How To Get All 9s In Your GCSEs

Getting all 9s in your GCSEs isn’t the stuff of dreams. You can turn it into a reality by using the right revision strategies and sticking with them consistently.

You don't have to be a genius. It's not about waking up at 5am. And, you don’t have to spend six hours glued to your textbooks every day. 

This guide will show you what top-scoring students do differently, what examiners actually look for when they're marking your papers, and how to use revision tools that actually work.

Key Takeaways

• Grade 9 success is all about exam strategy. 

  • Students who get all 9s focus on what examiners actually reward, using mark schemes, exam-ready language, and targeted revision.

• Active recall and past papers beat rereading every time. 

  • Testing yourself, doing exam questions regularly, and marking them honestly is what builds real understanding and confidence.

• Consistency makes the difference. 

  • Top students revise little and often, track their mistakes, and attack weak spots instead of sticking to comfortable topics.

Top Tips for Getting All 9s in Your GCSEs

Every student works at a different pace. Some pick things up quickly, and others need more time. This is completely normal. Top performers aren’t supremely intelligent or super lucky. They build great study habits and know the revision techniques that work.

If you’re willing to stay consistent and follow the five steps below, you’ll have every chance of achieving all grade 9s in your GCSE exams.

Step 1: Stop Revising Everything and Start Revising What Gets Marks

Textbooks are massive. While it can feel like you're supposed to read yours from cover to cover, you shouldn’t.

Instead, you need to know the specific points examiners are looking for.

That's why students who get all 9s in their GCSEs start with exam specifications and mark schemes.

It might sound a little strange, but think about it. You could know everything about photosynthesis, but if you don't write your answer the way examiners want to see it, you'll lose marks.

GCSE exams aren't testing how much you know. They're testing how well you can answer questions in a very specific way.

Here's what you need to do:

Step 2: Use Active Recall

You may know the topics and concepts you need to revise. But, do you know how to revise them?

Sitting in a comfy spot, looking through your notes, and colour coordinating can feel like revising. But it isn’t. It’s simply reading.

Your brain needs to be challenged to actually learn. This is where you use active recall to test yourself to strengthen your long-term memory and improve exam confidence.

A 2024 research study (opens in a new tab) stated that students who use active recall revision tools, like flashcards, achieved higher marks in tests.

So, instead of reading your notes, test yourself. Try this:

• Close your book and try to write everything you remember.

• Use flashcards to test yourself. These should have a question or key term on one side and the answer or definition on the other

You don't have to get all crafty and make your own. Save My Exams has hundreds of pre-made flashcards covering a huge range of GCSE topics.

Students getting all 9s spend most of their revision time testing themselves, rather than reading. Why not take a leaf out of their book and give it a go?

Step 3: Past Papers and Mock Exams Are a Must

Exam technique is where good students become Grade 9 students. You can know everything, but if you can't apply it under time pressure, those 9s slip away.

However, there’s an easy fix. Complete mock exams. Save My Exams has full-length examiner written practice papers that match your exam specification.

Every time you complete a mock exam, you’re: 

• Becoming familiar with recurring question styles

• Building exam timing confidence

• Highlighting your weaker topics

The best students don't save past papers for the end. They use them throughout the year. Take one every few weeks, track your progress, and identify your weak spots. That's what separates 7s from 9s.

For more topic-specific revision, you can dip in and out of past papers to turn your weaker learning points into strengths.

Save My Exams' GCSE past papers and exam question banks make this easier because everything is already filtered by topic and difficulty.

Here's a Simple System:

• Revise one topic

• Answer five exam questions on it

• Mark them immediately using the official mark scheme

• Fix mistakes the same day

Be brutally honest when marking your own work. Don't be tempted to give yourself marks for 'kind of' getting it right.

Top tip: Consider a study session with friends where you complete a series of topic questions and mark one another’s work. 

The 2022 Frontiers in Psychology study (opens in a new tab) states that peer assessment can be an effective learning strategy as students have to communicate their feedback. Explaining your thinking can be a great way to make knowledge stick!

Step 4: Target Your Weak Spots

Revising what you already know isn’t a great use of your time. Students who get all 9s are really honest with themselves, and instead of revising what feels comfortable, they ask:

• "What do I keep getting wrong?"

• "Which topics lose me marks every time?"

Then they go after those areas.

Here’s how you can too:

• Keep a "mistake list".

• Redo weak questions every few days.

• Turn your errors into flashcards.

The Strengths and Weaknesses feature at Save My Exams can support you with this. Answer some examiner-written GCSE questions and, at the end, you'll see a super clear breakdown of what you're nailing and what needs work.

Then, you can turn these learning gaps into learning strengths.

