To give yourself the best chance of getting all A*s in your IGCSEs, cover your exact syllabus, practise applying what you know, identify why you lose marks, and retest those weaknesses until you can answer unfamiliar questions independently. Your revision plan also needs to keep every subject moving towards the top grade.
That last part matters. You could spend a week improving your strongest subject while the subject most likely to miss an A* barely changes.
The essentials
Straight A*s are an ambitious goal, and no timetable can guarantee them. But you can make your preparation much more effective by replacing vague targets such as "revise chemistry" with precise tasks such as "answer unfamiliar electrolysis questions and explain each electrode reaction correctly".
This guide shows you how to work out what is holding you back, choose effective revision for each subject, and check whether your results are becoming more reliable.
What counts as an A* in IGCSE?
First, check the grading system for each qualification. Cambridge offers IGCSE qualifications graded A*–G, alongside 9–1 options for certain subjects and locations. Pearson Edexcel International GCSE qualifications use 9–1 grading, with 9 as the highest grade. Use the actual top grade on your qualification when setting your target.
If your subject has tiered entry, confirm that your entry allows the grade you want. For Cambridge subjects with A*–G Core and Extended routes, Core entry caps the available grade at C; you need the appropriate Extended entry to be eligible for A*. Some subjects do not have these routes. Ask your teacher to confirm your exact syllabus and entry.
There is no universal percentage that guarantees an IGCSE A*. Cambridge thresholds can change between exam series. Your overall grade depends on the correct combination of components and any weighting specified in the syllabus. Cambridge does not award A* as an individual component grade.
Important
Use official thresholds or boundaries to interpret completed practice assessments, matching the subject, series and paper combination. Starley's grade boundaries pages list Cambridge IGCSE thresholds by series and component combination, for example Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580. Avoid treating a single paper percentage as a guaranteed final grade.
Find out how far you are from the top grade in every subject
Before creating a revision timetable, collect evidence from recent mocks, teacher-marked work and unfamiliar exam questions.
For each subject, ask
- Can I answer questions without notes or hints?
- Can I finish within the time limit?
- Which topics or question types repeatedly cost me marks?
- Do I perform well across all assessed components?
- Has my improvement appeared on more than one assessment?
Build a small revision dashboard. It should help you decide what to do next.
| Subject | Evidence from recent work | Main obstacle | Next task |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | Routine algebra secure; unfamiliar geometry questions weak | Choosing a method | Mixed geometry questions without topic labels |
| Biology | Accurate recall; explanations lack detail | Explaining cause and effect | Improve three explanations, then attempt new questions |
| English | Strong ideas; timed responses unfinished | Planning and pacing | Timed plan and a focused analytical paragraph |
| History | Detailed knowledge; judgement too general | Evaluating the question | Compare two factors using specific evidence |
| French | Reading stronger than listening | Recognising spoken language | Listening task, transcript review and replay |
If you have not finished the course, diagnose the content you have studied. A full paper containing several untaught topics will not give a fair picture of your understanding.
Prioritise the subjects most likely to miss your target
Give extra attention to subjects where you are below target, results vary widely, or an important component is weak. Keep shorter maintenance sessions for secure subjects.
Within each subject, prioritise gaps that block other learning. Weak fraction skills can affect algebra, probability and ratio. Weak essay planning can damage several topics even when your factual knowledge is good.
Watch out
Do not abandon parts of the syllabus because they appeared recently or rarely. Past papers show how content has been assessed; they do not reliably tell you what will be omitted next time.
Turn your syllabus into a checklist you can prove
Download the official syllabus or specification for your examination year. Check your board, qualification code and assessed components before choosing resources.
A checklist is useful only if "done" means you can perform the skill.
| Activity | Ability |
|---|---|
| "I watched a video on quadratic equations." | "I can solve a quadratic, select an appropriate method and interpret the solutions in a problem." |
The second statement is something you can test. Use three statuses:
| Status | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Needs teaching | You cannot explain the idea or begin a basic question | Use a clear explanation, worked example or teacher support |
| Needs practice | You understand it but struggle independently | Attempt questions, review mistakes and try again |
| Secure for now | You answer varied questions correctly after a delay | Revisit through mixed practice |
Include assessment skills alongside content. Depending on the qualification, these might include source evaluation, practical methods, graph interpretation, speaking, listening, programming or coursework requirements.
Key point
A topic becomes secure when you can use it independently after a gap, including when the question looks different.
