GCSE's

[Sambolinski]

Hi all,
I'm currently in year 10 (British school years) and I was wondering if anyone has some advice about passing GCSE's.
I am taking computing, history, triple science and R.E along with the obvious science, maths and English.
We have done 2 English controlled assessments (Spoken language and persuasive writing), we are also about to do an "Of Mice and Men" CA in English as well.
     On top of that I am also about to start my 20 hour computing controlled assessment.

If anyone could give some advice about GCSE's that would be great. 
   
P.S: I am also interested to know what subjects you took. (If it's not too personal).

Thanks Sam.

[Krisrules]

I took history: (Nazi Germany, medicine through time, civil rights movement) in year 9 think I got a C

Maths English Science all C's    English literature (poetry and writing and shit)   D

R.E. -  F           French  - D                                 P.E.   -  B


Of mice and men is a great book/story btw

Also if I had any advice it would be take your GCSE's seriously because I now regret not cracking on with it properly for the better grades and better ££££ $$$$

[?Vakarian]

I'm doing A2 right now, but when I was doing my GCSEs, I pretty much learnt to complete exams. Especially in Science. The questions came up over and over again. We sat doing every past exam paper available and by the end we got As and A*s in core, additional and Triple. For the year below me, however, the exams changed quite a lot. I'm not sure what the new ones are like, but the technique should still work. Other than the exam papers, I never revised once.

For English and History, it's much harder to do that, I find. Past papers will still help, though.
History is probably the hardest to prepare for, as the paper could be on any of the three topics you have done so far (Y10 exam. I think I had Suffragettes, Liberal Reforms and World War 1 or something) Year 11 is a little easier. If I remember correctly, there was just one larger topic which is either Nazi Germany or America, depending on what you did your Essay on.. I would recommend you to go over everything in History multiple times. History was the only lesson I ever had failed a test in. I resat it, later, though and did okay.
In English, the Spoken Language is/was by far the worst assignment. If you found that one okay, Mice and Men should be a breeze. I still cringe when I think about 'P.E.E'. I believe that has been re-branded now, though. lel. Just remember to get your CAs done as best as you can. They bumped my B grade in my exam to an A overall. I wrote the CAs before they had to be done and remembered them word for word when it came to the actual one.

With Maths, I found that the methods on the curriculum were not always the easiest. You may want to look into other ways of solving maths problems... Which ever way works best for you.  Just do the more complicated things over and over again. Get them into your head in steps and you'll not go wrong.

[Teitoku Ippan]

my advice:

listen to what your teachers say, ask for help if you dont understand anything, tell any dickheads to fuck off if they dont like the fact you are trying to get somewhere in life unlike them who will just be on benefits for the rest of their lives, and still have fun with your friends but work hard, as long as you get C or above its a pass and GCSEs dont mean much in the working world apart from getting into college courses to get A-Levels, where it starts to really matter

[Sambolinski]

Thanks for the advice.
For History we do all of exams at the end of year 11 (except for CA). So far we have done Germany 1918-1939 and we have started Britain during 1918-1945
I've got B's for the last 2 controlled assessments in English. For me the hardest part was the change from year 9 to year 10.

[smt]

don't freak out if you get a result back that's under a C, if you really need it you can retake it, as long as you get into college with the results it's all that really matters

[Tyrion The Anal Explorer]

I'm going to structure it into the subjects and give my opinion on it etc. I'm in year 10 and doing a similar exam board.

Computing: By far the easiest subject out of the ones you listed. All you need to know is HTML CSS and Javascript at a amateur level and your good to go. The coursework generally consists of you being given some pre-built code and you have to extend it to meet some requirements. For Example for my GCSE my pre-built code is a form that people will use for exam entrys where they can type their name age etc, and you basically have to extend it to do some validation verification etc.

Honestly, in my opinion even if you don't know that much code you should be fine doing this subject . Also it might be easier than mine because you get 20 hours whilst I get 25 hours so yeeee.

History:Not much to say about it realllyyyyy. Errm well all I would say is pay attention in lesson and don't get distracted. Also another thing when answering questions (source based or not source based doesn't matter) always put a ton of evidence and detail in that is what gets you the marks. I dropped an entire grade for A to B on one mock question for the reason "You didn't put enough detail about Vesalius's main idea) So ye be wary of that.

Triple Science: Well I took Double, So I'm only doing B,C,P 1 at the moment so I can't help you at all with 2,3. Best asking somebody else:P

R.E: I didn't take this one so I have no idea what to say except always back up your opinions. Ask Derposki, http://www.catalyst-gaming.net/index.php?action=profile;u=22662 pretty confident he took R.E.

The Core Subjects: Maths honestly just revise a lot for those exams and pay attention in class, could be a good idea to go and get more work from your teacher perhaps? I got mock exams at end of this month so I decided to go and pick up a paper off him. After finishing this paper my teacher said he would go through the test with me 1 to 1 and help me learn where I went wrong. (I NEED THAT B OR A ).

