As one of the most critical stages in a student's academic journey, GCSE exams require careful planning, focused studying, and efficient use of time. This blog post reveals crucial techniques to help you make the most of your revision time. Whether you are preparing for your first set of GCSE exams or looking to improve your revision methods, this blog post will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to optimise your study time and achieve your academic goals. Prepare to embark on a journey towards effective revision and unlock your full potential!
1. Create a revision timetable:
When preparing for your GCSE exams, it is essential to structure your revision sessions. The best way to do this is to create a detailed revision timetable covering all the subjects you will be examined in. This will help you avoid focusing only on the subjects you enjoy the most or believe you are good at. The results of your GCSE exams are significant for the next stage in your education journey, so you must plan to do your best in all your subjects.
2. Start as early as possible:
In England, depending on the school, students start their GCSE subjects in year 9 or year 10. This means every student has 2 to 3 years' notice of their GCSE exams. It is, therefore, very important to make good use of the time leading up to your final exams. Start revising as early as possible. This will allow you to retain the key information you have learned in each subject.
3. Prepare for your revision sessions:
It is important to ensure that you have everything you need for each revision session. For example, if you are revising for Maths, ensure you have your calculator, other appropriate Maths equipment, and any other resources needed for each revision session. This will help reduce the chances of revision time being lost due to you leaving the learning environment to locate these resources and becoming distracted in the process.
4. Unplug and turn off your electronics:
Many students find revision boring, and in many cases, they try to make this experience more bearable by listening to music, responding to notifications on their phones, having the television playing in the background, etc. However, this has a detrimental impact on the revision session, as each example given is a source of distraction and results in students gaining less from the process than they could have. It is, therefore, essential to unplug and turn off everything to earn as much from your revision session as possible. Remember that your end goal is to be as prepared for your GCSE exams as possible.
5. Work through past question papers:
If you still need to do so, find out the exam board for each subject you are studying from your class teacher. Once you have done this, download the past papers from the exam board's website. Apart from the most recent ones, these are free, available to all, and you do not need login details to access them.
Working through exam questions from past papers is beneficial for the following reasons:
• You have an opportunity to practice questions that have been asked of students in the past;
• You have an opportunity to practice the same type of questions that you will experience in your final exams;
• Practicing past questions may help to reduce stress due to fear of the unknown;
• If you practice these questions under timed conditions, you can potentially improve the quality of your answers within a specified period;
• Practicing past papers may help you feel more prepared for the upcoming final exams and develop self-confidence.
6. Try different revision methods:
At this point in your revision experience, you may need to learn the best technique for you. Try different methods to reduce boredom and refine the best strategy. See below for some examples:
• Post-it notes;
• Revision cards;
• Mind maps;
• Revising with friends;
• Practicing past papers.
7. Take breaks:
It is essential to factor in breaks in your revision schedule when revising. This will help to ensure that each session is productive and avoid negative consequences such as burnout and fatigue.
According to scientific studies, we need a 15-minute break for every 90 minutes spent studying or concentrating on something. Other studies suggest that our brain can only focus effectively for 45 minutes before becoming distracted. That's half of 90 minutes! Considering this, plan each revision session for 45 – 90 minutes and ensure that you take breaks. If you observe that you are becoming distracted after 45 minutes, take a short break at this point and return to revision with a renewed sense of focus.
8. Attend revision classes:
Most schools offer revision sessions for the final GCSE exams. If this is the case for you, take advantage of them. They are beneficial for several reasons:
• They can help you remind you of key topics that you learned about previously;
• Your teacher can help you with crucial skills that you need to demonstrate in your final exams to do well;
• It is highly likely that your teacher has helped other students prepare for their GCSEs in the past, so is aware of effective strategies that will support your learning;
• Your teacher can give you different resources that can aid your revision;
• If your school offers them, they are likely to be free. Therefore, the only investment needed from you is to show up, pay attention and take each session seriously!
9. Organise yourself for your final exams:
With each passing day, your final exams are getting closer and closer. Ensure you know in advance which resources you need for each exam. If you need clarification on what is required, ask your teachers. A helpful tip is to pack your school bag the night before each exam so that you are fully prepared and are less likely to experience forgetting something important.
10. Put your revision to good use:
If you have diligently followed steps 1 – 9 in this resource, it is probable that you have spent sufficient time revising and have put effective revision strategies to good use. As your exams approach, be confident that you have adequately prepared for each exam.
When sitting your final exams, put your revision to good use by:
· Reading the questions carefully;
· Observing how many marks each question is worth and responding according;
· Writing a brief plan, putting a line through it, and then using your plan to guide your final answer (for extended writing questions);
· Managing your time effectively in the exam to ensure that you answer all questions to the required standard within the allocated time;
· Being confident that you have done your best to prepare well for the exam.
Final thoughts:
What revision strategies will you use today to prepare for your final GCSE exams?
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