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To revise well:
There are no short-cuts – you will have to work
You need to organise your time, so you know what you are going to revise and when
You need to revise regularly – little and often is much more effective than big efforts late
So its important to have a schedule so you can make the most effective use of your time. We have put together a "Revision timetable template" that you can open from the link below. Make a copy and its then yours to own, edit and udpate and as you need.
Revision Timetable Template
Revision Timetable Template
If you click on the picture on the right it will allow you to create and edit your own copy of a revision timetable and resource planner. No matter if you are revising for one test or your GCSE summer exams, having a well considered plan can really help.
You will find a Revision Resources tab where you can list all your subjects and start to collate useful websites, exam paper links, resources etc. Having everything in one place can really help you to be most efficient with your time.
You will find tabs for each week - you can copy these depending on your own schedule and have a tab for each week.
You will find a Session Planner tab where you can set out your aims for each session in that week - this really helps to break up your revision into manageable chunks
When should I start revising?
“As soon as possible”. That’s the answer you expected isn’t it? Well, it’s good advice.
If you asked that question on student forums, a lot of previous students would give you differing advice, ranging from six months before the exam, to day before the exam. But, the problem most people face, is that they look for any reason not to revise. Procrastinating won’t help you. It will only increase your stress.
The fact is, the earlier you start revising, the easier you make it for yourself. It’ll give you more time to practice your revision techniques, spot gaps in your subject knowledge and compensate.
How many hours per day?
If you’re revising after school, you won’t have much productive time left in your day. But, you should be able to fit in one to two hours.
It’s when you’re in the holidays, or on the weekends leading up to your exams, that you should put in the most revision time. During these periods, we suggest students should aim for six hours per day of revision.
If you continually test yourself, you’ll know how much you still have left to revise before your exams.
At a minimum, make sure you’re keeping up a regular amount of revision time every week to keep your brain ticking over. Birmingham City University suggests students spend an average of 15-20 hours per week revising ahead of final GCSE and A level exams.
At what time of day?
Your most productive study time will depend on which kind of person you are.
Know yourself and take that into the equation. If you’re most alert in the early hours, make use of that time. If you take some time to reach peak-focus, schedule your revision sessions later in the day.
Try not to completely disrupt your life
At the same time, you don’t want revision to get in the way of your life. If you’re working into an evening while your friends are having fun, or your siblings are playing games, it will make it much harder to concentrate.
Find a time during each day where you can schedule your study sessions knowing there isn’t anything else exciting you could be doing.
Schedule your revision around your time off. That way, you’ll avoid any fear of missing out, and you’ll still maintain a regular study schedule.
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