If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice it will be this: 6th year is tough, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
In this article, I will share tips and tricks I wish someone told me before I started 6th year. I got 625 points in my LC, but it was an extremely stressful year. I can now say it didn’t have to be.
Start Revision Early
Everyone says this, but very few do it. I didn’t. I only realised the importance of this when the mocks were staring me in the face.
The truth is, even 20–30 minutes a day from the start of 6th year makes a massive difference when exam season comes around.
Early revision means you’re not just memorising, you’re actually understanding. You’re future self will thank you for this.
Make Notes (and Use the Right Ones)
I cannot stress enough how important I found making notes was. They are life-savers closer to exam seasons.
Having the right notes will save you countless hours, and make your revision much more effective. Start making notes sooner rather than later. Don’t postpone this.
That being said, you must have the right notes. Your notes should highlight the key points that are needed for exams.
Knowing what’s needed in exams is difficult. It’s tough to write a H1 response when you haven’t seen one. And this is even tougher with subjects like English.
To start you off, I have put together Sample H1 Answers for English Paper 1 Reading Comprehension Questions. These show you exactly what a H1 response looks like: the structure, the phrasing, and the level of detail examiners reward. Additionally, I give detailed feedback on how to improve answers too.
If you’ve ever wondered “what does a H1 answer actually look like?”, this is for you. If you’re still not convinced, you can check out the first few pages of the document for free.
Special Offer: As a thank you for reading this article, and to make it easier for you to get started, I’m giving a 20% discount. The discount code is H1ENGLISH.
Start Past Papers Early
I rarely did past papers until Christmas. Definitely not a good idea. I strong recommend working with past papers ASAP.
Many people ask me how many past paper questions I recommend doing. Here’s my answer: As many as you possibly can. The more the better.
Even if you don’t get the answers first time, it’s still very good practise. I would recommend trying to do a few past paper questions in every study session.
Study with Less Stress and More Success
I really like the ‘Less Stress More Success’ books. They are an extremely useful tool to revise the concepts.
If I could start 6th year again, I would use these books earlier, and for every subject too.
You can read my full review of these books here. Like I said, I think they are game-changers, especially for understanding the concepts, rather than just memorising.
Quality over Quantity
Here’s one thing I can tell you with confidence, studying longer does not equal to better grades.
It’s not about quantity, it’s about how you study. Prioritise smart and structured study.
To read about this in more depth check out our article: How to get H1 in every subejct.
Plan to Have Plan
Having a structured study plan is crucial. And it doesn’t have to be anything fancy either. I would just jot down a quick list of everything I want to study that day on my bus journey home.
It’s literally that simple. Having a plan will keep you structured, and will make sure you finish all the chapters.
Consistency over Cramming
Cramming might feel productive the night before exams, but it rarely works long-term.
Doing a little every day is much better than a lot towards the end.
I consistently studied about 2-3 hours every day throughout 5th and 6th year. Only towards the LC, I increased that to about 3-4 hours on weekdays. But I have never pulled an all-nigther, simply because consistent study is easier.
Don’t leave out chapters:
Leaving out chapters can cost you dearly, especially with how the LC is going over the last few years.
Many questions now have multiple chapters tied in. So, leaving out chapters could mean you can’t answer otherwise easy questions.
If you have a proper plan in place, this won’t be a problem.
The Special Advice
Since you have made it to the end of the article, you deserve to be informed about all our H1 guides.
Here’s a list of how to get H1s. Consider reading them for more in-depth, subject-specific advice:
And lastly, since 6th year is just starting, I recommend checking out my 6th Year Checklist.
I hope you found this article useful, and feel slightly more confident for 6th year. All the very best, I’m sure you’ll do amazing!
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