GCSE

REVISION SCHEDULE

During Year 11, you have 9-12 subjects to revise for, and it may not be possible for you to cover everything in every subject. This is why it is important to create a revision schedule, which will allow you to focus your revision on your weakest subjects. It will also allow you to hold yourself accountable for your revision as you can visually track your progress. Leave in gaps in your revision schedule, which will allow you to cover any days of slack, or to give yourself a break. This will make sure you can still stick to your revision schedule, even if you miss a day or two.

PAST PAPERS

Using your revision schedule, allocate days to complete past papers and focus on your weakest subjects. The 2 most important factors in how your exams go are knowledge and exam technique. Knowledge is gained through revision, and  exam technique is gained by doing past papers. This will make sure you understand what the mark schemes are looking for in your answers. Only start doing past papers when you are relatively confident in your knowledge of the subject, as then it will be more beneficial in enhancing your exam technique. Use timed conditions, to see how good your time control is. I found that I often had a lot of spare time, and I was losing many unnecessary marks from not fully reading questions properly and missing out details such as units or number of significant figures required, so I allocated more time to reading each question properly and underline key details, which stopped me losing more unnecessary marks.

SPECIFICATION

Teachers often teach you things that may not be required for your exam board, even if they could be useful to know. By going through the specification and highlighting key sections you're unsure about, you can make sure you only revise what you need to know. Even textbooks and websites such as CGP or savemyexams often leave in details that you will not be tested on. Remember, everything that you would be required to know for your exams is in the specification. 

REVISION NOTES

Many students spend hours searching for optimal revision methods and learning about how to revise instead of actually revising. I would instead recommend trying a few revision methods and seeing what works best for you, such as flashcards, blurting, summary notes, mind maps, spaced repetition. I found that creating flashcards were most effective for me in subjects that require a lot of memorisation, such as English Literature and Biology, and completing practice questions were most effective for me in subjects where you need to practice specific techniques, such as Maths and Physics. Creating your own mnemonics can also help you memorise the order of a process or structure, and the weirder the mnemonic the easier it will be to remember.

BASIC TIPS

Your physical and mental health are both important factors in how you perform during your exams. Make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep a day, as this will make sure your brain is well-rested and that you are able to keep revising effectively. Try to avoid all-nighters at all costs as they significantly reduce your capacity to focus. Eat healthily, drink water and exercise regularly to keep you well-satiated, energised and stress free during your revision periods. Take breaks between revision sessions and