How to get a H1 in Construction Studies

Timing

Good timing comes with practice but here are a few tips to help:

Sketches

Sketches do not need to be perfect in terms of shading and quality. Use a ruler and a pencil, make sure the sketch is tidy, large, labeled accurately, and easy to understand.

Paragraphs

No paragraph should be longer than half an A4 page. Every paragraph or set of bullet points should have a corresponding sketch so let the sketch do the talking.

Timing

It can be very enticing to spend an extra 5 minutes perfecting a drawing question, but it will not be worth it if you run out of time halfway through your last question.

Marking schemes

Study the marking schemes in terms of the number of marks awarded for each part of a certain question as some parts can be worth much more than others.

Don't Ramble 

If you are unsure about a question, don’t ramble on writing paragraphs without any substance, you will be rewarded no marks for this. Just write down what you know in bullet points and move on.

Pre-Exam Revision

I would recommend giving the first few drawings you got corrected by your teacher a quick look over before the exam and memorise the most important parts so that they're fresh in your brain.

In the exam itself, try not to get bogged down on any specific detail, just try draw as much as you know as accurately as possible - do not rush! You will be rewarded for accurate work filled with information, even if the full question is not drawn. Remember to label everything and that practice makes perfect.

Final Tips

I preferred answering questions that had definite answers using sketches and bullet points rather than writing time-consuming, long-winded paragraphs that have little substance. Because of this I prioritised the order of the questions that I was going to answer before the exam, first was Q.1 then Q.7, Q.5, Air-tightness Question, Services Question, Q.6, Q.10 and finally Q.3.

Trust yourself. For example, if you have spent more time studying for Question 7 but a different question looks easier on the day of the exam, do not attempt the other question. It may look nicer, but you won’t have enough practice done for that question and will find yourself rambling on about something you’re not sure about.

Don’t go over 35 minutes per question and finally, practice really does make perfect!

Bonus

For more tips and tricks, read our Construction Studies Guide by clicking the button below.

In Conclusion

Studying all the information needed for the exam is not the difficult part of getting an H1 in this subject, it is understanding the exam paper, answering the questions with sketches and brief points, timing and knowing which questions to answer and which ones not to. 

Best of luck in the exam!