The Role of Past Papers in Successful Revision

As students navigate the labyrinth of revision, they are faced with a myriad of revision techniques which only adds to the considerable stress that they are under when preparing for GCSEs, A-Levels, IB or other exams. Among the range of techniques at their disposal, one stands out both for its simplicity and efficacy: completing past exam papers.

This approach, when combined with the judicious use of mark schemes for self-assessment, provides a robust framework for enhancing understanding and boosting exam performance. This blog delves into the various benefits of this strategy, as well as how to maximise these benefits.

How to Use Past Papers

Past papers are a tremendous resource for revision, and seemingly obvious as to how to use them. However, we are firm believers that there are tricks which can elevate your revisions. This is a repeatable process designed to make the most out of each past paper, identify weaknesses, and develop a well-rounded, yet specific, knowledge that will lead to eventual success in the exam.

1.    Initial Revision:       Before attempting a past paper, choose one individual topic that you would like to revise. Firstly, ensure that you have adequate notes on this topic. If not, spend the time making these notes. Then take the time to try to fully understand this topic, learning the key material. This is your preparation for the past paper. Hopefully you will therefore score highly on this topic in the paper.

2.    Past Paper:     Complete the past paper in exam conditions. This means that there should be no access to either the internet or your notes, despite how tempting it might be to do a quick Google. Also complete the paper in timed conditions with one caveat – some exam papers take a considerable amount of time, so feel free to break up the paper into sensible chunks. For example, a two hour paper could be split into two, 1-hour sessions.

3.    Self-Mark:       Use the official mark scheme to mark your own paper. Doing this will draw your attention to the specific vocabulary that the examiner is looking for and you can then use this in the future. Mark your paper in a different colour pen and annotate corrections. This will be a crucial revision source in the future should you want to review past mistakes.

Make sure that you mark your paper honestly. It is always tempting to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Ignore this temptation and mark strictly according to the mark scheme so that you receive an accurate assessment of your current level.

4.    Independent Review:     Go through your paper, identifying topics that on which you performed poorly. Make a note of these so that you can prioritise the revision of these topics. Write down any specific questions that you do not understand.

5.    Tutor Review: Discuss your past paper with your Renewed Learning tutor. They can clarify your understanding on the content that you do not understand. By collaborating you can identify which topic you will revise next.

6.    Repeat:  Repeat this process, revising a different topic each time in collaboration with your Renewed Learning tutor. Your independent revision can then lead to specific questions for your tutor, or requests for them to cover a particular topic.

The Benefits

1. Familiarization with Exam Format and Question Types:
Engaging with past papers allows students to familiarize themselves with the exam format and the variety of question types they may encounter. This familiarity breeds confidence, reducing the anxiety and stress that exams can cause. When a student finally steps into the exam hall, the paper in front of them will be no different to the previous papers that they have completed, and therefore less stressful! It demystifies the examination process, reducing apprehension and helping students to feel confident.

2. Time Management Mastery:
Practicing with past papers under timed conditions is a critical exercise in time management. It helps students gauge the amount of time they need to allocate to different sections of the exam, improving their ability to complete the exam within the allotted time. Furthermore, completing past papers helps students to navigate questions with increased efficiency. This ultimately helps students to showcase their knowledge comprehensively during the actual examination.

3. Mark Scheme Knowledge: Utilising the mark scheme to mark one's own work is a brilliant exercise. It requires students to adopt a critical eye towards their answers, recognizing areas of strength and pinpointing inaccuracies or omissions in their responses. Honest self-assessment fosters a brilliant positive mindset, encouraging students to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes rather than shy away from them. It can also enable students to identify subtleties in the answers that examiners are looking for.

4. Identifying Areas for Improvement:
Mark schemes serve as detailed roadmaps, outlining not just the correct answers but the rationale behind them. This insight allows students to identify specific topics or skills where they may be lacking. It transforms the revision process from a broad sweep of the subject matter into a targeted, efficient method focused on bolstering weak areas before subsequent practice. This strategic revision informed by the insight of past papers enables students to use their time most effectively, concentrating effort where it is most needed and thereby maximizing the potential for improvement.

Conclusion

The results of this focus on past papers ensures that students see a cyclical pattern of improvement as they steadily receive higher marks as their targeted revision enables them to slowly improve topic by topic.

