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Mock results: what to do next

A mock grade shows where to go next, not where your child will end up. Here is how to turn it into a calm plan for the holidays.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 13 Oct 2026 5 min read

Key takeaways

1. Why now

Many Year 11 students get their mock results just before the Christmas holidays. From the middle of December, there are about 21 weeks until the first GCSE exam on Monday 10 May 2027. The exams finish on Friday 18 June, and results day is Thursday 19 August.[5]

That is plenty of time, as long as the next steps are clear.

2. A map, not a verdict

A mock is a rehearsal. It shows what has stuck after a term of teaching, and where marks slipped away. It doesn’t decide the summer. Students keep learning between now and May, and many topics haven’t been taught in full yet.

So the most useful question isn’t “What grade did you get?” It is “Where did the marks go, and why?”

The grade is the headline. The marks are the story.

Where

Which questions or topics lost the most marks? Look at the paper and the mark scheme together.

Why

Did they not know it, run out of time, or misread the question? Each one needs a different fix.

What next

Ask the teacher: what is the one thing that would make the biggest difference?

3. Pick three topics per subject

Trying to fix everything at once usually means fixing nothing. Instead, choose three topics per subject: the ones that lost the most marks, or that come up most often in exams.

For each topic, the best revision is active: answering questions without notes, then checking against the mark scheme. Research on study techniques rates testing yourself and spacing revision out as the most useful methods.[3]

Exam boards publish past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for free, so your child can practise on the real thing.[4]

Use the real thing: One question, notes closed, marked honestly, beats an hour of re-reading.

4. A light holiday plan

The holidays are for rest as well as revision. Tired students don’t remember much. Our suggestion is no more than two hours a day on study days, in short blocks, with Christmas itself left free. Your child’s school may give its own advice, so follow that first.

When
What to do
First few days of the holiday
One to two hours a day: one topic per block, test yourself first
Christmas
Rest. Properly.
Between Christmas and New Year
One to two hours a day: past-paper questions, notes closed
Last days before term
A quick quiz on the three topics per subject

5. How you can help

You don’t need to know the subject. Ask your child to show you the three topics they picked, quiz them from their flashcards, and keep the plan light. Notice the effort, not just the grade.

Want a clear plan for the spring term?: Our teachers can go through your child’s mock results and build a revision plan to May in a free call.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. When is the first GCSE exam in 2027?

  2. 2. What is the most useful question to ask about a mock?

  3. 3. How many topics per subject should your child pick?

Your next steps

  • Look at one mock paper together with the mark scheme.
  • Write down three topics per subject.
  • Agree a light holiday plan, with Christmas left free.

Sources

  1. Joint Council for Qualifications. Key dates and exam timetables, June 2027 series. jcq.org.uk/exams-office/key-dates-and-timetables
  2. Cognito. When do GCSE exams start in 2027? cognito.org/blog/when-do-gcse-exams-start-2027
  3. Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J. and Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. doi:10.1177/1529100612453266
  4. AQA: past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for GCSE and A-level. aqa.org.uk/find-past-papers-and-mark-schemes
  5. AQA. Exam timetable May/June 2027 and key dates. aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/dates-and-timetables

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.