test papers with a fine-tooth comb to work out what went well and which areas let you down.
By pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses, you can tweak your revision timetable to focus on those areas that need it most.
Find a tutor to help you revise GCSE Science
If you’re worried about passing GCSE Science – or getting the best grade possible – you don’t have to worry alone.
A GCSE Science tutor will have the tools, knowledge and experience needed to help you achieve the grade you’re after. Many are even qualified teachers and examiners!
From tailored plans to practice exams, they’ll give you the one-to-one attention and dedicated time you need to ensure you reach your full potential.
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
FAQs
What’s the best way to revise for Science GCSE exams?
Every learner is different, so it’s important to use the techniques that work best for you. That said, the most efficient way to revise for Science GCSE exams is often to complete past papers in order to identify your weakest areas, before using your revision to hone those weak spots.
Is 2 hours of revision a day enough for GCSE?
That depends on what kind of learner you are and how much time you have left before your exams start. Ideally, you’ll want to divide your revision time up into manageable chunks and spend no more than 4 hours a day revising for your GCSEs.
How do I get good at Science GCSE?
To get good at Science GCSE, stay engaged and focused during class and speak up if there’s anything you don’t understand. Use past papers to identify your weaknesses and ask for help if you need it!
How to get 9s in GCSE science?
To get 9s in your GCSE Science exams, you’ll need to understand the content inside out instead of just memorising it. That way, you’ll be able to ace those ‘explain why’ questions.
A Science GCSE tutor can give you one-on-one attention to help you reach your full potential and access the highest grades possible.
“I focus on identifying key areas where students need the most help and reinforcing their understanding with clear explanations and practice questions.
“Personalised tutoring can boost confidence and ensure students are well-prepared for their exams.”
– Steven R, GCSE Science and Maths tutor
