Monday 20 April
Day 1 of mocks — two exams
Biology · 8:45am · 1h 30m
English Language · 2:30pm · 1h 30m
The night before (Sunday 19 April)
8:00pm
Pack school bag: pens (at least 3 black), pencil, ruler, rubber, calculator, student ID
8:30pm
Set two alarms for the morning. Tell parent the exam time.
9:00pm
Stop all revision. The work is done. Extra revision tonight helps nothing and sleep helps everything.
9:30pm
In bed. Phone in another room or face-down. Eyes closed by 10pm if possible.
Biology morning review · 20 minutes maximum · notes closed
- Parent reads Biology vocabulary cards aloud — Ander answers verbally
- Priority words: denatured · enzyme-substrate complex · osmosis (definition) · pathogen · mitosis vs meiosis
- Any card answered correctly twice in a row → put aside. Focus on uncertain ones.
- Stop at 20 minutes regardless. Put cards away. Do not open notes.
Morning of Biology (8:45am)
7:00am
Get up. Shower. Real breakfast — something substantial (eggs, toast, porridge). Not just a cereal bar.
7:30am
Biology card review — 20 min, verbal, parent holds cards. Stop at 7:50am.
7:50am
Cards away. Don't cram. Get dressed, gather bag.
8:20am
Leave for school. Arrive calm, not rushed.
In the Biology exam
- Read the whole question before writing anything
- For every "explain" question: fact + "because" + reason. Two parts = two marks.
- NEVER write "the enzyme is killed" — always "denatured" or "active site changes shape"
- Circle mark-scheme words you aren't sure of — don't leave them blank, attempt them
- Check the marks: [3 marks] = 3 separate points needed
English Language afternoon review · between exams · 20 minutes maximum
- After Biology — eat lunch, rest for 30 minutes minimum. Do not revise Biology.
- Read one paragraph from the anthology (Young and Dyslexic). Notice one technique.
- Write one PEEL paragraph — Point, Evidence (quote), Effect (on reader), Link back
- Stop 30 minutes before the exam. No more revision.
In the English Language exam
- Q4: Find a specific word — not just a technique. "The verb 'devours' suggests…" not "personification is used"
- Transactional writing: Choose task (30 sec) → bullet-point plan (2 min) → write → check techniques named
- Check: has every paragraph made a clear point?
0 / 8
Tuesday 21 April
One exam
Chemistry · 8:45am · 1h 30m
Chemistry morning review · 20 minutes · verbal only
- Write 5 Chemistry key terms from memory as full sentences — then put the pen down
- Priority: electrolysis (what happens at each electrode) · ionic bonding (must say "electrostatic forces") · gas tests (hydrogen = squeaky pop, oxygen = relights glowing splint, CO₂ = limewater turns cloudy)
- Stop at 20 minutes. Chemistry is in good shape.
Morning checklist
7:00am
Get up. Proper breakfast.
7:15am
Write 5 Chemistry sentences from memory. 20 minutes. Stop.
7:35am
Bag packed, pen check. Leave on time.
In the Chemistry exam
- Every answer is a full sentence. "Ionic — high melting point" = 0 marks. "Ionic compounds have high melting points because strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions require a large amount of energy to overcome" = marks.
- For electrolysis: state which electrode (anode/cathode), what ion is attracted, what happens (gains/loses electrons), what is produced
- Show all calculation working — equation first, then substitution, then answer with units
0 / 3
Wednesday 22 April
Two exams — Physics morning, Geography afternoon
Physics · 8:45am · 1h 30m
Geography · 2:30pm · 1h 30m
Physics morning review · 15 minutes maximum
- Write key equations from memory once: F=ma · P=F/A · KE=½mv² · E=mcΔT · efficiency formula
- Then put them away. Do not attempt questions.
Physics morning
7:00am
Get up. Proper breakfast.
7:15am
Write key Physics equations from memory. 15 minutes. Stop.
In the Physics exam
- Equation → substitution → calculation → unit. Every time. No exceptions.
- For velocity-time graphs: flat line = constant velocity, positive gradient = acceleration, negative gradient = deceleration. Link each section to the force causing it.
- For multi-step force and motion problems: draw a free body diagram first, then Newton's 2nd law (F=ma), then motion equation
- Unit is a mark in itself — never leave it out
Geography lunch review · 15 minutes maximum
- Parent reads Geography case study cards aloud. Ander gives 4 facts per card verbally.
- Priority: Nigeria · Peru micro hydro · Japan 2011 earthquake
- Stop 30 minutes before the exam. Eat well.
Geography afternoon
1:00pm
Lunch — proper meal. 30 minutes rest after Biology.
1:30pm
Geography case study cards — 15 min verbal with parent. Stop at 1:45pm.
In the Geography exam
- Timing: 1 mark = 1 minute. Set a timer per question. Move on when it goes off, even if incomplete.
