First of all, you should know which exam board you are taking the GCSE with. This advice mostly applies to the sciences, but use it where you see fit.
You can read any textbook x times, or watch a YouTube video y times, or read over your notes z times, but the only way to guarantee that you know everything for your exams is if you read your spec. The exams aren’t based on your textbook - they’re based on the spec. So if you know the spec, you know the exam.
Print out the ‘subject content’ area of the spec
Read through it and mark information that I wouldn’t be able to recall otherwise
Add notes where something vague is written, for example ‘students should be able to explain the motor effect’. Write down the explanation!
After lessons, go over which part of the spec you covered. (It helps when your teacher can’t really teach)
N.B The spec also cannot be your only source for information. It is your textbooks, notes and revision guides that will (or should) explain the topic in more detail. So when you read over the spec, you should be able to recall mentally the topic in more depth.
2. Know what coursework you have + what % it counts to your overall grade
And strive to do your very best in coursework. Honestly, it’s gonna help a shit ton during your exams. If you score high, you don’t have to worry so much about the written part (if you have one).
Become best buds with your teachers if you have to! Your coursework is usually internally marked by your subject teacher. I gave my music teacher chocolate for Christmas even though he was biased and cocky. I still dislike him, but his help got me a grade 9, and 100% in my Music coursework.
During Year 10 + 11: Know if you have support clinics for your subjects. Know where they are, when they are, and if you feel yourself slipping in a subject, have questions ready to ask the teacher!
Even if you don’t have a clinic that day, it’s okay to ask for help! Hopefully by now you’ll know which teachers belong to which departments. If you feel comfortable with them, ask for help!
Spring/Summer of Year 11: Revision sessions should start to pop up. Attend them, even if your friends aren’t going. It’s okay to be solitary for a while if it means that you get some valuable information. (You can catch up with your friends later, but you only take most of your GCSEs once. Make it count, hun.)
+ Don’t worry if you can’t make it, or if you just don’t want to go a couple of times. I did the same because I’m not a machine and neither are you. Have fun sometimes <3
Know what’s in the spec, but make sure you can go into depth on topics as well. Use it with your textbooks and revision guides. (Don’t stress about reading over every spec! Use it when you’re stuck on what you need to know)
Coursework: Dedicate a lot of your effort on it - trust me, it helps you so much for the written exams (if you have them). Develop a good relationship with your teacher.
Resources: Use ‘em. Just do it.
