Word count isn’t what matters! I know people who write like 800-900 words and have band 5/6 responses - what matters is targeting the question, and thorough analysis of evidence. Honestly, if your aim is to get into the Band 5 range, use ChatGPT - not to write essays, but to give you feedback. Even if it isn’t the most reliable, it knows structures that do well and can likely tighten your language and evidence. Talk through essay plans with it to ensure you’re hitting the question on the head. Also, practicing rubric language! For example, in Mod A, you should use the words “textual conversation” in your essay even if it’s not in the question, as that’s what the entire module is about. Focus not on amount of evidence but rather the depth of analysis, and ensure you link it back to the module and question!
Hopefully this somewhat helps!! What feedback did you specifically get in trials?