How to Revise for IGCSE ICT

Published

24 June 2025

Contents

Are your exams fast approaching? Has your teacher asked you if you've started revising? Or has it finally hit you that revision is essential for achieving your best possible grade? In all my years teaching ICT, the biggest challenge students faced wasn’t understanding the content; it was knowing how to revise IGCSE ICT effectively.

ICT is different from many other subjects. It combines theory with practical skills, so you need to know your terminology, understand how ICT is applied in real-life situations, and be confident using a range of software. This can feel overwhelming at first, especially when applying knowledge under timed conditions.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the exact strategies that helped my students succeed in both CIE and Edexcel IGCSE ICT exams. If you’re wondering how to revise IGCSE ICT, these tried and tested tactics will guide you. Some tactics will suit you more than others, so give them all a try and find what works best for you.

By the end, you'll have a plan to improve your understanding, master practical tasks, and walk into your exams feeling prepared and confident.

Revision tactics covered:

Using past papers effectively
Active recall with flashcards
Creating mind maps for theory topics
Practising document production, spreadsheets, and presentations
Breaking down mark schemes
Teaching someone else
Time management strategies for practical exams
Understanding command words in theory questions

Using past papers effectively

Past papers are one of the best ways to revise for IGCSE ICT. They help you understand how theory questions are structured, what the command words mean, and what examiners are really looking for.

Start with untimed questions using your notes to guide you.
Move on to timed practice to simulate exam conditions.
Always mark your answers using the official mark scheme.
Keep a log of common mistakes or gaps in your knowledge.

Most students instinctively return to their strongest topics. But real progress comes when you face your weaker areas. If 'Connectivity' or 'Online Goods and Services' always trip you up, make those your priority.

For CIE students, focus on theory and practical components like website authoring. Edexcel students should also practise Paper 2, which includes a timed practical exam.

Active recall with flashcards

Flashcards are perfect for testing your memory on definitions, software terms, and hardware devices. Active recall means forcing your brain to retrieve information, a proven way to strengthen memory.

Write a question on one side and the answer on the other.
Focus on key terms like "encryption", "VPN", "LAN", or "RAM".
Use tools like Save My Exams flashcards or Quizlet for digital revision.
Test yourself regularly with spaced repetition.

ICT has lots of technical language, and you can't score highly if you're misusing terms. Make sure you understand each one properly, and don't just memorise them.

Creating mind maps for theory topics

Mind maps help you visualise how topics link together. This is especially useful for subjects like ICT, where topics such as 'Connectivity', 'Operating Online', and 'Online Services' are deeply interconnected.

Start with a central topic, such as 'Operating Online'. Branch out into subtopics like cybersecurity, data protection, and cloud services. Use colours and images to make ideas stand out.

In my classroom, students found mind maps useful when revising topics like:

Types of digital devices
Impact of the Internet on society
Data security methods

Whether you use pen and paper or a tool like MindMeister, make sure your mind map reflects your understanding, not just copied notes.

Practising document production, spreadsheets, and presentations

Unlike many subjects, ICT exams include practical tasks. You’ll need to demonstrate your ability to:

Format a document professionally (fonts, tables, images)
Use functions in spreadsheets (SUM, IF, VLOOKUP)
Create a clear and functional presentation

The only way to improve here is by doing. Set yourself mini tasks from past papers. Time yourself and print your work if required. Pay attention to:

Following the layout instructions exactly
Naming and saving files correctly
Proofreading for accuracy

If you're doing CIE, also practise website authoring using HTML and CSS. You don’t need to memorise all the code, but you do need to be comfortable editing it.

Breaking down mark schemes

Mark schemes help you understand how to gain marks and how precise your answers need to be.

Read the mark scheme after completing a question.
Highlight keywords or phrases that examiners reward.
Try swapping work with a peer and marking each other’s answers.

CIE and Edexcel often publish examiner reports that explain how marks were lost. Use these insights to improve your technique.

Teaching someone else

Explaining a topic to someone else forces you to clarify your understanding. It’s a great way to test what you really know.

Pair up with a classmate and teach each other different topics.
Record a short explainer video.
Use the Feynman Technique: explain it as if you're teaching a younger student.

A great test of this is trying to teach someone how encryption works or how data is secured on a network. If they understand it by the end, you're doing it right.

Time management strategies for practical exams

Practical exams are time-limited. Poor time management can cost you valuable marks, especially in spreadsheet and database tasks.

Use the 'Two-Pass Rule': Do the easier tasks first, then come back to trickier ones.
Keep an eye on the time and move on if you’re stuck.
Leave time at the end to check formatting, spelling, and output files.

Always know how long each task should take. Practice entire papers under timed conditions so that you're not caught off guard on exam day.

Understanding command words in theory questions

Whether it’s CIE or Edexcel, ICT theory papers use specific command words that signal the depth of response needed.

State = a short, clear answer.
Describe = give characteristics or features.
Explain = say how or why something happens.
Evaluate = make a judgment and justify it.

Get familiar with how different command words appear in the mark scheme. A question that says "Explain why backups are important" will require more than just stating "to prevent data loss."

Final thoughts

If you’ve been wondering how to revise IGCSE ICT effectively, the answer is a blend of strategic practice, mastering terminology, and staying calm under pressure. Focus on the areas that are most likely to score you marks and use a mixture of strategies to keep your revision active.

Good revision isn’t just about working hard; it’s about working smart. With a clear plan and the right techniques, you can walk into your exams knowing you’ve done everything possible to succeed.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

At Save My Exams, we’re here to help you get the best possible grade in IGCSE ICT. Our expert resources are designed to make revision straightforward and effective, so you can feel confident going into your exams. Created by experienced teachers and examiners, our materials are tailored to your exam board and packed with everything you need to succeed:

Clear and concise revision notes that break down tricky topics into easy-to-understand explanations
Exam-style questions with detailed mark schemes, so you know exactly what examiners are looking for
Past papers with mark schemes to help you practise and perfect your technique
Flashcards for quick-fire revision and easy recall of key facts and definitions

Whether you're brushing up on the basics, testing your knowledge, or fine-tuning your exam strategy, Save My Exams has everything you need to stay on track. Start revising smarter today and take the stress out of exam prep!

Explore Our IGCSE ICT Revision Resources