It is always invaluable for students to seek feedback from their tutors. The experienced Oxbridge-educated tutors and mentors at Renewed Learning ensures that they can provide deeper insights into the mark scheme, offer tailored advice to bridge gaps in understanding, and develop your exam technique to improve your future scores. 

Deciding between the University of Oxford or Cambridge

The universities of Oxford and Cambridge share many similarities: they are the two oldest and most prestigious universities in the UK, they both have a unique college system, and in comparison to other UK universities, the majority of the teaching is conducted through a tutorial system, as opposed to just lectures and seminars. However, another factor that makes these universities unique, is that when applying on UCAS, candidates may only apply to one of the two universities. Many students are unsure about which university may be best for them, and this blog hopes to give you a clearer idea in making this decision!

City life

Cambridge University is located in a smaller city (where 20% of the population are students), with the centre of the city being dominated by the university colleges, libraries and faculty buildings. The River Cam flows through the city, and a favourite pastime of many students is punting along this river, admiring the picturesque colleges.

On the other hand, Oxford University is located in a larger city that has a population about 30% larger than that of Cambridge (also sharing the city with Oxford Brookes University). Whilst Oxford also has a river (and its fair share of punting!), Oxford may appeal to those more interested in exploring Oxford’s world famous museums and galleries, such as the Ashmolean museum, or the Pitt Rivers museum. 

Students at both Oxford and Cambridge certainly manage to have fun outside of their work and you will often hear that students work hard and play hard. There are pubs, clubs and various other parties at both universities.

Sport is a very big part of university life at both universities! For example, the Cambridge and Oxford University Boat Clubs host an annual boat race, with the first race taking place in 1829! Both universities have performed fairly equally, with Cambridge narrowly beating Oxford with 86 wins compared to Oxford’s 81. Both universities also play “Varsity” matches against one another in a range of sports: from Rugby to Spike-ball! In both universities there are also plenty of opportunities to play sport more casually, or get stuck into a sport you have never played before!

Whilst both Oxford and Cambridge share the college-system, Oxford boasts a total of 45 colleges, whereas Cambridge University comprises 31.

Education

Oxford and Cambridge University are two of the leading academic institutions globally, hosting world-renowned professors in a plethora of subjects. Similarly, teaching is conducted in a similar manner in both universities: candidates will have weekly lectures with students taking a specific module, but the main form of teaching is the tutorial (or supervision) system. This is organised by your college for about 2-3 hours per week, getting the chance to discuss the week's work with your tutor and a small number of your peers also taking that subject. 

Whilst both of these universities are globally prestigious, there are quite a few differences in the types of degree offered by both universities, which is important to bear in mind when considering where to apply. For example, Cambridge University offers a pure Economics degree, whereas Oxford does not (and students wishing to study Economics must apply for Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Economics and Management, or History and Economics).  Similarly, Oxford University allows students to study an individual science (either pure Physics, Chemistry, or Biology), whereas Cambridge University does not, and candidates wishing to study these subjects must apply for Natural Science. It is important to research which degree and syllabus would align more with your interests before applying!

Traditions and Quirks

Oxford and Cambridge have many traditions that make them stand out from other UK universities. 

For example, both Oxford and Cambridge have 3 eight week terms (with no reading week), whereas many UK universities have much longer terms. In Oxford, these terms are called Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity, and in Cambridge, they are called Michaelmas, Lent, and Easter term. 

Both universities host balls throughout the year, in Cambridge the majority take place in May Week (not hosted in May and lasts longer than a week!), whereas the largest balls in Oxford take place in Commemoration week, typically in mid-late June.

Fees and financial support

For home students, Oxford and Cambridge charge the same fee (as do all UK universities), of £9250 per year. However, for international students, Oxford University charges between £28,950-44,240 per year, with Cambridge charging between £24,507-£63,990, depending on the subject of study. 

Final thoughts

Both Universities are great insofar as providing a fulfilling university experience and world-leading education. However, a key difference is the degree in which you are applying to read, since the course syllabus and teaching may be conducted differently at the two universities, so research is important. Similarly, whilst the cities of Oxford and Cambridge are both uniquely beautiful, if possible, a visit may help you decide which city you could imagine yourself living in for 3-4 years!