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Mocks 2026–27

How to revise for your GCSE mocks

Most Year 11 mocks are in November, December or January. Mocks don’t count towards your GCSEs, but they set your predicted grades, so a few weeks of smart revision really pays off.

A four-week mock revision plan

  • Week 1: find your gaps

    Do a Test yourself for each subject. Make a list of your weakest topics and start with those.

  • Week 2: learn and test

    For each weak topic: read the notes, then quiz yourself and do the flashcards until you know them.

  • Week 3: past papers

    One timed past paper per subject. Mark it with the mark scheme and practise every question you lost marks on.

  • Week 4: mix it up

    Mixed questions from all your topics, your mistakes list, and early nights before each exam.

Start with Test yourselfMake a mock timetable

How to revise for mocks, step by step

  1. 1

    Find out what’s on each paper

    Ask your teachers which papers you’re sitting and which topics they cover. Only Paper 1? On LycoLearn, AQA topics show their paper, and Test yourself can check one paper’s topics.
  2. 2

    Test yourself before you revise

    A quick check shows what you already know, so you don’t waste time on it. Test yourself takes 20 to 50 minutes and lists your weakest topics.
  3. 3

    Plan little and often

    Short sessions spread over weeks beat cramming. Mix your subjects, and put your weakest topics first. The revision timetable maker does this in a minute.
  4. 4

    Use active recall, not rereading

    Close the notes and test yourself: quizzes, flashcards, or the blurting method. Remembering is what makes it stick.
  5. 5

    Do past papers, timed

    Sit at least one past paper per subject in the real time, then mark it with the mark scheme. Examiners want particular words and steps.
  6. 6

    Fix your mistakes

    Every question you got wrong goes back on your list. Practise them until you get them right.
  7. 7

    Sleep

    The night before matters more than a last-minute cram. Sleep is when your memory saves what you learned.

After your mocks

Add your results to your progress page, so your “working at” grade and your revision plan use them. Then look at the topics where you lost the most marks: they’re where your next marks will come from.

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Questions about mocks

When are GCSE mocks?
Most schools hold Year 11 mocks in November, December or January, and some have a second round in February or March. Year 10 mocks are usually in June or July. Your school sets the dates.
Do mock results count?
No, they don’t count towards your GCSEs. But teachers use them for predicted grades, to choose which tier you sit, and for sixth form and college applications, so they’re worth doing well in.
How long before mocks should I start revising?
Four to six weeks is ideal: long enough to go over every topic and do a few past papers. Two weeks of focused revision still makes a real difference.
How do I revise for only Paper 1?
Find out which topics are on Paper 1 (on LycoLearn, AQA topics show their paper), then test yourself on just those. The revision planner can plan for one paper only.
Are mocks harder than the real exams?
They’re usually real past papers or very like them, so they’re the same standard. They can feel harder because you haven’t finished revising yet. That’s normal.
What if I do badly in my mocks?
That’s what mocks are for: they show what to revise before the real thing. Note the topics you lost marks on, add your result to your progress page, and start with those.

The real exams: GCSE exam dates 2027.