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How To Achieve Grade 9 In GCSE Chemistry

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Background

Arguably THE hardest subject out there, let alone the hardest science, Chemistry, when understood, can be very rewarding, but also painfully confusing when misunderstood. 

For me the hardest aspect of Chemistry was actually getting my head around some of the concepts.

For starters: 

  • Trying to visualise the volume of gas chlorine occupies at room temperature

  • Figuring out how many moles of sodium hydroxide are needed to neutralise an acid

  • What does it mean by a strong acid releasing H+ ions when dissolved in water? 

What I soon realised is, to achieve the highest grade (9) in Chemistry and GCSE, you DON’T have to wrap your head around these concepts completely. 

I was never a science type of person, but enjoyed learning some topics, and Chemistry was the most interesting. I often revised some Chemistry topics through enjoyment. Maybe that was due to my learning type and because I enjoy understanding concepts and applying them.

A lot of people dislike the subject and it’s easier said than done, but sometimes you have to force yourself to develop an interest. So try to see if you can find at least one thing about the subject which you can take an interest in.

Classwork 

For year 11, I only filled around half of my workbook, which was unusual when compared to other subjects. But that’s because our Chemistry classwork was largely based on worksheets rather than notes from textbooks.

My main approach to classwork would be a reverse technique. I would read up on the topics beforehand, and then go into the lessons already having some understanding of the topic. I found this incredibly useful for a subject like Chemistry. Whilst most of the people in the class failed to grasp complex ideas, I would already be at an advantage as my prior reading placed me into a position where I could grasp (at the very least a little bit) of the idea and then further develop my understanding throughout the class.

The Revision

The Chemistry specification is split up into 2 papers, so my revision was mainly based on topics for each paper. 

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As you can see above, mind maps on topics were very useful for allowing me to summarise my general understanding as well as working out the areas where I lacked knowledge. For the December mocks, I had to revise for paper 1, and this allowed me to complete my revision notes (mind maps, flash cards and exam questions) early, they would then later be used in May for the actual paper 1.

Paper 1

For paper one, I placed more emphasis on topics such as quantitative Chemistry and energy changes, as I found that those topic areas would feature some of the more difficult questions. If you are taking higher triple chemistry, then it is a MUST that you can understand and apply the different quantitative equations, namely: 

  • The mole equation 

  • Number of moles = Mass(g) of element/Mr of element) 

  • The concentration equations 

  • Concentration = number of moles/volume of solvent

Without doubt, you will need these so get them sorted early!

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GCSE Chemistry Ions Notes.jpeg
GCSE Chemistry Moles Notes.jpeg

👆Some revision notes on Chromatography, Ions and Moles

Paper 2

For paper 2, my focus was largely on two topics:

  • Topic 10 - using resources

  • Topic 6 - the rate and extent of chemical change

I chose topic 10 because it is a very large topic and although much of  its content appears quite generic (recycling and reuse, finite resources etc) a lot of pupils fail to realise that topic 10 contains some niche areas such as ceramics, composites and polymers. Many students struggled with this topic last year, as they overlooked the complexity and detail. So definitely get to grips with that topic!

I focussed on topic 6 because it contains the hardest part (in my opinion) of GCSE Chemistry: Reversible reactions and Le Chatelier's principle. Without fail these questions will come up on the higher paper, and the question type for reversible reactions will always be relatively similar, as there are only so many ways of asking about the area without reaching A level Chemistry territory. Make note of the point you’re at on the specification as you have a lesson, why not even print it off and bring it into class. Whatever you do, make sure in some way that you have access to it. Here’s a link to the course specification.

My main revision resource was using CGP’s guide to GCSE Chemistry. This included the revision guide, the follow up question booklet, follow up question booklet with Grade 8/9 focus and CGP’s own revision cards

As well as regularly using those resources, I had subscribed to the website - My GCSE Science. This provided me with access to revision videos on each and every topic for all the sciences, as well as quizzes and exam questions. 

Finally, a resource I’d highly recommend is Quizlet; a quick easy quiz platform which helps you learn key concepts and definitions via active recall. Here’s a good video to watch if you don’t know what active recall is. 

