Start later than you think
Full past papers are most useful once most of the course has been taught, usually from the spring of Year 11. Before that, use topic-sorted questions so your child meets past-paper style without being tested on topics they have not covered.
Mark with the mark scheme, not the answers
Exam boards publish mark schemes alongside past papers. They show where method marks are given and which words examiners are looking for. Checking only the final answer hides most of what a past paper can teach.
Keep an error log
After each paper, write down every lost mark in three columns: the topic, the type of error (knowledge, method, misreading, time) and what to do next. After three or four papers, patterns appear, and those patterns are what revision should target.
A past paper is a diagnostic tool. The value is in the review, not the score.
Use the right board and tier
Question styles differ between AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR, and between Foundation and Higher. Check your child’s exact specification code with the school before buying revision guides or printing papers.
Where a tutor fits in
A tutor can set papers at the right point, mark them against the scheme, and turn the error log into a weekly plan. Tutors with verified examiner experience can explain how marks are allocated, although no tutor can predict grade boundaries or give official marks.
Exam details change. Check the current specification on the exam board's website before making decisions.