Preparing for external examinations can be difficult and scary for students of all ages. Follow our top tips below to maximise your chances of success.
- Find the right environment to revise in – somewhere where you can concentrate, you have plenty of desk space and no distractions. Turn your phone OFF!
- Start early – this should be months, and not days before the exam!
- Make a revision timetable – be realistic, how many hours a day can you do and then stick to it.
- Buy the revision guides – they contain everything you need to learn for each subject.
- Take regular breaks – 10 minutes once every hour of study will keep you fresh.
- Make revision active – Reading alone isn’t enough. Make summary notes / mind maps as you go.
- Check that it’s working – Is it going in? Cover up your notes regularly and check what you can remember.
- Involve other people – e.g. work with a friend, or give the notes to your parents and ask them to test you.
- Attend revision sessions – Here at UTC South Durham we offer sessions across most subjects during the Easter and May Half term holidays.
- Ask for help – If something you revise doesn’t make sense, go and see your teacher.
- Stick revision notes around the house – e.g. post it notes on the bathroom mirror or revision notes on your bedroom wall.
- Exam practice – Do as many past exam questions as you can. Each subject will provide you with some of these but there are lots more (with answers) online.
- Believe in yourself. Nobody knows everything but you are smart enough to succeed. Everybody has to go through this!
- Smile. Imagine how good it’ll feel once you’ve finished your final exam. Imagine how much better it’ll feel when you open up your results in August.