Study Guides

Clear answers to the questions Cambridge O Level, IGCSE and A Level students ask most, from using past papers to grade thresholds and paper codes.

• How to Use Past Papers to Revise: A simple method for using Cambridge O Level, IGCSE and A Level past papers: when to start, topical or yearly papers, how to mark yourself and what to do next.
• How to Read a Cambridge Mark Scheme: What M1, A1, B1, ft, oe and cao mean on Cambridge mark schemes, and how to use mark schemes to pick up more marks in O Level, IGCSE and A Level exams.
• Cambridge Paper Codes Explained: What a code like 4024_s23_qp_12 means: the syllabus code, exam series, document type, paper number and variant on Cambridge past papers, explained simply.
• What Are Cambridge Grade Thresholds?: Grade thresholds are the minimum marks needed for each Cambridge grade. Learn why they change every series, how to read them and how to estimate your grade.
• O Level vs IGCSE: What Is the Difference?: Cambridge O Level and IGCSE compared: where they are offered, Core and Extended papers, grading, subjects and which one is right for you.
• AS Level vs A Level: How They Fit Together: How Cambridge AS Level, A2 and the full A Level fit together, what each is worth, how the grades work and the different ways to take your exams.