Revising successfully involves the support of the school, home and the students themselves.

What the school will do:

What students should do:

What home can do:

Beyond providing high quality teaching with high expectations the school will do all it can to help provide support for students and their revision.

  • Targeted lunchtime intervention sessions
  • Afterschool enhancements (a timetable is published termly)
  • Provision of resources including:
    • GCSEPod – an online platform showing Pods for GCSE courses
    • MyMaths
    • PiXL Maths (Year 11)
    • Tassomai – students are given the opportunity to purchase this resource at a discounted rates
    • Smith Proformas – these show student strengths and weaknesses
    • Subject specific resources – each subject will often produce resources to aid students revision based on their specific needs
  • Provision of past exam questions

In order to make the most of their natural ability all students must take part in a careful revision plan. As such below are top tips for students when it comes to revision:

  • Always have an outcome – produce a resource. Do NOT just look at your book/revision book
  • Create a realistic plan – don’t plan to revise 5 hours straight. Plan in breaks and what you will revise.
  • Do revision in short bursts – 40 minutes to 1 hour and then take a short break (5-10 minutes)
  • Find a quiet place to revise
  • Start your revision with all the resources you need
  • Try using different techniques to find what is most effective for you. For example try flash cards, mind maps, testing etc
  • Practice past exam questions under timed conditions
  • Ask people for help
  • Revise the difficult topics – don’t just go for the easy ones or the topics you like
  • Accept that it will be hard work
  • Put the phone away
  • Remember music can be a real distraction

The role of parents and carers is very important when it comes to revision. They will need time and support.

  • Discuss with your child what will be involved in the revision period and what your role could be.
  • Provide the environment necessary for success.  Ideally, they need a quiet, well-lit place to study with interruptions kept to a minimum when they are working.
  • Respond positively when they ask for help.  Ask exactly how you can help and if you can’t help immediately say when it is convenient.
  • Give plenty of praise and encouragement when it is deserved
  • Keep them well supplied with food and drinks.
  • Be prepared to listen when they want to talk about problems as everything becomes more emotional and heightened during the exam period.
  • Encourage them to take regular breaks during long periods of revision.
  • Encourage morning revision when the brain is more receptive and discourages studying right up to bedtime.