Mock results have landed for most A-Level students across the UK, and if yours were lower than you hoped, you are not alone. Every year, thousands of students open their mock results feeling deflated, anxious, or unsure about what happens next.
The good news is that mock results are not your final grades. They are a snapshot of where you are right now, not a prediction of where you will be in May or June. Students regularly improve by one or two grades between mocks and the real thing, and some improve by more. What matters is what you do with the information.
What Do Mock Results Actually Mean?
Mock exams serve a specific purpose, and it is not to predict your final grades. Understanding what they are really for can help you put a disappointing result in context.
Mocks are a diagnostic tool. They show you which topics you have grasped and which ones need more work. A low grade in Biology does not mean you are bad at Biology. It means there are specific areas of the specification where your understanding or exam technique needs strengthening.
Mocks are sat under imperfect conditions. Most schools schedule mocks in January, which is mid-way through the course. You may not have covered the entire specification yet. Some schools set papers that include topics from the full syllabus regardless, which can unfairly deflate marks.
Marking varies. Mock exams are marked by your teachers, not by trained external examiners. Some teachers mark generously, others mark strictly as a motivational tactic. Neither approach reflects exactly how your real paper will be assessed.
Mocks do not count. Unlike GCSEs in English and Maths, A-Level mock results do not appear on any certificate or UCAS application. They are for your benefit only.
How Far Can You Realistically Improve?
The gap between mocks and final results is often significant. Several factors work in your favour between now and the summer:
| Factor | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Remaining teaching time | 10 to 14 weeks of lessons still to come covering remaining content |
| Targeted revision | Mocks highlight exactly where to focus your effort |
| Exam technique | Practising past papers improves marks even without learning new content |
| Specification completion | Many students sit mocks before finishing the full course |
| Maturity and motivation | A disappointing mock can be the catalyst that triggers serious revision |
Research from exam boards consistently shows that the biggest grade improvements happen between February and June. A student who scored a D in their mock and commits to structured revision can realistically achieve a B or even an A in the real exam. It requires effort, but it is far from unusual.
Step 1: Analyse Your Results Properly
Before you can improve, you need to understand exactly where you lost marks. A grade on its own tells you very little. The detail behind the grade is what matters.
Get Your Papers Back
Ask your teachers to return your marked papers if they have not already done so. Many schools let students keep mock papers for revision. If yours does not, ask to review them in class.
Break Down Your Marks by Topic
For each subject, work through the paper and categorise every lost mark:
- Knowledge gaps: You did not know the answer because you had not learned the material
- Exam technique: You knew the content but did not answer in the way the mark scheme required
- Time management: You ran out of time and left questions unanswered or rushed
- Misreading the question: You answered a different question from the one that was asked
- Silly mistakes: Errors in calculation, spelling of key terms, or forgetting units
This breakdown is far more useful than the grade itself. A student who lost most marks to time management needs a different strategy from one who lost marks to knowledge gaps.
Compare Against the Mark Scheme
If your teacher used a real past paper, the mark scheme is available online from the exam board. Compare your answers to the mark scheme point by point. Pay attention to the specific phrasing and level of detail that examiners expect.
Step 2: Build a Revision Plan for the Next 12 Weeks
You have roughly 12 weeks between now and the start of A-Level exams in May. That is a significant amount of time if you use it well. Our guide on creating a revision timetable goes into this in detail, but here are the essentials.
Prioritise Ruthlessly
You cannot revise everything equally. Use your mock analysis to rank topics by two factors:
- How many marks are available for this topic in the real exam
- How weak you are on this topic based on your mock performance
Topics that score highly on both factors should be at the top of your revision list. A topic worth 20% of the paper where you scored poorly is a much higher priority than a topic worth 5% where you already did well.
Be Specific
"Revise Chemistry" is not a plan. "Revise organic reaction mechanisms for alkenes and alcohols using past paper questions from 2022 to 2025" is a plan. The more specific your revision sessions, the more productive they will be.
Include Past Paper Practice Every Week
Aim to complete at least one full past paper per subject per fortnight under timed conditions. This is the single most effective thing you can do to improve your exam performance. It builds familiarity with the format, improves time management, and highlights areas that still need work.
Check our guide on proven revision techniques for more evidence-based strategies.
Step 3: Fix Your Exam Technique
For many students, poor exam technique costs more marks than lack of knowledge. If your mock analysis revealed issues with how you answered rather than what you knew, focus on these areas.
Command Words
Exam boards use specific command words that tell you exactly what to do:
| Command word | What it means | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| State | Give a brief factual answer | Writing too much |
| Explain | Give reasons with linked points | Describing instead of explaining |
| Evaluate | Weigh up arguments and reach a conclusion | Listing points without a judgement |
| Analyse | Break down and examine in detail | Being too superficial |
| Discuss | Explore different perspectives | Only giving one side |
| Compare | Identify similarities and differences | Only stating differences |
Mark Allocation
The number of marks for a question tells you how much to write. A 2-mark question needs two clear points. A 12-mark essay needs a structured argument with multiple paragraphs. Students who write three paragraphs for a 2-mark question are wasting time that could be spent on higher-value questions.
Show Your Working
In Maths and Science subjects, method marks are often available even if you get the final answer wrong. Always show your working clearly, label your steps, and include units.
