PLANNING

With self-discipline anything is

possible.
- Theodore Roosevelt

1ST RULE OF REVISION: Work-life balance

1.
Drink plenty of water: Best 10 minutes before revising the spread
out
Sleeping: Plenty of sleep to balance energy
Have a plan: Prioritise subjects in your revision schedule
Peak performance: Find the time of day you work best, thats when

Energy, fizzy and coffee: Avoid these types of drinks

Sleeping: Never study when tired
Have a plan: Dont forget to plan breaks in your revision schedule
Peak performance: There are never exams between 9pm-2am, so
dont work late into the night

2nd RULE OF REVISION: Make a plan

Prioritise List every exam you will have
Rank them from most to least difficult or your priorities
Use a revision guide to estimate how much time each one needs (harder subjects
need more time!)
How You need to decide on how much time you will give each exam
much? Work out how many days there are to each exam and allocate the time
Mix it up! Avoid spending lots of time on one subject alone for example you might split
revision time into half hour blocks
Dont put your most difficult subjects back to back
Dont start a day with your hardest subject, but keep it early rather than later in
the day or you will talk yourself out of it
Dont put similar subjects back to back
The Plan Electronic or paper doesnt matter, but an electronic can be changed more easily
Create sessions in a day e.g. 1-4 on a school day and 1-10 on a weekend and
something for school holidays
Block out sessions you wont be using e.g. school time, dinner, clubs, sports
activities, socialising etc.
Allocate a number of sessions each week to each subject
Regular Plan a break every half hour to hour
breaks Use your break times to check your messages, Facebook, eating, drinking etc.
Keep your phone or tablet etc. in another room
Pomodor This techniques is where you complete 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute
o break

ARMTHORPE ACADEMY: Students Guide to Revision 2017

 At the end of four blocks, take a 30 minute break
Heres the key you need to be strict with your time and remain 100% focused
Be Revision timetable is not for show so dont plan to revise when you actually cant
realistic Stick your plan somewhere in the house so everyone knows your schedule
If your plan isnt working, change it!
3rd RULE OF REVISION: Be prepared

Most revision needs

Use to be
a trusted done
friend to alone
test you when you

No
Music? Something that does not distr
INTERNET Onl
TV
Work spaceComfortable space
Equipment: pens, pencils, paper, that
bigger isnt
paper, on
Post-its, the
flash card
2. MATERIALS

I walk slowly, but I never walk backwards.

- Abraham
Lincoln

Text Paper: Gives good clarity of information and diagrams

Books Electronic: Good for quick reference and quick specific searches
Class Good quality notes that give you the facts you need
Notes Not copied PowerPoints
Revision Subject specific guides that contain lots os lists, diagrams and
Guides simplified versions of everything you need to know
Exam Ask your teacher for the exam specification
Specs Link revision directly to this to ensure you are meeting the criteria
Internet Used correctly it can be a powerful tool
Use it for what you need without the extras (Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram etc.)
YouTube YouTube is full of revision videos but be careful not to time waste
Complete specific searches e.g. photosynthesis instead of plants etc.

ARMTHORPE ACADEMY: Students Guide to Revision 2017

 3. TECHNIQUES
Podcast Download these onto your phone or tablet
s Can you turn audio help into written notes?
Apps Check that they are the best Apps before you waste hours on them
There are plenty of approved exam board Apps and PiXL ones
The A4 and A3 paper, coloured paper, Post-It notes, postcards
Basics Pens, pencils, coloured pencils/pens, highlighters, ruler, rubber etc.

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says

Im possible.! - Audrey
Hepburn

NOTE TAKING: Text books/revision guides/class notes open at the right pages
Any electronic extras ready at the correct pages
Aim to summarise all of the information in front of you into notes that
are in your own words in a way that helps you remember
You should not be copying from a book!
Ideal goal is to reduce content into memory prompts
LISTS: Summarise text/content into key points
You need to be self-disciplined and not write paragraphs
Check this against mark schemes (5 marks, 5 bullet points)
MIND MAPPING: Topic name in the centre and key facts branch from this start point
Make them colourful
4. FINALLY
Make each strand unique as a way to memorise
You need to be able to decipher them and use them again
DIAGRAMS: Turn words in diagrams
Sequence events or cycles as a way of memorizing
FLASH CARDS: Reduce information to fit onto strategy cards
You can combine diagrams, mind maps and notes etc. on these
Put questions on one side and answers on the other
Randomly select cards and get someone to test you
POSTERS: Make them big and bold
Put them on the walls around the house
MEMORY: Regularly revisit flash cards, posters, lists etc.
CHUNKING: Group information together to make it easier to remember
Find a rhythm to remember like remembering your mobile number
MNEMONICS: Translate information in a way that is easy to remember e.g. MAMS in
science when calculating empirical formula M-mass, A-atomic mass,
M-moles and S-simplify
PAST PAPERS: Download these from the internet or ask your teacher
Test yourself under strict timings, assess using the mark scheme, revise
the bits you couldnt do then try the questions again

ARMTHORPE ACADEMY: Students Guide to Revision 2017

 START EARLY: Little and often will mean
less stress.
REVISE EVERY DAY: Stick to your timetable
until it becomes habit. You need to commit
BRING IT ALL to get the best results
TOGETHER SHORT SESSIONS: Remember Pomodoro?
Read page 2 again!
REDUCE: Consolidate by reducing, listing,
drawing, sequencing etc. COPYING DOES
NIGHT BEFORE THE NOT WORK!
EXAM MIX IT UP: A bit of every subject regularly.
Plenty of sleep Dont ignore the most challenging.
Organise equipment TESTING: Test yourselfa lot! Use friends,
No revision after 8pm relax family, online activities/Apps and past
papers. Revisit the areas that challenged

ARMTHORPE ACADEMY: Students Guide to Revision 2017