Slides as part of presentation on preparing students for exams at the GA Conference April 2017 - created by Rachel Kay

1. The most difficult questions
‘Many pupils lose confidence in exams when faced with
questions which appear complex or are set in
unfamiliar contexts. They fail to do themselves justice
even though their knowledge and understanding is
sufficient to answer questions correctly.’ AQA

2. Examples

3. The difficulties?
How to make these questions accessible for all pupils
• A template
• Mnemonics
• Literacy support: - Starter sentences – Keywords – Connectives
• Analysis of pupil answers

4. Choose either an earthquake or a volcanic
eruption. Assess the extent to which primary
effects are more significant than secondary
effects. Use Figure 5a or 5b and an example
you have studied. [9 marks]
The command phrase is ‘to what extent’, so the focus of the
question is an evaluation of the importance of primary and
secondary effects. There should be a discursive element which
addresses whether, and to what extent, primary effects are more
significant than secondary effects.

5. BUGS
• Box the command word
• Underline keywords
• Go back to the start and re-
read the question
• Start a plan if it’s a bigger
question

6. BUG for Lower Ability
to gain access to level 1 on the 9 mark questions
• Block out the command word
• Underline the keywords
• Go back and re-read the question
again
• Write as much as they can about the
keywords in the question.
• This may help pupils access level 1
and in doing so could access SPaG
marks.
Assess the extent
to which primary
effects are more
significant than
secondary
effects.

7. Assess/evaluate starter sentences
• This clearly shows that..
• Primary effects could be greater/less severe because..
• Secondary effects could be greater/less severe because..
• This would be worse because/ this would be better because..

8. • Colour code the sample answer

9. Student response A