For English I'm not sure what to say I'm only getting C's in English (I made that sound like a bad thing) you have just got to provide Plenty of evidence back it up clearly make your point and for A and A* on some pieces try exploring alternate views, meanings etc because they love to see that.

I am taking computing, history, triple science and R.E along with the obvious science, maths and English.

You made it sound like quad science? I don't know what to say here .

But honestly just try your best and try and get minimum grade C's in all subjects as this will help with college. Good luck with that coursework

[Sambolinski]

I'm going to structure it into the subjects and give my opinion on it etc. I'm in year 10 and doing a similar exam board.

Computing: By far the easiest subject out of the ones you listed. All you need to know is HTML CSS and Javascript at a amateur level and your good to go. The coursework generally consists of you being given some pre-built code and you have to extend it to meet some requirements. For Example for my GCSE my pre-built code is a form that people will use for exam entrys where they can type their name age etc, and you basically have to extend it to do some validation verification etc.

Honestly, in my opinion even if you don't know that much code you should be fine doing this subject . Also it might be easier than mine because you get 20 hours whilst I get 25 hours so yeeee.

History:Not much to say about it realllyyyyy. Errm well all I would say is pay attention in lesson and don't get distracted. Also another thing when answering questions (source based or not source based doesn't matter) always put a ton of evidence and detail in that is what gets you the marks. I dropped an entire grade for A to B on one mock question for the reason "You didn't put enough detail about Vesalius's main idea) So ye be wary of that.

Triple Science: Well I took Double, So I'm only doing B,C,P 1 at the moment so I can't help you at all with 2,3. Best asking somebody else:P

R.E: I didn't take this one so I have no idea what to say except always back up your opinions. Ask Derposki, http://www.catalyst-gaming.net/index.php?action=profile;u=22662 pretty confident he took R.E.

The Core Subjects: Maths honestly just revise a lot for those exams and pay attention in class, could be a good idea to go and get more work from your teacher perhaps? I got mock exams at end of this month so I decided to go and pick up a paper off him. After finishing this paper my teacher said he would go through the test with me 1 to 1 and help me learn where I went wrong. (I NEED THAT B OR A ).

For English I'm not sure what to say I'm only getting C's in English (I made that sound like a bad thing) you have just got to provide Plenty of evidence back it up clearly make your point and for A and A* on some pieces try exploring alternate views, meanings etc because they love to see that.

I am taking computing, history, triple science and R.E along with the obvious science, maths and English.

You made it sound like quad science? I don't know what to say here .

But honestly just try your best and try and get minimum grade C's in all subjects as this will help with college. Good luck with that coursework

For computing we are using Visual Basic.
I meant core science and triple science but I wish my school offered double science because I don't really like biology.
Thanks for the advice and good luck with your GCSE's.

[Tyrion The Anal Explorer]

I'm going to structure it into the subjects and give my opinion on it etc. I'm in year 10 and doing a similar exam board.

Computing: By far the easiest subject out of the ones you listed. All you need to know is HTML CSS and Javascript at a amateur level and your good to go. The coursework generally consists of you being given some pre-built code and you have to extend it to meet some requirements. For Example for my GCSE my pre-built code is a form that people will use for exam entrys where they can type their name age etc, and you basically have to extend it to do some validation verification etc.

Honestly, in my opinion even if you don't know that much code you should be fine doing this subject . Also it might be easier than mine because you get 20 hours whilst I get 25 hours so yeeee.

History:Not much to say about it realllyyyyy. Errm well all I would say is pay attention in lesson and don't get distracted. Also another thing when answering questions (source based or not source based doesn't matter) always put a ton of evidence and detail in that is what gets you the marks. I dropped an entire grade for A to B on one mock question for the reason "You didn't put enough detail about Vesalius's main idea) So ye be wary of that.

Triple Science: Well I took Double, So I'm only doing B,C,P 1 at the moment so I can't help you at all with 2,3. Best asking somebody else:P

R.E: I didn't take this one so I have no idea what to say except always back up your opinions. Ask Derposki, http://www.catalyst-gaming.net/index.php?action=profile;u=22662 pretty confident he took R.E.

The Core Subjects: Maths honestly just revise a lot for those exams and pay attention in class, could be a good idea to go and get more work from your teacher perhaps? I got mock exams at end of this month so I decided to go and pick up a paper off him. After finishing this paper my teacher said he would go through the test with me 1 to 1 and help me learn where I went wrong. (I NEED THAT B OR A ).

For English I'm not sure what to say I'm only getting C's in English (I made that sound like a bad thing) you have just got to provide Plenty of evidence back it up clearly make your point and for A and A* on some pieces try exploring alternate views, meanings etc because they love to see that.

I am taking computing, history, triple science and R.E along with the obvious science, maths and English.

You made it sound like quad science? I don't know what to say here .

But honestly just try your best and try and get minimum grade C's in all subjects as this will help with college. Good luck with that coursework

For computing we are using Visual Basic.
I meant core science and triple science but I wish my school offered double science because I don't really like biology.
Thanks for the advice and good luck with your GCSE's.

If your using Visual Basic then dang your life is easy.