Remember, top students aren’t naturally good at everything. They just refuse to leave gaps in their learning.

Step 5: Revise Little and Often

Forget trying to commit to a mammoth six-hour revision session. You’ll burn out. And, cramming the night before doesn't work.

You need to space your revision out over time.

Think of it like this: if you learn something once, your brain goes, 'ok, cool, probably not important' and bins it. But if you revisit that same thing three days later, then a week later, then two weeks later, your brain starts to take it seriously.

A really simple way to do this is the Pomodoro Technique. You split your revision into chunks, called Pomodoros. 

Each Pomodoro is 25 minutes of focused revision, followed by a 5-minute break.

It’s just one task at full focus, and then a break. This isn’t a 'reaching for your phone’ kind of break. It’s more of a 'stretch your legs, grab a drink’ kind of break.

Students hitting those 9s will often do four Pomodoros in a row. That's a two-hour study session, but broken down into way more manageable chunks.

What Four Pomodoros Might Look Like

Remember, use:

• Revision notes for weaker areas.

• Exam questions for recall.

• Flashcards for daily review.

Do this consistently, and you're thinking like a Grade 9 student. 

However, students don’t have to go it alone when working towards Grade 9 success. The right support from parents and teachers can make a big difference.

How Parents Can Support Students Aiming for All 9s

Parents can play a huge role in creating the right environment for exam success. 

Here’s what helps:

• Encourage your child to revise in shorter, more consistent bursts.

• Ask the right questions. Instead of “What did you revise?”, ask: 

  • “What did you test yourself on today?”

  • “What mistakes did you spot and fix?”

• Help reduce distractions during revision time.

• Be respectful of downtime and help your child switch off from revision, by reminding them of:

  • Hobbies

  • Going out with friends

  • Spending time outdoors

For more information, check out our parents guide to helping your child at home with their revision.

How Teachers Can Support Students to Reach Grade 9

Teachers can help students turn knowledge into exam marks.

High-impact support includes:

• Teaching mark schemes explicitly.

• Building in opportunities for less-pressured testing, like quizzes, retrieval starters, and flashcard games.

• Analysing mistakes in a supportive way.

• Using past papers to introduce students to familiarise students to exam formats.

How to Achieve All 9s Subject-by-Subject

Every GCSE subject is assessed differently, and different types of exam require different approaches to revision. 

For example, subjects that involve lots of dates or definitions, such as Geography or History require you to use flashcards and quick-response questions to check you know the key facts before you can answer exam questions.

We’ve created a handy set of subject-specific guides that give advice on how to achieve a grade 9:

• GCSE Economics - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Sociology - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Psychology - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Statistics - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Maths - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Further Maths - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Religious Studies - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Computer Science - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Chemistry - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE Biology - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE English Language - Grade 9 Guide

• GCSE English Literature - Grade 9 Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before my GCSEs should I start revising?

Ideally, you should try and start around 6 months before your GCSE exams. This gives you enough time to work through your weak spots without burning out. 

But, it's never too late to start. Even if exams are weeks away, using the right techniques (active recall, past papers, targeting weak areas) will still make a massive difference.

How many hours a day should I revise to get all 9s?

Quality beats quantity every time. Four Pomodoros (that's two hours of focused work with breaks) is plenty if you're using the right methods. 

Some students do more, some do less. The key is consistency. Revising little and often works better than marathon six-hour sessions that leave you exhausted.

What if I'm stronger in some subjects than others?

That's completely normal. Focus more time on your weaker subjects, but don't ignore the ones you're good at. 

Use the "mistake list" approach for subjects you struggle with, and keep your stronger subjects ticking over with regular past-paper questions. Balance is key. You don't want to accidentally drop marks in subjects you're normally confident in.

Hit Those Grade 9s With Save My Exams

Achieving all 9s in your GCSEs doesn’t mean working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter. The students who hit the top marks aren’t doing anything secret or extreme. They focus on what earns marks, test themselves regularly, learn from their mistakes, and revise consistently over time.

You don’t need to change everything overnight. Pick one strategy from this article and apply it this week. Then build from there. 

Save My Exams has real examiner-written, GCSE-specific resources to simplify your revision, build real exam confidence, and help you get the best possible grades. With the right approach, steady effort, and the right revision tools, straight 9s are within your reach.

Explore our collection of GCSE revision resources and find everything you need, from topic questions and model answers to exam-style practice and revision notes, all in one place.

References 

Europe PMC - Active recall strategies associated with academic achievement in young adults: A systematic review (opens in a new tab)

Pub Med: Frontiers in Psychology - Assessment as Learning: How Does Peer Assessment Function in Students' Learning? (opens in a new tab)