The Education Blog

Insight 21st May, 2015

Revision Tips: How to get started

Whether you have GCSEs, A Levels or just end of year exams coming up, you’ll no doubt be revving up for some serious revision over the May Half Term. Starting is always the most difficult part of the process, so to ease the pain, here are some top tips for getting going…

by Marieke Audsley

It seems obvious, but it is of course essential: make sure you bring all of the relevant books and folders home from school over the next couple of days so that you have all of the resources you need. You don’t want to get to Monday and realise that your History folder is trapped inside your school locker…

Head to Paperchase or somewhere else wonderful that sells smashing stationery and stock up on materials. Somehow work is always less painful if you have some snazzy notebooks and a delightful array of pens. Highlighters, cue cards, dividers and plastic folders are all essentials for the well-organised student.

Make lists of all of the topics you need to cover and tick off the ones you feel confident about. You should also prioritise areas that need the most attention so that you make plenty of time for them. Construct a realistic revision timetable and ensure that you fit in all of the subjects you need to cover. Create a list of, and then try out alternative and fun ways to revise so that you don’t get bogged down by the monotony of writing endless notes.

Plan some fun breaks! Work something like a tennis match with friends, or a trip to the park for an ice cream into each day. It is impossible to revise productively all day every day and you will be much more motivated during a morning of revision if you have something to look forward to in the afternoon!

Also think about how you are going to look after yourself over the exam period; a healthy body makes for a healthy mind. Drink plenty of water, get lots of sleep, do some exercise each day and munch on nutritious snacks like dates stuffed with nut butter, banana slices with yoghurt and carrot sticks with hummus to keep your energy levels up.