The Physics Question Bank

Every science teacher knows the pupil who opens a revision guide, sees a wall of text and closes it again. They are not lazy. The page is simply asking too much at once: long sentences, three new words per line, and a calculation buried halfway down.

The Combined Science Made Simple booklets were written for exactly those pupils. They explain the whole AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) course in short, simple steps, one idea at a time. And the Chemistry booklet is free.

What makes them different

Most revision guides are written to cover everything in as few pages as possible. These booklets do the opposite: they give each idea room to breathe.

• Short paragraphs, plain words. Most sentences are under 15 words. New terms are explained the first time they appear and collected in a key words table at the end of each chapter.
• A layout that is easy on the eyes. A clear, highly readable font on a cream background, with plenty of white space.
• Every calculation worked step by step. Write the equation, put in the numbers, give the answer with its unit. The same three steps every time, so pupils learn the routine.
• Labelled diagrams. Circuit symbols, I–V graphs, animal and plant cells, reaction profiles, the pH scale, the electromagnetic spectrum, the reflex arc and more.
• Higher Tier clearly marked. Higher-only content sits in purple boxes, so Foundation pupils know exactly what they can skip.

How each chapter works

Every chapter follows the same pattern, so once a pupil has used one, they know how to use them all:

1. Short sections, each explaining one idea
2. Equation boxes and worked examples wherever there is maths
3. Top tips that flag common mistakes and required practicals
4. A key words table
5. An “I can…” checklist with tick boxes, so pupils can see what they have mastered
6. “Have a go” questions with space for working, and full answers at the back

Each booklet finishes with a single page listing every equation it uses.

Who they are for

They work well for intervention groups, SEND and EAL learners, pupils catching up after absence, and anyone aiming to secure a grade 4 who finds the usual revision guides overwhelming. They also make straightforward cover work and homework, because pupils can follow them without a teacher in the room.

What is included

• Physics (47 pages): energy, electricity, particle model, atoms and radiation, forces, waves and magnetism
• Chemistry (43 pages): all 10 topics, from atomic structure to using resources
• Biology (38 pages): all 7 topics, from cells to ecology

All three are print-ready A4 PDFs that work in colour or greyscale.

Try the Chemistry booklet free

The whole Chemistry booklet is free to download, with no sign-up and no email needed. Use it with a group and see whether it suits your pupils. If it does, all three booklets are available together for £12.99, with unlimited printing for your own classes.

You can read more about the booklets on the Made Simple booklets page. For pupils who want short online notes rather than a printed booklet, try the Made Simple notes and questions for GCSE Physics.

An independent revision resource. Not published by or affiliated with AQA.