S6 · Final Sprint
Goal: submit SBA cleanly and peak in mock + real exam. Stop learning new content after the first month; lock in what you already know.
Term 1 (Sep–Dec)
| Week | Focus | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Finalise SBA Tasks 1 & 2 | Submit before deadline |
| 4–6 | Past papers rotation | 2 per week (1 Paper 1 + 1 Paper 2) |
| 7–9 | Topic-targeted revision | Weak topics list reduced to 5 |
| 10–12 | Mock exam preparation | Mock 1 |
| 13 | School mock exam | Full DSE format |
SBA submission checklist
- [ ] All files in correct folders / formats
- [ ] User guide is 2–4 pages, readable
- [ ] Screenshots labelled with figure numbers
- [ ] Test cases include normal/boundary/erroneous
- [ ] Self-evaluation form signed
- [ ] Backup copy on USB and cloud
Term 2 (Jan–Apr)
| Week | Focus | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Marked mock — error analysis | Personal "common mistake" list |
| 4–6 | Final round of past papers | 1 per week, timed |
| 7–9 | Spaced repetition only | Vocabulary, flashcards |
| 10–12 | Selective deep dive | Practise weakest 3 topics |
| 13 | Final mock exam | Aim for target grade |
Exam week prep
- 3 days before: light review only. No new content. Healthy sleep.
- Night before: review one-page cheat sheet, prepare ID + stationery, pack early.
- Morning of: light breakfast, arrive early, breathing exercises.
During the exam
Paper 1 (2 hours)
- Section A (MC): aim 30 minutes. One pass full speed, mark unsure ones, second pass.
- Section B: aim 80 minutes. Read all questions first, attempt easy ones, hardest last.
- Leave 10 minutes for review.
Paper 2 (1.5 hours)
- 45 minutes per elective.
- Watch the clock — do not let one tricky question eat the other elective's time.
Common S6 traps
- Forgetting to read the question carefully. "Explain" is not "list".
- Trying to learn a new topic in March. Stick to what you already half-know.
- Skipping the SBA polish. Many students lose easy marks here.
- All-nighters. Sleep is more valuable than one extra past paper.
What "good" looks like in the final stretch
- Could write a CREATE TABLE + INSERT + JOIN query from memory.
- Could rewrite a bubble sort or linear search in <5 minutes.
- Could draw a labelled ER diagram for a familiar scenario in <10 minutes.
- Could write a 4-mark essay on AI ethics without panic.
Practice with familiar tools, not the exam compiler
The HKDSE marker cares about correct logic and standard syntax, not what tool you used to write it. Practise SQL in SQL Books, Python in whichever editor you like, PHP locally — then on exam day write the equivalent code on paper without IDE help.
➡️ See: Teachers' Playbook