Identify why you lose marks
"I made a silly mistake" is usually too vague to help. Record what happened and choose a fix that addresses the cause.
| Cause of lost marks | Example | Useful response |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge gap | You cannot recall a definition | Learn it, retrieve it from memory and retest later |
| Understanding gap | You can state a rule but cannot explain it | Rebuild the explanation and test it in another context |
| Application gap | You recognise the topic but cannot begin | Study the reasoning behind a worked example, then attempt a new problem |
| Answer quality | Your explanation is relevant but incomplete | Compare it with the criteria and practise the missing reasoning |
| Timing problem | You leave a section unfinished | Practise timed sections and review where time goes |
| Accuracy problem | You substitute the wrong value or omit units | Add a specific check where the error occurs |
Worked example
Same subject, different fixes. Suppose you lose marks in physics because you confuse mass and weight. More timed papers will keep exposing the same problem. You need to understand the distinction, practise choosing the correct quantity, and check that understanding in mixed questions.
Another student may understand the physics but round too early. Their fix is different: retain calculator precision during the calculation and round the final answer as required.
Remember
The score tells you where you are. The pattern of mistakes tells you what to do next.
Keep an error log you will actually use
You do not need to copy every question into a notebook. A short entry can be enough:
| Error | Fix | Retest |
|---|---|---|
| Described the trend but did not use figures from the graph | Support the description with relevant values and units | Attempt a different graph question on Thursday |
The useful part is the change in your next answer. Recording an error without revisiting it does little.
Use a revision session that ends with evidence
An effective session moves from identifying a weakness to checking whether you have improved it. Here is one possible 45-minute structure. Adjust it to suit the task.
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Attempt a short question or recall task without notes |
| 10 minutes | Review the exact idea or method you could not use |
| 20 minutes | Answer relevant questions independently |
| 10 minutes | Mark, explain the errors and schedule a retest |
End with a concrete outcome
"I can balance straightforward equations, but I still struggle when a polyatomic ion stays together." That gives your next session a purpose.
Use active recall for knowledge and practice for performance
Flashcards can help you retrieve definitions, vocabulary, equations and factual examples. Make the prompt precise enough to check your answer accurately.
However, recalling a formula does not show that you can select it in an unfamiliar problem. Remembering a quotation does not show that you can analyse it. Combine memory work with the thinking your exam requires.
| Memory task | Then use it |
|---|---|
| Retrieve an equation | Use it in a problem |
| Recall a historical example | Explain how it supports an argument |
| Learn vocabulary | Recognise it in a listening passage |
| Remember a quotation | Analyse it in response to a question |
Revisit material after a gap
One workable starting point is a brief check the next day, another later that week, and a further check the following week. Adjust the gaps to your performance: material you keep forgetting needs earlier attention; secure material can wait longer.
Quick tip
When you revisit, attempt the task before opening your notes. Otherwise, you may be checking recognition rather than recall.
Match your revision to the subject
The same broad process works across IGCSEs, but the practice task should change with the subject.
IGCSE maths: practise choosing the method
Begin with topic practice when a method is new. Then move to mixed questions so you must recognise what to do without a heading giving it away.
You might solve quadratics correctly on a worksheet titled "Quadratic equations" but fail to form one from a rectangle problem. You need practice turning information into an equation as well as solving it.
For difficult questions, record the useful starting move:
- Draw and label a diagram.
- Define an unknown.
- Form an equation.
- Look for similar triangles.
- Organise the information in a table.
Then test that approach on a new question. Keep working clear enough to check and to show valid intermediate steps where the mark scheme rewards them. For how IGCSE and GCSE Maths papers differ, see GCSE vs IGCSE Maths.
IGCSE sciences: explain the mechanism and use the data
Practise definitions, calculations, experimental methods and explanations. Check that you can connect a cause to its consequence.
| Incomplete | Fuller explanation |
|---|---|
| "The reaction is faster because it is hotter." | "At a higher temperature, particles have greater kinetic energy. A larger proportion of collisions have enough energy to overcome the activation energy, so there are more successful collisions per second." |
Learn the reasoning so you can adapt it to the question.
For practical questions, practise identifying variables, selecting measurements, explaining controls, evaluating limitations and suggesting improvements that address those limitations. Cover the practical component you actually take.
Watch out
When a question supplies data, respond to that data. Use figures or patterns where relevant rather than writing a memorised explanation that ignores the investigation.
IGCSE English: improve one part of an answer at a time
Practise selecting evidence, explaining language effects, structuring an argument and writing within the available time. Full responses matter, but shorter exercises make it easier to improve a particular weakness.
Worked example
Analysing a phrase. Compare these responses to the phrase "the empty station swallowed her footsteps":
Weaker: "This is personification and creates imagery."
