When the exam is soon, more content is rarely the bottleneck. The bottleneck is knowing which mistakes still cost marks under timed conditions — then fixing those first.
This plan works whether you have a few weeks or a shorter window. The principle stays the same: diagnose with a timed paper, then practise narrowly.
The last-minute loop
- Sit a timed mock — a real school or consortium past paper, full time limit, minimal interruptions.
- Mark every question — correct, wrong, or skipped. Note sure-but-wrong where you can.
- Read the weak-area report — rank topics by marks lost, not by gut feel.
- Practise only the top gaps — short drills (10–20 minutes), then one mixed timed check.
- Sit the next paper — confirm the leak shrank before you widen the plan.
That loop beats a pile of unread worksheets because every hour answers a question: did this fix move the score?
A sample week (adapt the volume)
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Timed paper + mark the same day if possible |
| 2 | Biggest topic leak — accuracy drill |
| 3 | Second leak or sure-but-wrong check routine |
| 4 | Short timed section practising triage |
| 5 | Light review of stubborn question types |
| 6–7 | Next timed paper or rest if fatigue is high |
What to stop doing
- Starting brand-new topic textbooks “just in case”
- Sitting paper after paper with no marking
- Only practising what already feels comfortable
- Comparing raw scores across papers with very different difficulty
Frequently asked questions
How many full papers a week is sensible?
Often one or two carefully marked papers beat four unmarked ones. Quality of review matters more than volume.
What if we only have evenings?
Split the loop: sit one evening, mark the next, drill the third. A broken loop is still better than random worksheets.
Should we include English and Maths every week?
If both are examined, rotate. Do not let the subject that feels easier crowd out the one leaking marks.