On the whole, I’d say I probably did a couple of hours of revision a week, a few months before exam season. Everyone works differently, but if you have a revision schedule that works, whether it be 3 hours every evening or just 30 mins on a Saturday, then good on you.

The Exam

My strengths going into the Chemistry exam, or science exams as a whole, were that I knew the syllabus and revision guide well so I could easily understand which topic each question was referring to. 

However, one of my biggest weaknesses was often misreading or overlooking the specific intent of the question. I’d sometimes begin answering the question and writing about a topic without being exactly clear on what the question was asking me to do. As a result, I would always reread each exam question at least 2 or 3 times to make sure that my understanding was sound. 

I did as many past papers as there were available to me, this included all those on the AQA website

What I found most useful was completing the 6 mark questions that all Chemistry papers include. Many students find 6 markers daunting and fail to develop a solid approach not knowing what terminology to use to hit the mark script. Past papers really helped to develop my technique for answering 6 markers quickly and effectively.

The real exam went surprisingly well. The last question on paper 1 was a 6 marker based on titration calculations. This question was a breeze in the real thing, because as I mentioned earlier, my focus on the quantitative topic areas made these type of questions very accessible.

The paper 2 exam had plenty of questions from organic Chemistry, and sneakily featured a paper 1 topic, as well as the infamous topic 10: using resources. I left the exam very pleased with my performance, especially in relation to the topic 6 questions on reversible reactions/haber process, which I had anticipated prior to the exam.

Summary 

For science exams, I broke the subject down into two main parts:

  • Knowledge of content

  • Application of concepts

If these fundamental principles are mastered, then you can’t go wrong. 

Knowledge of content: You must use the specification as your compass; you must know each topic inside and out, to the extent where you feel confident enough to teach another pupil. Revise regularly and the content will stick, but this won’t guarantee success. 

Application of concepts: You need to know how to apply the knowledge you have acquired. Practice exam questions are the best form of application, and they prove if you really know what you’ve learnt. 

With that in mind, Chemistry can be broken down into a very accessible subject, in which any student can succeed.

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Top Tips For Using GCSE Maths Revision Cards

In recent years flashcards and revision cards have become popular with students revising for their GCSE maths exams. These cards can be a very useful tool in helping students to prepare for their exams and there are many ways to use them. Our GCSE maths revision card guide below will hopefully give you some ideas of how to best utilise your flashcards. 

Tip 1: Buy the best revision cards

Before you start revising you first must purchase a pack, ensuring you get the best cards. Check out the maths revision cards on Maths Made Easy. These cards are one of the most popular packs and for good reason, they cover the entire curriculum and are presented in a user-friendly format.

Use the code examcoach to get 10% off any product! 

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Tip 2: Identifying gaps

Once your pack arrives a really good starter exercise is to have a quick run through of the entire pack, looking at the topic titles and glancing at the content to determine which topics you are strong on and which ones you know you need to work on. Separate the cards into the two separate piles and then start to work through the topics. We think it is best if you revise one from each pile so that you give yourself a topic that you struggle on and then move onto something that you are fairly confident on so you feel like you are making good progress. 

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Tip 3: Cover up and test

You can test yourself on the key GCSE maths formula’s by covering up the card and seeing if you can remember it. This type of exercise is great for getting other people involved whether that is a study buddy or an enthusiastic parent.  

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Tip 4: Practise

Reading revision cards and improving your understanding of maths is good, but you really need to make sure you spend more time practising. The MME GCSE maths revision cards have worked examples as well as exam style questions on the back of every card. 

Tip 5: Use other resources

Maths revision cards are great and a really useful revision aid but you should never over rely on one thing. Accessing GCSE maths revision materials and resources such as the predicted maths papers, is crucial to ensure you get use to the types of questions that are likely to appear in the exams. 

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Tip 6: Have breaks

When revising it is essential that you keep your mind fresh and ready to absorb as much information as you can and therefore you need to take regular breaks when revising from the maths flashcards. Shorter, intensive revision periods are usually more productive than 3 hours of revision with TV, music and social media on in the background.

We hope you have found our top tips useful and as ever we wish you all the best with your exam revision!