New paper suitability guidance

This is something many of you have clearly needed, and it is long overdue. The last few months have been hectic, but here it is finally!

Some of you have sat papers far too hard for your stage of preparation, especially the original JZ Mocks, and come away disheartened. So when you press Start on the exam simulator, you’ll now see how that paper is likely to suit you: Comfortable, Well matched, Challenging or A substantial stretch, with an expected score range based on your current mastery. Full exam mode does the same for each paper on the setup page.

It is advice, not a restriction. Every paper is still there for you to start - if you so wish! The suitability guidance is there to help you decide.

About the JZ Mocks: I originally wrote these for a couple of very able students, to stretch their thinking. I also let my question-writing imagination run wild, producing some interesting—but unrealistic—TMUA questions! These are advanced challenge papers for learning and stretching, not realistic TMUA mocks. However, they attracted more attention than I expected, and some students attempted them before they were ready. I’m sorry for the discouraging experience—I should have made their purpose clearer. I have also now put these mocks at the end of the list of paper sets.

They now carry an explanatory note and appear last rather than first in the simulator! 😃 You can still sit individual papers, but they are no longer offered as full two-paper exams. My recommendation: attempt them only if your mastery score is at least 7.0.

If anything in the guidance seems off for you, please let me know jzmaths@hotmail.com.

Joe