One focus per day, building to a timed run. Work it in order.
Ranked from analysed past papers. Start at the top: if you run out of time, you will have covered the most-tested ground.
A very high-frequency non-calculator geometry topic worth 4-8 marks. Learn the 8 theorems and their exact wording, not just the angle facts
Higher tier only. A high-frequency non-calc question: sin, cos, tan of 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, worked out from the two special triangles, not memorised as a table
Tested on every Edexcel paper, calculator and non-calculator. Always worth setting up algebraically, never worth guessing
A recurring non-calc topic. Simplifying, rationalising, and combining surds shows up as a show-that question most series
Very high frequency across the whole spec. Non-calc papers test the arithmetic (multiplying and dividing standard form numbers by hand) more than calc papers do
Higher tier only. Consistently worth 4-8 marks, usually appearing as a geometric proof using column vectors
Higher tier only. Find the nth term of a quadratic sequence, worth 3-6 marks. A newer topic that Edexcel now tests reliably
Worth 3 marks most series. Use 2n for even, 2n+1 for odd, and show every algebraic step, Edexcel awards marks for the steps, not just the conclusion
PrepWise has a one-page Knowledge Organiser for every topic above. In the final 3 days, use them the same way each time: cover the page, try to recall the method and a worked example from memory, check what you missed, then repeat the next day.
Rules specific to Paper 1. On this paper, structure earns as many marks as knowledge.
Method marks are your safety net on a non-calculator paper. If your final answer is wrong but the examiner can see a correct method (correct formula, correct substitution, correct rearrangement), you still pick up marks. A right answer with no working can lose marks under Edexcel's mark scheme. A wrong answer with clear working rarely loses them all.
On Paper 1, do not convert surds or fractions to decimals unless the question asks for it. Root 12 stays as 2 root 3, one third stays as a fraction. Converting early loses accuracy marks and often makes the next step harder, not easier.
For show-that questions (common with exact trig values and algebraic proof), you are not finding an answer, you are demonstrating a fact. Write out each algebraic step in full, even ones that feel obvious. Skipping a line is the most common way to lose a mark on an otherwise correct proof.
Circle theorem questions carry a mark for stating which rule you applied: 'angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference', 'angles in the same segment are equal'. A correct angle with no reason given loses the final mark under Edexcel's scheme.
A 4-mark question needs roughly 4 distinct steps of working. If you have written one line and reached an answer for a 4-mark question, you have almost certainly missed something. Go back and check.
The errors examiners see most on this paper. Each one is an easy mark you already know how to keep.
Rounding a surd or fraction to a decimal partway through a non-calculator question → Keep the exact form (surd or fraction) all the way through. Only convert if the question specifically asks for a decimal or rounded answer
Naming the wrong circle theorem, or giving no reason at all → Learn the exact wording for each theorem: 'angle in a semicircle is 90 degrees', 'tangent meets radius at 90 degrees', and write it down every time you use it
Mixing up sin, cos, and tan for the exact values table → Rebuild the table from the two special triangles (equilateral split in half for 30/60, right-angled isosceles for 45) rather than memorising numbers you might muddle under pressure
Substituting into simultaneous equations incorrectly, especially with negative coefficients → Write out the elimination or substitution step in full. Do not do the sign change in your head, it is the single most common place marks are lost
Reading the gradient or intercept from a rough sketch instead of the equation itself → If you are given y = mx + c, read m and c directly from the equation. Only use the graph to check your answer makes sense, not to find it
The 60 minutes before you walk in. Review what you know and settle your nerves.
You do not revise maths by reading it. Work exam-style questions in PrepWise, get them marked instantly, and see exactly which topics still cost you marks.
Open the Maths Knowledge Organisers, quiz every priority topic and walk in ready. Free during alpha.
Get started with your personalised revision