Revision tips and tricks

A phone ban whilst you’re revising is most certainly a good place to start. Not only could your phone distract you, social media will also show you pics of your friends and classmates smashing their revision, so now more than ever remember that social media only shows the highlights - don't believe everything you scroll past!

Leaving revision until the last minute is NEVER a good idea. Make yourself a revision timetable and start early – we assure you it will be worth it in the long run.

Setting yourself up for an 8 hour stretch isn't fun or productive. Try splitting your day into chunks and plan what you’re going to do for each of them. Some of our students even use the Pomodoro technique – where you revise for 30/40minutes then break for 15/20minutes, and repeat. It’s a great way to structure your day that keeps your brain engaged.

In line with planning your day, also plan where you’ll be. Perhaps do the morning in your bedroom, but spend the afternoon in the garden? Changing your surroundings will help keep your mind fresh and at its best.

Hands up if you played schools when you were a kid… Lock yourself away and talk through your notes as if you’re teaching a class. We know it sounds a little odd but seriously, it works.

Condensing your knowledge down helps you understand it better as well as memorise it. Start with your class notes then condense them down and down until you can fit key points on a flashcard. Then you can quiz yourself using the flashcards to really test if you know your stuff.

Revising in groups is a great way to share knowledge and test one another. However, be careful, if you surround yourself with the friends most likely to distract you, you could end up spending your Zoom session chatting about what you’ve been watching on Netflix…

Easing yourself in is no bad thing. At some point you’re going to have to tackle the hardest stuff, but if you start with the simpler bits you’ll already have some completed when things get challenging. And remember to reward yourself as you hit your goals too – you deserve it!

There are loads of pre-built study playlists out there so try one of those or build your own. Just don’t use building a revision playlist to get out of actually revising!

Your teachers want you to succeed too, so if you really can’t get your head around something don’t be afraid to ask for help! A quick call with your teacher might be all it takes for you to have your lightbulb moment.