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.
Appeared in Paper 1 in 2 of the last 3 sessions analysed, worth 4-8 marks each time, the most consistent non-calculator geometry topic
Higher only. A guaranteed non-calc question in every session we've checked: sin, cos, tan of 30°, 45°, 60° without a calculator
Appeared on Paper 1 (and every other paper) in every session analysed. Always worth setting up algebraically, not guessing
A recurring non-calc topic. Simplifying, rationalising, and combining surds shows up as a show-that question most series
Higher only. Consistently worth 4-8 marks across sessions, usually appearing on Paper 1 or Paper 2 as a geometric proof
A Must-Master topic in our priority ranking. Reading gradient and y-intercept straight from y = mx + c form is a reliable 3 marks
Higher only. A newer A-grade topic tested increasingly often: find the nth term of a quadratic sequence, worth 3-6 marks
Appears on Paper 1 most sessions, worth 3 marks. Use 2n for even, 2n+1 for odd, and show every algebraic step
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. A wrong answer with clear working rarely loses them all.
On Paper 1, don't convert surds or fractions to decimals unless the question asks for it. √12 stays as 2√3, 1/3 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're not finding an answer, you're 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 often 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 can lose the final mark.
A 4-mark question needs roughly 4 distinct steps of working. If you've written one line and reached an answer for a 4-mark question, you've 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°', 'tangent meets radius at 90°', 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. Don't do the sign change in your head, it's the single most common place marks are lost
Reading the gradient or intercept from a rough sketch instead of the equation itself → If you're 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