What is revision, and why revise?
Before we consider what revision is and some ideas on how to revise, it is useful to take a moment to consider why we should revise.
Students sometimes ask me “why bother revising?”
My simple answer is “So you can do the best you possibly can, and if you did do your best, nobody can complain or say you did not try.”
Students sometimes ask, “Why do I need GCSE's anyway?” When I chat to them about this, we usually come to the idea that GCSEs are the gateway to lots of exciting possibilities, but there are many reasons students could wish to do well at GCSEs, for example:
- Feel good at doing well
- Better GCSEs, better job prospects
- Get onto courses of your choice at college not what is left because you did poorly in your exams
- Get into sixth form to study A-levels before going to university
- Access to apprenticeships
- Make mum and dad happy
- Reach your long term goal
- Do well, then never have to study the ones you didn't like again
How Can Parents Help?
First and foremost, parents who engage with their child's revision can help to dramatically improve exam grades in the long term.
Don't forget, you are not going to be examined or tested, and even better you don't need to know anything about the subjects if you use these GCSE revision guides.
What Actually Is Revision?
Before I say anything else, Revision is NOT just copying out your notes again. Revision should focus upon doing questions from past papers and then doing lots of short activities like the kinds in this GCSE science revision guide. Revisit topics over and over again, until they become second nature. This is where family members will come into their own. Revision should,
1) Reinforce what you have learnt and studied.
2) Highlight areas of weakness and strength.
3) Give you confidence.
As the old saying goes
“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”
Be organised and start revising as soon as possible. Make sure you start to revise for your mock exams in November (now called PPE's or walking talking mocks).
What Can Parents Do?
- Help to keep stress levels down and improve confidence through constant positive reinforcement and comments.
- Help to design revision timetables and organise time effectively.
- Help by using online GCSE resources in this website and hopefully have some fun doing it!
- Work together to identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Try and organise revision sessions in short blocks for each subject. I have found 30 minutes to be a good length of time. Have a short break then do another 30 minutes.
