Emerging details have shed light on the Year 11 students’ performance in the GCSE mock exam at Christ’s Hospital. In their tutorial lesson on 25 January, students in Year 11 were all given their small letters packed with GCSE mock exam scores. Tension filled the air as students slowly opened their letters – some held their breaths and were in total silence, some gave out shallow and short breaths. It was interesting that each student’s reaction seemed to be different. 

Thinking back about the exam week, some students reported that it was quite a struggle during the mock exam week, while others thought that they had more free time than ever before. “It was definitely not easy. We had to revise a lot of exams at once and in those free periods I was also revising.” Said Alizeh, one of the students in Year 11.

In the meantime of congratulating those who did well, many teachers have expressed their hopefulness and confidence about the students’ performances in May, June, and July to those that maybe didn’t do very well or didn’t achieve their own expectations. “It was – and I’ll repeat again – a mock, exam.” Emphasised one of the teachers talking to Year 11 in an assembly.

Reflecting upon their own revisions for subjects before the exam, many students seemed to suggest that their grades matched quite well with the amount of revision they have done. “Emm, I should’ve have revised more for Physics.” Said Alizeh immediately after the question about the exam was asked, “and my revision plan in the next five months would be… Mainly make notes and have a better understanding of the contents.”

Indeed, all of the Year 11 students have got another four to five months to prepare and revise for the “real thing” – the actual GCSE exam. While this period of time appears to be relatively long, the students have to revise very efficiently and effectively in order to be fully prepared. Now, as the students get a clearer picture of their GCSE exams and plan for the actual exam, we shall give our support to them and quietly await the final outcome in August.