I came into physics at the start of year thinking it would be like 60% maths and 40% content.
It's like 1% maths, 30% formulas and 70% content. No clue on how to study..
It is also important to learn how to derive the formulae but if you can understand the applications of it, then you should be fine. The best place to start is to read your textbook and makes notes, highlight any sentences you do not understand and ask your teacher. Set your notes in dot point format, memorise them and do past papers. The thing I noticed about Physics Preliminary past exams is that, many questions are repeated in different papers. So it would be wise to do past papers. Also learn your key verbs and make every sentence count!
If you want to extend yourself and go beyond the scope of the syllabus (I think it's a great idea to build on your Physics knowledge as I think the Preliminary course is a bit restrictive), then videos on youtube made by Derek Owens or KhanAcademy are an invaluable tool. There are also some great simulations out there too!