Plan the Answer

25 minutes planning

I prefer to work on the basis of 1.8 minutes per mark / point

That additional 15 minutes I would spend:

(i) reading the requirements for all 5 questions

(ii) after having now got a feel for what’s in the paper, I would read the requirements again for one of the Section B questions

(iii) then the detail of that Section B question

(iv) repeat steps (ii) and (iii) twice and mentally eliminate one of those Section B questions (unless it was an obvious one to be eliminated earlier)

(v) then the stories behind questions 1 and 2

So by the end of 15 minutes you have read the complete examination paper and highlighted a number of points.

You have also determined which of the optional questions is a no-go, but you’ve read it nevertheless – there could well be some fruits within that question that are worth picking.

And now you’re ready to start planning

Is it a good idea to get rid of question 1 first whilst adrenalin is racing through your body? It could be!

Or is it a good idea to start with a 20 marker first whilst adrenalin is racing through your body? It could be!

2 schools of thought about this – start with the big one whilst you are still on full alert or start with a little one so that, if you make a total mess of it, your maximum loss is just 20 and not the potential 35 if you make a mess of question 1

Personally (and it is a personal choice) I would go for a 20 marker, then questions 1 and 2 leaving me with the other 20 marker to finish

You asked about planning time (and I wandered!)

35 marks, 17.5 minutes

25 marks, 12.5 minutes

Each part question, say 14 marks, 7 minutes

It’s an easy calculation! Number of marks divided by 2 = number of minutes planning

OK?