UK teens turn to social‑media superstars for exam‑victory hacks

British Teens Seek Online “Exam Forecasts”

The buzz around YouTube star Waqar Malik—who claims he can guess this year’s GCSE English questions—has spurred debate among educators. Malik, a former assistant head teacher, now posts videos predicting the type of questions likely to appear on the National Curriculum exam taken by 16‑year‑olds.

Malik’s “Educated Guess” vs. Student Reliance

• Students have followed Malik’s predictions on YouTube 290,000 times.
• After May’s GCSE session, a few pupils complained that Malik’s forecasts were wrong, saying they felt “cooking the exam” and stressing they would “have to work in a fast‑food restaurant.”
• Exam board AQA warned educators about “increasing reliance on certain online revision channels.” They insisted that pupils should interpret texts themselves, not rely on “stranger’s views on social media.”

Why Students Turn to Social‑Media Revision

Sarah Hannafin, head of policy for the school‑leaders union NAHT, explained that “so much content is covered in every subject it can be completely overwhelming.” Teenagers thus seek any help to cope, she pointed out.

Other Influencers Respond

While some creators defend Malik’s style, they emphasize limits:

• Tilly Taylor, a university student with 100,000 TikTok followers, said “those videos are never meant to mislead.” She makes it clear that predictions are based on past papers and examiners’ reports.
• Ishaan Bhimjiyani, who hosts over 400,000 followers, marketed a paid English predicted paper for £1.99, noting a “60‑70% accuracy history.” He warned that “marketing it as a predicted paper is fine… you just can’t say guaranteed paper.”
• Primrose Kitten (anonymized) offered a paid predicted paper at £4.99 with targeting tips on scoring top marks.

The Role of Influencer Agencies

Bhimjiyani founded Tap Lab, an educational influencer agency representing over 100 content creators from mid‑teens to mid‑20s. The agency helps brands schedule promotions that are clearly labeled. He claims to have made £5,000 from his first paid collaboration and notes that other influencers similarly profit from product placements.

Although Malik himself has not responded to a request for comment, the conversation continues: teacher Sarah Brownsword praises TikTok for its accessibility but warns, “predicting exam questions online is really tricky.” The debate will likely continue as exam results for August 21 approach, with educators hoping students rely on direct learning rather than speculative forecasts.