When Should My Child Do Practice Papers?

Asked by Kim on our Parent Webinar Series.

Kim! We love answering any questions on practice papers, so please allow us to get a little carried away here!

Ideal Timing for Practice Papers

In a perfect world, students should gradually incorporate practice exams throughout the year. For example, if your child is studying probability in maths at the start of the school year, they should begin practising relevant past exam questions. This doesn't mean they have to do the whole paper, just the bits that relate to the topic they're studying at the time. This will mean that by the time exam season arrives, they would have already completed 5-10 practice exams and mastered the material, making exam preparation much smoother.

Before Exams: Should Practice Exams Be Done Together or Spaced Out?

In terms of preparation prior to exams, it will need to be a little of both:

Together: Most students prefer to memorise their notes first, usually in the first 1-2 weeks of exam prep. Then, once their notes are committed to memory, they can focus on doing practice exams under timed, exam-like conditions. Ideally, students should start completing practice papers as early as possible, but at the very minimum, they should spend the final week before an exam on practice papers alone.

Spaced Out: On the other hand, it’s important to space out practice exams for optimal performance. Practice exams are long and mentally taxing, so students need adequate breaks between each one. It’s crucial not to cram all the practice exams into the final days before the exam. Spacing them out across a few weeks will help maintain focus and improve results.

To further support your child in getting exam-ready, check out our crash courses on Exam Preparation and Study Timetables.