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7 Best Ways to Make Sure You Get an A* Grade

A-Level Math Revision: 7 Best Ways to Make Sure You Get an A* Grade

A-Level Math is a long race, not a short one. There is so much material to cover, from advanced calculus and vectors to mechanics and statistics, that you can't just cram at the last minute. To get that A* grade, you need to be disciplined and plan ahead when you study for A-Level Math.

A lot of students know the formulas, but they fail the test because they don't study or use the right techniques. This complete guide, put together by mathaversity's best A-Level experts, shows you the 7 best ways to study for A- Level Math and get the best grades on test day.

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The Main Idea Behind A-Level Math Revision

Stop reading passively. To study math well, you need to be involved and take tests often.

Strategy 1: The "Book-Closed" Method (Active Recall)

A common but useless way to study is to read through notes or examples from a textbook. When you have to get information back, your brain remembers it best.
  • How to Use: Look at a question or idea, like "integration by parts." Close your notes or book right away. On a blank piece of paper, try to remember the formula or figure out how to solve the problem.
  • The Benefit: This quickly shows you the exact things you haven't learned yet, which makes your study time very focused and productive.

Strategy 2: Interleaving Topics Instead of Blocking Them

It might be tempting to spend a whole week on Differentiation, but research shows that mixing topics is better for remembering things over time and doing well on tests.
  • How to Use: Plan your revision sessions so that you cover three different topics. For instance, you could spend 30 minutes on Trigonometric Proofs, 30 minutes on Kinematics (Mechanics), and 30 minutes on Hypothesis Testing (Statistics).
  • The Benefit: This method makes your brain quickly switch between different ideas and tools, just like the real test.

BONUS TIP: Use free resources

You need a steady stream of good practice questions to use active recall well. We think that every student at mathaversity should be able to use these. We give away free A-Level Math worksheets on all the main subjects, like Calculus, Pure, Stats, and Mechanics. To get your practice materials and start testing yourself today, click here

Learning How to Take Tests and Use Them

A-Level exams often test how well you structure and present your work as well as how well you know math.

Strategy 3: Write down the question before you start

Rushing to write down the first formula that comes to mind is a sure way to make a mistake. Take a minute to think about the question:
  • What is the subject? (Does it have to do with calculus, vectors, or probability?)
  • What is the request? (Differentiate, integrate, find the magnitude, prove, or guess?)
  • What are the clues that aren't obvious? For example, the word "hence" means you have to use the result from the last part, and the phrase "exact value" means you shouldn't use your calculator to round.

Strategy 4: Careful Use of Official Mark Schemes

Your examiner doesn't care what you think the question should be marked; they follow a strict marking scheme.
  • How to Apply: Use the official mark scheme to grade A-Level Math past papers, and pay close attention to the Method Marks (M) and Accuracy Marks (A). Find out why you lost each mark. Did you make a mistake in algebra (A mark) or did you use the wrong formula or method (M mark)?
  • The Benefit: Knowing how the mark scheme works helps you get the most points for your work, which is very important for getting an A*.

Strategy 5: Timed Mock Papers for Endurance

The last thing you have to do to get ready for A-Level Math is the endurance test. It takes endurance and good time management to sit a three-hour paper.
  • How to Apply: During the last month of revision, you should take at least one full mock exam each week under strict exam conditions (no phone, no breaks, and the right stationery).
  • The Benefit: Give each question a certain number of points per minute. It shouldn't take you more than 12 minutes to answer a 12-mark question. If you get stuck after that, move on and come back later. Don't waste 20 minutes trying to get 3 marks.

Getting Help from Experts for the A*

Even if you have the best study habits for math, getting help from a professional can give you the edge you need.

Strategy 6: Get help with your weaknesses from people who know how to do it

If you keep losing points on a certain topic, like Integration by Substitution (Pure) or Confidence Intervals (Stats), self-study may not be enough.
  • The mathaversity Solution: Our online A-Level math tutor can figure out what one algebraic or conceptual problem is keeping you from understanding. They can clear up years of confusion in just an hour or two of focused one-on-one sessions, which will speed up your A-Level Math revision. We know a lot about all the big boards, like AQA, Edexcel, and OCR.

Strategy 7: Write down your mistakes and think about them (The Error Journal)

The best way to study is to look at your mistakes from the past.
  • How to Apply: Write down your mistakes. Write down what you did wrong on a past paper or practice test.
  • The Subject: (for example, Implicit Differentiation)
  • The Error Type: (for example, a mistake in algebra, a misunderstanding of the concept, or choosing the wrong formula)
  • The Right Way: (Fix the problem correctly on a new page).
Two weeks before the test, you should only go over the things you wrote down in your Error Journal. This makes sure that you are using your limited time to work on the things that need the most work.

Conclusion

It takes more than being smart to do well in A-Level Math; you also need to follow a smart, tried-and-true revision plan. You can improve your performance by actively engaging with the material, mastering exam technique, and carefully examining your mistakes. Don't forget to use tools like our free A-Level Math worksheets to help you practice.
Mathaversity is ready to help you get the highest grades if you need professional, targeted help to fill in the last gaps in your knowledge.
Are you ready to start your planned A-Level Math review?
Call Mathaversity today to set up a meeting with an A-Level expert to find out what you need to work on.
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