Mock exams: what they are and how to use them

Mocks are practice exams your school runs before the real thing. They are a chance to find gaps and get used to exam conditions, not a final verdict on you.

What mocks are and why schools run them

Most schools and colleges hold mock exams in the autumn term. [1]
Mocks build your confidence in sitting exams under formal conditions and show teachers where you need extra support. [2]
Schools often use recent exam board papers for mocks. Pearson locks its most recent papers so only teachers can see them, partly so they can be used as mocks. [3]

Why testing yourself helps

Practice testing was one of the two most useful study techniques in the Dunlosky 2013 review of learning methods. [4]
Pulling information from memory feels harder than re-reading, but it is better to struggle in practice than in the real exam. [5]

Using your mock results

Focus on the feedback, not just the grade. Good feedback gives specific information on how to improve, and the Education Endowment Foundation rates feedback at around 6 months of extra progress. [6]
Feedback about the task and the subject works better than feedback about you as a person. Look at what each lost mark tells you about the topic or your exam technique. [6]
Make a list of the topics where you lost marks and turn them into self-test questions for your next revision sessions.

A 4-week plan before your mocks

4 weeks before

List every subject and paper you will sit, with dates (ask your teachers).
Rate each topic red, amber or green on the subject checklists.
Start with red topics: a short lesson, then the questions, then the mistakes test.

3 weeks before

Make a revision timetable with the free planner and stick to short sessions with breaks.
Test yourself instead of re-reading: flashcards, key terms and the quick checks.
Come back to last week's topics for a few minutes before new ones.

2 weeks before

Do one past paper or mock test per subject, timed.
Mark it with the mark scheme and write down what you lost marks on.
Fix those mistakes with the lessons, then answer similar questions again.

Last week

Mix topics in each session instead of one topic for a whole day.
Practise long answers with the essay planner and check them with Correct my answer.
Read the exam day checklist, pack your bag the night before and sleep well.

Tools: mock tests in the app · past papers · revision planner · how to revise · exam day checklist

Printable 2-week holiday revision plan

For the Christmas or February half-term break before mocks. About two to three hours a day in short sessions, with breaks and a rest day each week. Tick each day when it is done.

Day	Plan	Done
Day 1	Plan: list topics, rate them red, amber or green, and make a timetable.
Day 2	Maths: two red topics, then 20 minutes of mixed questions.
Day 3	English: one Literature text (quotations and themes), one Language reading question.
Day 4	Science: two red topics, then the key terms test.
Day 5	Your options subjects: one red topic each.
Day 6	Timed past paper or mock test in one subject. Mark it.
Day 7	Rest day. Light flashcards only if you want.
Day 8	Fix the mistakes from day 6, then a second timed paper in another subject.
Day 9	Maths: mixed questions across all topics.
Day 10	English: practise one long answer and get feedback.
Day 11	Science: required practicals and equations.
Day 12	Options subjects: amber topics, then mixed questions.
Day 13	My mistakes test in the app across every subject.
Day 14	Look back: what moved from red to green? Plan the first week of term.

This plan is our suggestion, built on the study methods on the how to revise page. Change it to fit your subjects and your school's mock timetable.

Sources

Checked 23 October 2026. Rules and dates change each year, so check with your school too. GCSE-ready is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson, JCQ, Ofqual or the Department for Education.