The Hidden Flaw in Past Paper Revision - Why It Won't Get You a Grade 9

Many students (and even tutors) believe that doing past papers over and over again is the best way to revise.

But if that's all you do, you'll hit a wall.

Every past paper covers a mix of topics. If you get a trigonometry question wrong, fixing that one mistake isn't enough.

You need to go back and master the whole topic.

Exams highlight weaknesses. They don't fix them.

Why This Doesn't Work

Imagine a footballer trying to improve by only playing matches.

If their shooting is weak, they won't improve just by playing games. They need to take hundreds of shots in training.

The same goes for stamina. A player won't build endurance just by playing full matches.

They need specific fitness drills to improve their running ability.

Students need to take the same approach.

How to Actually Improve

Instead of repeating past papers, focus on one topic at a time.

Work through the hardest questions so you're fully confident before moving on.

If you want a Grade 9, you need to master every topic.

That means tackling the toughest versions of each question type. Examiners will test every small detail - so you need to be ready.

Past papers help you check progress. But real improvement comes from focused practice.

Train like an athlete. Fix your weaknesses. Then, when the exam comes, you'll be unstoppable.

By Giuliano Grasso