Stronger: "The verb 'swallowed' makes the station seem threatening, as though it absorbs the only sign of her presence. This emphasises her isolation."
The second response explains what the language contributes. A technique label alone is not enough.
Use your qualification's criteria and teacher feedback to judge the quality of your interpretation.
For writing tasks, practise purpose, audience, organisation and accuracy. Learn adaptable writing skills rather than relying on a memorised piece that may not fit the task.
IGCSE history and humanities: make knowledge answer the question
Build factual knowledge, then practise selecting and explaining evidence relevant to the exact question.
If asked why an event happened, describing the event is insufficient. Explain how a factor contributed. If asked to evaluate significance, show why the factor mattered and weigh it against relevant alternatives.
For source questions, follow the requirements of your syllabus and question type. Use the source's content and relevant contextual knowledge; avoid treating authorship alone as proof that a source is reliable or unreliable.
Ask for specific feedback
"Does this paragraph explain how the factor caused the outcome?" That gives your teacher a clearer problem to address than "How do I get an A*?"
IGCSE languages: practise receiving and producing language
Vocabulary revision should support listening, reading, writing and speaking wherever those skills are assessed.
A useful listening routine is to:
- Attempt a short section.
- Check your answers.
- Consult the transcript.
- Replay the recording while identifying what you missed.
- Return later and listen without the transcript.
Was the problem unfamiliar vocabulary, word boundaries, speed, or a tense you misheard? Your answer determines what to practise.
For writing and speaking, respond to unfamiliar prompts. Check whether you communicate clearly and accurately, rather than adding complicated phrases you cannot control.
Note
For subjects with coursework or practical projects, also plan around their assessed requirements and deadlines. A timetable made entirely of written papers may neglect a substantial part of your qualification.
Use past papers to improve, not just collect scores
Past papers are most useful when you complete the feedback cycle. Starley has IGCSE past papers for Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel.
- Attempt independently. Record whether the work was timed and whether you used help.
- Mark carefully. Use the correct mark scheme and relevant assessment criteria.
- Identify the cause of important losses. Write a specific explanation.
- Repair the weakness. Review the knowledge, method or answer skill involved.
- Retest. Return after a gap and include an unfamiliar question testing the same skill.
For essays, interpretation and speaking, self-marking has limits. Use teacher feedback to check whether your judgement matches the criteria.
Turn examiner reports into actions
Read the report for questions you attempted and identify comments relevant to your work.
If it highlights unsupported assertions, check whether you made claims without evidence or explanation. If it describes confusion between two concepts, test whether you can distinguish them.
Simply reading the report is not the goal. Use it to improve an answer.
Keep some papers unfamiliar
Repeated questions can be useful for learning, but their scores are weaker evidence of exam readiness. Remembering a solution can disguise a remaining difficulty.
Reserve some suitable papers for later timed checks. Use older papers selectively if the content or format has changed, and consult current specimen materials when preparing for a revised assessment.
Key point
There is no magic number of papers you must finish. The important questions are whether practice reveals weaknesses and whether your corrections work on new questions.
Build a weekly timetable around your weakest points
Write outcomes into the timetable. "Practise graph interpretation and correct errors" is more useful than "science".
The following is an example for a student with six subjects. Adapt it to school, homework, responsibilities and your available time.
| Day | Main session | Shorter follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Maths: unfamiliar questions on a weak topic | Retrieve biology definitions |
| Tuesday | English: timed analytical response | Language listening and correction |
| Wednesday | Chemistry: calculations and feedback | Retest Monday's maths weakness |
| Thursday | History: plan and write a focused argument | Retrieve language vocabulary |
| Friday | Biology: practical and data questions | Review recurring errors |
| Saturday | Timed paper or substantial section in a priority subject | Mark it and choose repair tasks |
| Sunday | Complete a repair task and plan the next week | Leave space for rest or unfinished work |
Keep brief retrieval practice for subjects that do not receive a long session that day. Rotate the longer sessions as your evidence changes.
Remember
If the timetable repeatedly goes unfinished, reduce its size. A sustainable plan gives you more useful practice than an ambitious schedule you abandon.
