Many students doing A levels and GCSE’s have to sit mock exams before and after the Christmas break. This can be a very stressful time for students as they find it difficult to balance revision, celebrating Christmas, boxing day, and new year’s day with friends and family all within 2 weeks. Different students take mock exams to different levels in terms of how serious they are and how much revision needs to be done for them. When asked about mock exams, the students responded in different ways. Amal, 16, “I don’t think mocks are completely unnecessary as it can help predict my grades for the actual exams which will help to know how much I need to improve in order to get the grades that I want, but I do think that I don’t put in as much effort and time as I would for the actual exams knowing that they are “mock exams”, but my school has given us 2 weeks study leave which is a benefit as we can have more time revising in the comforts of our homes.. Rebecca, 16 responded a bit differently by saying that “I do think that it’s not convenient having the mock exams straight after the Christmas holidays as I and many people spend the holidays with family and friends and end up having barely any time to revise and when I do have time, I’m not able to revise to the expected standard, especially at A levels where you do essay based subjects you have to be more independent and do your own further reading compared to GCSE’s where it was more easier to revise.” A level students had a lot of negative things to say about mock exams, as well as GCSE students. Anonymous, 15 (doing GCSE’s), “I think mock exams are a great way to prepare us for the actual exams as we can get used to being comfortable in the exam hall as well as following the set rules but I do think that they are difficult to prepare for especially as our exams take place during the normal school days so its inconvenient to keep up with homework from lessons and to do revision too”. Overall students doing GCSE’s and A levels find the mock exam period to be an extremely stressful and demanding time but they realise that they are there to help them improve and allows there teachers show them how they can do better in their subjects, best of luck to those who have done there exams and to those who are currently doing them! (Tahiya Ahmed, Ursuline Academy Ilford)
