GCSE revision

Free revision for every GCSE subject, following your exam board: clear notes, key terms, flashcards, practice and exam-style questions for each topic, real past papers with mark schemes, and a tracker that shows what to revise next.

Choose your subject

Maths

English

Science

Humanities and social sciences

Languages

Computing, design and technology

Arts, media and PE

How to revise for your GCSEs

Test yourself, don’t just reread

Rereading notes and highlighting feel productive, but they help much less than trying to remember. After reading a topic, close the notes and write down everything you can recall, then check what you missed. Flashcards, quizzes and exam questions all work the same way.

Every topic on LycoLearn has flashcards, a quiz and exam-style questions with a mark scheme, so you can test yourself as soon as you finish the notes.

Spread it out and mix it up

Coming back to a topic after a few days, then a week, then a few weeks, makes it last far longer than doing it all in one go. Swapping between subjects in a day helps too, because your brain has to work out which method each question needs.

A revision timetable makes this easy. Make a free one with the revision timetable maker, or let the revision planner plan every session up to your exams.

Know your exam board and your papers

Each exam board writes its own specification, so the topics, the order and the exam papers differ between AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. Check with your teacher which board and tier you are taking, then revise from your board’s list of topics.

Past papers show you exactly how questions are asked and how marks are given. Start with single questions on a topic, then do whole papers under timed conditions in the last two months, and always mark them with the mark scheme.

Work on your weakest topics first

It is tempting to revise what you already know, because it feels good. Your marks go up fastest when you work on the topics you find hardest. Keep a list of questions you got wrong and come back to them until you get them right.

LycoLearn does this for you: your scores for every topic and a list of your mistakes, which come back until you have them.

Look after yourself

Sleep is when memories are stored, so late-night cramming backfires. Take short breaks, get outside, eat properly and keep your phone out of reach while you revise. If exams are making you anxious, talk to someone you trust at home or at school.

Questions about GCSE revision

Is LycoLearn free for GCSE revision?
Yes. Notes, flashcards, practice and exam questions for every topic, real past papers, the grade boundary tables and your progress tracker are free with an account. LycoLearn Plus is optional and adds a day-by-day revision plan and more help from the AI.
Which GCSE exam boards are covered?
AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. Choose your board once and each course shows its topics in the order your specification lists them. AQA topics also say which exam paper they come up on.
When should I start revising for my GCSEs?
Most students start steady revision in Year 11, about six months before the exams, with extra in the weeks before mocks. Starting earlier with short, regular sessions is easier than cramming later, and Year 10 is a good time to go over topics as you learn them.
How many hours a day should I revise?
Quality matters more than hours. Around 30 to 60 minutes on school days and a little more at weekends works for most people in the months before exams, rising to two or three hours a day in the last few weeks. Short sessions with breaks beat long ones.
What is the best way to revise for GCSEs?
Test yourself instead of rereading. Quizzes, flashcards and past paper questions make your brain pull information out, which is what makes it stick. Spread each topic out over several weeks, mix subjects, and check your answers against mark schemes.
When are the GCSE exams?
GCSE exams usually start in May and finish in late June, and results day is in late August. Your school gives you your exact timetable, usually early in the spring term.
What GCSE grade is a pass?
In England, GCSEs are graded 9 to 1, with 9 the highest. Grade 4 is a "standard pass" and grade 5 is a "strong pass". Many sixth forms and colleges ask for grade 4 or above in English and maths.
Can I do GCSE past papers online?
Yes. LycoLearn links every public past paper from AQA, Edexcel and OCR with its mark scheme. Sit one with a timer, mark it yourself or with the AI, and see the grade you would have got using the real grade boundaries.