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Written by S. Mahandru, Maths Subject Lead, Exam.tips
Past papers are, honestly, one of the most underrated tools out there. They’re not just “extra worksheets” — they show you how examiners think. Start small: pick one topic, do a couple of questions, and really look at what throws you off. Don’t worry about speed yet; that part comes later.
When I go through papers with my students, I always say, “Don’t just mark the tick or cross — talk to yourself about why it happened.” Maybe the question wording caught you out, or you dropped a sign somewhere. Catching that pattern once saves you the same mistake twice.
And here’s the magic bit — redo the same paper a week or two later. Sounds dull, but you’ll see it differently. The questions feel familiar, and suddenly your confidence jumps. You see? That’s when practice turns into progress.
