Year 12 Subject survival guide

Subject: Physics

Advice on:

1)General/classwork tips

  • Make sure you pay attention – I know its really obvious but it is a very intensive course and you miss one little bit you end up getting really lost. If you miss a lesson ask the teacher for all of the resources and copy up someone’s notes.
  • Make extensive notes – everything that the teacher writes, make sure you copy down! Do not rely on just the textbook or revision guide to get you through as they are very vague and the teachers know a lot of very valuable extra and precise stuff that may just save you in the exam.
  • Don’t worry if you are not good at maths or taking maths at A-level – all the maths involved is GCSE standard and the teachers are aware that you took physics to do physics and not maths, so they make it really accessible and fun for you.

2)Homework tips

  • Homework in physics is extremely rare, however, because you are not set any does not mean that you should not do any- take the time to do extra reading or go and find teachers to ask for extra help if you don’t understand it. This could provide a crucial ground to stand on when beginning your revision or moving on to harder topics. Recapping on the things that you have learned in lesson is very important to ensuring that you understand and remember it.
  • When you are set homework it usual comes in the form of coursework. As soon as you are set coursework or start talking about it in class, do it straight away! Get it done and dusted out the way! This has two major benefits; one, you get it in to the teacher in time to get feedback and hence improve it, and two, it is not looming over when you need to being using the time to either revise, or focus on the challenging course material that will still be being taught.

3)Exam tips – ways to get the best grades

  • When it comes to exams there are only really two main, and simple, tips that will ensure success. One, turn up to the revision sessions! Just go. It’s only one or two days of your life which could clear up anything you missed or didn’t understand- and that may come up in the exam.
  • Secondly, download all of the past papers from the website and do them all, literally all of them! Every single question! When it comes to this course, the only real way to revise effectively is by practising loads and loads of past papers. When you get stuck, asks a teacher or a year 13 student to help until you completely understand it. I guarantee you that if you do this, at least two of the questions in the real exam you will have done before, and all the others will be very similar. This way you will be totally prepared.

Edited by: Scarlett Stock. Written by: Harry Bojakowski. Front cover by: Ben Fuller.