On the run up to your exams, it is very important that you revise regularly and effectively to maximise your chances of getting the best grades and also to reduce your stress levels! All of the staff at Brockington are here to support you with your studies, so make use of all the opportunities you are given for guidance and revision not only for the mocks, but also for the summer exams.
On this page you will find links to a range of different resources to help you prepare yourselves for the exams. Here are some key things to do before your exams:
- Make sure you check when your exams are taking place by looking at the Exam Timetable
- Check that you’ve got all the revision guides you need for the exams – remember that many of these are available through ParentPay
- Plan what you need to revise.
- Every department has a revision checklist, which will tell you specifically what to revise for your exams.
- Look at the Personal Learning Checklists for each subject and RAG (Red, Amber, Green) your each topic to show your confidence in each section of the course. Focus more or your revision time on the red and amber sections!
- Plan out your revision – use the blank revision planner to set yourselves a timetable for revising each subject. Remember, little and often is the key, and make sure you give yourselves breaks!
- Use the support timetable to plan out when you will go and seek out support from your subject teachers at lunchtime or after school
- Have a look at the revision hints and tips to give you ideas about new methods of revising – don’t stick to a method that isn’t working for you; try something different!
- Finally, speak to your teachers! We’re all here to help you and guide you!
- Remember, every one of you taking exams this year deserves to do well and with hard work and perseverance all of you will succeed!
Good luck!
Step One
Before beginning your revision, you must be clear about when your exams are and how much time you have got.
Download the revision planner and add in your own exams for the summer exams
Step Two
For the Personal Learning Checklist for maths, students should visit Hegartymaths where a full topic list is provided with resources for revision.
If students need access to their login/password, they should speak to their maths teacher.
The next step is to think about what you are already confident with and where you may need some more support.
1. Download the Personal Learning Checklist (PLC) for each of your subjects. A PLC is an overview of all of the topics you need to know for your exams
2. RAG (Red, Amber, Green) rate your confidence in each of the areas. Some PLCs are more specific than others. Be honest with yourself!
3. If there are areas where you feel you need additional support, note that down on the PLC
When you are done, you have the basics of a revision plan: any areas that are green, you may not need to spend very long revising; any that are amber or red you will need to spend longer with
Step Three
Now go back to your revision planner and start setting out revision sessions. Things to think about:
- The revision planner is broken down with two/three 30-minute session per evening. You can change these sessions in whatever way works for you! But, try to keep all sessions relatively short, and make sure they’re focused on a specific topic from your PLCs (e.g. Biology – Cell Division)
- Think carefully about how much time you have got before the exams and prioritise those subjects that are earlier and where you feel weakest
- Remember, revision is not just about knowledge – use the past papers and questions you have been given in class to practice answering questions. Half the battle is knowing how to answer each question!
- Give yourselves breaks! You can’t revise every evening, so don’t try! Make sure that you break up your week with some time off and give yourself gaps between your revision sessions in the evenings and weekends – even if that’s just getting up to make a cup of tea!
Step Four
Think about when and where you are going to get support. A lot of your revision will be done at home!
- The support timetable will help you plan out when after-school sessions are taking place – check with your teacher about what is being covered each session.
- Look through the subject support list to find resources that your teachers have recommended
- Check whether you have bought the recommended subject revision guides. If you are entitled to Pupil Premium funding, these will be provided free-of-charge through the school office
- Look at the available Google classrooms – subjects are adding information all the time including revision guides and podcasts
- Some subjects have their own mini-website for revision. Check these out below!
If you need help and advice about how to revise for exams have a look at these tabs. The main thing here is to try different methods of revision and find something that works – if you are trying something and it’s not helping, try something else! Also, remember that you are you own best resources – forming small study groups to work in the Courtyard before or after school, or even just by text message can really help!