Adapt your plan to the time remaining
| Time remaining | What to focus on |
|---|---|
| Several months | Build secure understanding alongside your lessons. Identify gaps early, practise questions on taught content and establish a manageable retrieval routine. Check that you are preparing every assessed component. |
| Six to eight weeks | Use mixed practice and timed sections to test application and pacing. Complete suitable full assessments, review the results and direct extra sessions towards persistent weaknesses. |
| The final two weeks | Focus on recurring errors, important unfinished skills and maintaining knowledge across subjects. Let the exam timetable influence your priorities while keeping later subjects active. |
| Only one month left | Diagnose each subject promptly. Prioritise foundational gaps, neglected components and mistakes you can fix in the available time. Alternate focused repair with exam practice. |
Watch out
In the final two weeks, avoid spending most of your time creating new notes or switching between resources. Use the materials you understand, practise independently and correct what your work reveals.
All A*s may be a realistic aim for someone already near the top grade. It is a less realistic short-term expectation if several subjects have substantial gaps. Keep improving the marks you can earn; useful progress does not depend on a promise of perfect results.
Check whether you are becoming ready for an A*
Hours studied and notes completed tell you little about whether you can perform in an exam. Look for evidence that survives a change of question and a gap between practice sessions.
You are making meaningful progress when:
- you handle unfamiliar questions with less help;
- previously recurring errors become less frequent;
- you finish more reliably within the time limit;
- your explanations and arguments meet the relevant criteria more consistently;
- your performance improves across components, including weaker ones;
- several suitable assessments support your target, rather than one unusually strong result.
Check whole-qualification performance using the correct weighting and matching historical boundaries where appropriate. Aim to perform comfortably above the relevant past threshold across several assessments, while remembering that the future threshold is unknown.
If your marks stall, ask
- Am I fixing the cause, or copying the answer?
- Can I solve the next question independently?
- Have I retested the skill after a delay?
Common mistakes that make all A*s harder
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Giving every subject equal time | Allocate time according to current need, while maintaining secure subjects. Change the timetable when your performance changes. |
| Memorising mark schemes without understanding | Learn why an answer earns credit and practise applying that reasoning elsewhere. A memorised phrase may not answer a different question. |
| Revising only favourite topics | Keep a complete syllabus checklist and tackle neglected areas. |
| Treating predicted papers as a coverage plan | Use them as additional practice, and prepare for the full assessed syllabus. |
| Mistaking familiarity for mastery | Test yourself without hints and on questions you have not seen. Following a solution is different from producing one. |
| Practising essays without feedback | Check that your reasoning meets the criteria before repeating it, or you may get faster at writing answers with the same weaknesses. |
| Building a timetable around sacrificing sleep | Set a workload you can sustain alongside rest and school. If revision regularly pushes everything else out of your day, adjust the plan. |
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to get all A*s in IGCSEs?
Yes, but it is demanding and cannot be guaranteed. How realistic it is depends on your current performance across subjects, the gaps you need to close and the time available. Use assessment evidence and teacher feedback to set your next steps.
How many hours a day should I revise for IGCSEs?
There is no number of hours that guarantees top grades. Start with focused sessions that fit around lessons and homework, then adjust according to progress.
Two sessions might be manageable on a school evening; another student may need a different arrangement. Allow time to mark, correct and retest, not just attempt work.
Do I need 90% to get an A* in IGCSE?
There is no universal 90% rule. The relevant threshold depends on the qualification and exam series. For Cambridge, use the correct overall component combination and weighting. For Pearson Edexcel, consult the matching qualification's official grade boundaries. You can look both up on Starley's grade boundaries pages.
Can I get an A* if I am currently getting Bs?
It may be possible, but first identify what the B reflects. A few recurring weaknesses require a different plan from widespread knowledge gaps. Test your improvement on unfamiliar work and ask your teacher whether your progress supports the target.
Should I finish revising before starting past papers?
You can begin exam questions on topics you have already learned. Use broader papers when you have covered enough content for them to be useful. Starting relevant question practice early helps you discover what needs revising.
What if one subject is stopping me from getting all A*s?
Find the weakest component or skill within it and give that problem extra attention.
For example, strong language reading scores will not repair weak listening automatically. Ask for specific feedback, practise the weak skill and preserve brief maintenance work in your other subjects.
Do I need tutoring or paid revision resources?
Not necessarily. The essentials are accurate materials for your qualification, suitable questions and useful feedback. Additional support can help when you cannot resolve a particular difficulty, but it should have a clear purpose.
Is IGCSE the same as GCSE?
They are comparable in standard, but their syllabuses, grading and exam series can differ. See IGCSE vs GCSE for a full comparison.
What to do in your next revision session
Choose one subject where your target is least secure. Attempt a small set of unfamiliar questions without notes, identify the main reason you lost marks, and work on that exact weakness. Schedule a new question to check it later.
Repeat that process across your subjects. Each time you turn an uncertain skill into something you can use independently, you strengthen your chance of reaching the top grade.