Top five GCSE tips to get you that top grades

Hello there, 

Are you just starting your Key-stage four (KS 4) studies and are beginning to prepare for your GCSEs? Or are you already in your last year of secondary school (year 11)  and are warming up for your GCSEs this year? Well, no matter what level you are in... I've got five top tips to get you the top grades in your daily reading and rituals. 

Having done my GCSEs last year and gotten excellent grades from 7s (As) to 9s (A*s), I have collated my KS 4 journey into five tips;

1) Have good, smart, and productive daily rituals:

By rituals, I mean your daily activities from the time you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night. It has been scientifically proven that your morning activity affects your mood and sets up your pattern for your day. Wake up at a reasonable time... 5 am.... 6 am... whatever time works best for you. Have personal time for yourself... set a positive mood for your day, meditate, exercise - get your blood pumping for your day. Eat healthy foods. Drink lots of water. Water helps your brain function well. Learn new skills (formal and informal) whenever and wherever you can.  At night, sleep early. Don't stay up surfing your phone at night or watching TV because the screen light affects your circadian rhythm and prevents you from having a good night's sleep. Remember, a productive day means a productive study because a healthy brain can store and process more information. 

2) Read Daily: 

Just a quick question, do you have a reading timetable? If you don't, then, this is your reminder to make one instantly. Having a reading timetable guides you to read your subjects daily and the more you read, the more you can retain and learn your GCSE content. Don't leave your reading to the last minute. Start now! Also, when making your timetable for reading, make sure you prioritize your weakness in each subject. Start reading from your weak to strong topics. 

3) Do past questions: 

Past questions are your key to opening the door to the top grades you want. Practice past questions from different years in timed conditions. Mark your work strictly. Check where you did wrong and correct it. Then, learn that part again to know it better.

4) Study in a conducive environment:

The right environment ensures you read properly. So check, if you like a quiet environment, is your reading space quiet? Is it comfortable? Are you void of all distractions? Are you focused? Remember, only you know what is best for you. So, try and study in an environment that works best for you. 

5) Application: 

This is a method that is rarely spoken about. But, it is a very efficient method. So, after you have read about a topic, done practice questions on it and fully understand that topic, try and apply it to your life. What do I mean? Speak to people about this. Tell your mum or dad or sibling or friend about what you just read. Try to explain it in detail to them. This helps you further understand what you just read. If it's English, try and use what you learned in your daily speaking. Use those big vocabs you learned when speaking and writing... emails, and messages. Don't worry, you won't sound weird, rather you'll sound quite intelligent. Try and look for instances in your life that mirror what you have learned and relate that to your studies. Believe me, by doing this you can understand any question presented to you because most theory questions always have context. This application method helps you to understand contextual exam questions. 

I hope these have all been very useful to you! Take care and have a great time on your journey to greater grades. Bye!