It’s only a few weeks until GCSE and A Level exams, with many starting in mid May and running until mid June. It’s when our students start to turn their minds to revision. The most frequent question we get from students is when they should start revising. They also want to know how and what they should revise. So we’ve come up with some top tips to help you through the next few weeks.
- Most schools and colleges don’t finish teaching the syllabus (that’s everything you need to know to pass the exam) until close to exam dates. That can make revision tricky if you want to be very thorough. Sometimes there simply isn’t enough teaching time to cover all the topics in the syllabus. One way you can tackle this is to do some self-learning (or work with the support of a tutor) to get ahead and make sure you know every topic in the syllabus. You may be able to get a copy of the syllabus from school but you can usually get them from a specific exam board (always make sure you are learning the correct syllabus).
- Self led learning can be tricky for younger students or those who are already struggling and this is where one to one tuition really comes in handy. A tutor can work through the syllabus efficiently to find gaps in knowledge and support your learning in school. You can also try working with a friend, asking for extra help in school or attending revision sessions.
- One of the best ways to revise is to do lots of past papers. Don’t be put off if you find them hard. It’s a good way to test your knowledge and identify any gaps. It also gives you an idea of the kind of topics (and the types of questions) that are likely to come up in your exams. It’s great to try and revise everything but without past question papers you might miss key points or how to apply what you have revised in an exam environment. It’s best to decide what’s ‘important’ to revise based on what is likely to be asked of you, rather than what you think it’s best to learn.
- There is no right amount of time to revise for. Some lucky students appear to be able to quickly read notes they have made and pass an exam with a great grade. The reality is usually that they have been working slowly and steadily throughout the year. It’s best to spend half an hour a day (no more) planning your revision and then spend the rest of your time on a structured revision plan.
We have one to one tutors available across Manchester and Cheshire right now covering all GCSE and A Level topics and syllabuses. Call us today for more information.
Tags: A level, Exam results, GCSE, GCSE to A level, preparing for exams, Revision tips