Step 4: Get the Right Support
There is no shame in asking for help. In fact, the students who improve the most between mocks and finals are usually those who actively seek support.
Your Teachers
Book time with your subject teachers to go through your mock paper. Ask them specifically what you need to do differently to move up a grade. Teachers see hundreds of papers and can often pinpoint exactly where you are losing marks.
Study Groups
Working with classmates can help, but be selective. A focused study group of two or three students who test each other and discuss difficult concepts is valuable. A group of six who chat for most of the session is not.
Private Tuition
If you are struggling with a specific subject, private tuition can provide targeted support that addresses your individual weaknesses. A good tutor will work from your mock paper to build a personalised improvement plan.
Online Resources
Exam board websites publish past papers, mark schemes, and examiner reports for free. The examiner reports are particularly valuable because they explain common mistakes and what examiners are looking for in top-grade answers.
Step 5: Look After Yourself
The period between mocks and real exams is a marathon, not a sprint. Burning out in March helps nobody.
Sleep matters more than extra revision. Research consistently shows that sleep is when your brain consolidates new information. Cutting sleep to revise more is counterproductive. Aim for 8 to 9 hours per night.
Take proper breaks. Revision is more effective in focused bursts with breaks in between. The Pomodoro technique (25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break) works well for most students.
Stay physically active. Exercise reduces stress hormones and improves concentration. Even a 20-minute walk makes a measurable difference to how well you study afterwards.
Talk to someone if you are struggling. If disappointing mocks have left you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or low, speak to a parent, teacher, or school counsellor. Our guide on managing exam anxiety covers this in more detail.
What If Mocks Were Really Low?
If your mock results were significantly below your target grades, say two or more grades below what you need, it is worth having an honest conversation about your options now rather than waiting until August.
Talk to Your School
Your teachers can tell you whether they believe improvement to your target grade is realistic given the time remaining. Be open about what grade you need and why (for example, a specific university offer).
Consider Your UCAS Situation
If you already hold a conditional university offer that requires grades significantly above your mock results, speak to the university directly. Some universities are more flexible than their published offers suggest, particularly if your personal statement and reference are strong.
If your mock results suggest your current offers may be out of reach, it is not too early to research alternative courses, institutions, or pathways through UCAS Clearing.
Start Thinking About Plan B
Having a backup plan is not defeatist. It is sensible. Options include:
- Retaking A-Levels in the autumn or the following summer: our guide to A-Level retakes explains the process
- Taking a gap year to retake while gaining experience: see our gap year vs retakes comparison
- Retaking as a private candidate if you have left school: read about how to retake A-Levels privately
- Alternative qualifications such as BTECs or Access courses
Knowing your options reduces anxiety and allows you to focus on doing your best in the summer exams.
Key Dates to Keep in Mind
With mocks behind you, the exam timeline now moves quickly. Our A-Level key dates 2026 guide has the full timetable, but the critical milestones are:
- Late March/April: Easter revision period (your biggest block of uninterrupted study time)
- Mid-May: A-Level exams begin
- Late June: A-Level exams end
- Mid-August: Results day
That gives you roughly 12 weeks of teaching time, plus the Easter break, to turn things around. It is more time than it feels like right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are mock results a good predictor of final grades?
Not always. Mocks are sat partway through the course, often before the full specification has been taught. They also lack the adrenaline and focus that students bring to real exams. While mocks give a useful indication of current performance, students regularly improve by one to two grades between mocks and finals. The key factor is how effectively you use the remaining revision time.
Can I still get into university if my mocks were low?
Yes. Universities see your predicted grades from your teachers, not your mock results. Your predicted grades may be adjusted after mocks, so speak to your teachers if you are concerned. Even if your predicted grades are lowered, many universities make offers below their published entry requirements, and UCAS Clearing opens up further options in August.
How many hours a day should I revise after disappointing mocks?
Quality matters more than quantity. Three to four hours of focused, active revision per day outside of school is a good target for most students. This should include a mix of past papers, active recall, and targeted topic revision. Revising for eight hours a day sounds impressive but rarely leads to better outcomes because concentration drops sharply after sustained periods.
Should I drop a subject after bad mock results?
Dropping a subject at this stage is rarely advisable. Most university offers require three A-Levels, and dropping one limits your options significantly. It is almost always better to focus on improving in the subject than to abandon it. The exception would be if your school and teachers actively recommend it, and you still have enough subjects to meet your goals.
My parents are upset about my mock results. How do I handle this?
Parents worry because they care about your future, but their anxiety can add pressure. Have an honest conversation: show them your mock analysis, explain what went wrong, and share your plan for improvement. Demonstrating that you have a structured approach and are taking it seriously will reassure most parents more than the grades themselves.
Need Personalised Advice?
If you are unsure about the best path forward after disappointing mocks, expert guidance can help. Whether you need support with revision strategy, are considering retake options, or want advice on university applications, speaking to a specialist advisor can give you clarity.
Make an enquiry to discuss your situation and explore your options.
Jonny Rowse
Education Editor
Jonny covers A-Level retakes, exam preparation, and university admissions across the UK. With years of experience in the education sector, he provides practical guidance for students and parents navigating the retake process.