- Every case study answer must name the place — "In Nigeria…" or "In the 2011 Japan earthquake…"
- For 9-mark questions: Level 3 needs a supported judgement. Write it in the last paragraph: "Overall I think… because the evidence shows…"
- Data questions: always quote the figures from the source in your answer
0 / 4
Thursday 23 April
Maths — the longest exam
Maths · 8:45am · 2 hours
Maths morning review · 15 minutes maximum
- Write these from memory — then look away and check: (a^m)^n = a^(m×n) · SOHCAHTOA · Cosine rule · Sine rule
- Remind yourself: x² means x×x — NOT 2x
- Then put the pen down. No practice questions this morning.
Morning checklist
7:00am
Get up. Big breakfast — this is a 2-hour exam, energy matters.
7:15am
Write key formulas from memory. 15 min. Stop.
7:35am
Bag: calculator (check batteries), at least 3 black pens, pencil, ruler, rubber, protractor.
In the Maths exam
- Write (a^m)^n = a^(m×n) and x² ≠ 2x at the top of the paper before starting question 1
- Slow down on questions 1–8. These are the reliable marks. Do not rush past them.
- Show ALL working — even for mental steps. Every line of working is a potential method mark.
- "Show that" questions: number every step. The answer is given — the working is what's being marked.
- For Sine/Cosine rule: write the formula first, match sides and angles, substitute, then calculate
- If stuck: move on, mark it, come back. Never sit staring at one question.
0 / 3
Friday 24 April
English Literature — shortest exam, afternoon only
English Literature · 2:30pm · 45 minutes
English Literature afternoon review · 20 minutes maximum
- Read through notes on two or three poems — just reading, no writing
- For each poem: what is the theme? What is one specific word you could zoom in on?
- Remind yourself of BLOT: Both poems intro → Link theme → One poem → The other poem
- Stop 45 minutes before the exam. Rest.
Afternoon checklist
Morning
Free morning — rest after a hard week. No revision before midday.
1:00pm
Light lunch. Poetry notes review — 20 minutes maximum.
1:45pm
Stop revision. Rest before the exam.
In the English Literature exam — 45 minutes goes fast
- Read both choices before deciding — 2 minutes planning is never wasted
- BLOT structure: write the intro (both poems + theme) in the first 5 minutes
- Zoom in on specific words, not techniques: "the verb 'devours'" not "personification is used"
- Every paragraph: quote → effect on reader → link to theme
- Leave 3 minutes at the end to read through and add missing comparisons
After the exam: Diamond League athletics, Eastbourne — Saturday 25 April. A strong week deserves a strong weekend.
0 / 3
Wednesday 29 April
Computing · 8:45am · 1 hour
Computing morning review · 15 minutes · verbal only
- Parent asks 5 definition questions verbally — Ander answers in one sentence each
- Priority terms: LAN · WAN · packet switching · binary (why computers use it) · two's complement · file size calculation
- Stop at 15 minutes.
Morning checklist
7:00am
Get up. Proper breakfast.
7:15am
Verbal definition test with parent — 15 minutes. Stop.
In the Computing exam
- For binary/hex conversions: always write the column headers (128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1) before starting
- Definitions: one complete sentence with a key term. "A LAN is a network that connects devices within a limited geographical area" — not just "a local network"
- For file size calculations: show the formula (resolution × colour depth) before substituting
0 / 2
Thursday 30 April
Design Technology · 2:30pm · 1 hour
DT lunch review · 15 minutes · cover and recite
- Read DT revision card → cover it → say key points aloud → check
- Priority: hardwood vs softwood (sources, properties, one use each) · ferrous vs non-ferrous (iron content, rust, examples) · CAD/CAM (definition and one advantage)
- Stop 30 minutes before the exam.
Afternoon checklist
Morning
Free morning — DT exam is afternoon. Rest or light activity.
1:15pm
Lunch. DT cover-and-recite review — 15 minutes. Stop.
In the DT exam
- Property + reason + example: "Aluminium is used for aircraft because it has a low density and high strength-to-weight ratio, making it lighter than steel"
- For table-completion questions: use the specific vocabulary (hardwood/softwood not "hard wood")
- New and Emerging Technologies: CAD/CAM, automation, smart materials — always give an advantage AND a disadvantage
0 / 2
Wednesday 7 May
BTEC Business Finance exam — 25% of final grade
BTEC Business Finance · time TBC · 1 hour
Business morning review · 20 minutes maximum
- Write out the three formulas from memory: gross profit · net profit · break-even point
- One practice cash flow question — complete, then mark. If correct, stop. If wrong, identify the specific error.
- Remind yourself: coursework is at Distinction. This exam just needs a solid pass to protect the final grade.
Morning checklist
Morning
Get up. Good breakfast. Write the three Finance formulas from memory.
+20 min
One practice Finance question. Mark it. Stop revision.
In the Business Finance exam
- For longer-mark questions (6+): structure as P-E-E — Point, Evidence (calculation or figure), Explain the implication
- Cash flow questions: inflows − outflows = net cash flow. Opening balance + net cash flow = closing balance
- Break-even: Fixed costs ÷ (Selling price − Variable cost per unit). Show the formula first.
- Always explain what the number means: "A net cash flow of −£2,000 means the business is spending more than it earns, which could lead to cash flow problems"
0 / 2