Examiner’s reports: your guide to reviewing past papers effectively

Most students know about past papers, but very few actually use Examiner’s reports. These documents can be really useful because they act like a window in the Examiner’s mind. Here’s why they’re so valuable and how you can use them.

1. Spot the most common mistakes

If lots of students made the same error or misread a question in the same way, this is likely to be discussed in the Examiner’s report. By reading these reports and taking note of these points, you can avoid falling into the exact same traps.

Specifically, the Examiner’s reports frequently reveal subtle ways students lose marks that wouldn't be obvious from just studying the subject content. These might include:

• Time management issues: "Many candidates wrote extensively for part (a) but then had insufficient time for the higher-mark questions later in the paper."

• Misinterpreting command words: "When asked to 'evaluate,' many responses simply described the process without weighing up strengths and limitations."

• Overlooking context: "While candidates understood the general concept, many failed to apply it to the specific industrial setting mentioned in the question."

These insights help you develop exam technique that's precisely calibrated to your specific examination board's expectations.

2. See what top answers look like

Examiners don’t just point out weaknesses, they also highlight what the best students did well. Unlike mark schemes, which can sometimes be vague or technical, Examiner’s reports often explain in plain language exactly what separates a good answer from an excellent one. They frequently highlight specific techniques that earned students the highest marks.

That’s your model. When you practise questions, compare your answer against the comments in the Examiner’s report.

3. Understand the bigger picture

When you review multiple years of reports, you'll start noticing recurring themes and concerns from Examiners. These patterns are invaluable because they represent persistent issues that examiners continue to look for.

For example, reports often highlight whole topics where students struggled. That gives you a clear revision signal: these areas are high-risk, so make sure you know them thoroughly.

Create a simple table or spreadsheet to track comments that appear across multiple years. If examiners mention the same issue in three consecutive reports (such as "candidates continue to struggle with calculating percentage yield"), you can be confident this is a priority area for your revision.

This pattern-tracking approach helps you allocate your study time more strategically, focusing on areas where examiners have consistently found student performance lacking.

4. How to actually use them

Most exam boards make reports readily available on their websites. Look for sections labeled "Past Papers," "Assessment Resources," or "Examiner Reports." You can typically find them listed alongside the corresponding past papers and mark schemes.

• Download reports for the past few years from your exam board’s website (they’re free).

• Read alongside past papers. After you’ve done a paper, check the report for that year — what would the Examiner have said about your style of answer?

• Keep a mistakes list. Jot down common traps from the reports (e.g. “Don’t forget state symbols in equations!”) and glance at it before every practice session.

Final thoughts

Using examiner’s reports might take an extra 10 minutes, but it’s one of the smartest revision habits you can build. As well as just practising, you’re learning directly from the people who write and mark the exams.

Think of Examiner’s reports as your personal set of coaching notes from inside the exam board. They’ll sharpen your answers, cut out silly mistakes, and give you the confidence that you’re writing exactly what the examiner wants to see.

If you’d like guidance on how to write stronger answers, tackle tricky topics, or get personalised feedback, I offer one-to-one tutoring sessions. If you’re interested, please book in a free 15-minute call with me using the button below to chat about your goals and see how I can help.