Revision

1. Create a Revision Timetable

How can parents help?

• Offer help as a tester, reader, source of knowledge, buyer (of books)
• Organise fun activities for them to reward their hard work
• Offer praise and rewards
• Work out time limits (for revision and social time)
• Ensure they have a suitable place for study (a quiet place without
• distractions)

What to avoid...

• Forcing them to revise in the way you think is best
• Getting stressed with them
• Making comparisons between them and others
• Believing the revision lies

For further advice on helping your child with their revision view/download the GCSE Pod Guides below.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

3. Take Regular Study Breaks

How to deal with exam stress

A little bit of stress can be a good thing as it motivates us to knuckle down and work hard. But exams can make stress levels get out of hand, which can stop us from performing our best. So it's important to address it and get it back under control.

Stress Symptoms

Look out for prolonged or extreme cases of the following if you feel the work's piling up:

• Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning
• Constant tiredness
• Forgetfulness
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Poor appetite
• Loss of interest in activities
• Increased anxiety and irritability
• Increased heart rate
• Migraines/headaches
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness

How to manage exam stress

• Learn to recognise when you're stressing out. A break or a chat with someone who knows the pressure you're under will get things into perspective.
• Avoid comparing your abilities with your mates. Everyone approaches revision in different ways, so just make sure you've chosen the method that works best for you. Make a realistic timetable. Stick to it.
• Eat fresh fruit and veg and have a proper breakfasts. Fuel your brain as well as your body - no one can think straight on coffee and chocolate.
• Sleep well. Wind down before bed and don't revise under the duvet - your bed is a sanctuary, not a desk. Get your eight hours.
• Exercise. Nothing de-stresses the mind faster than physical activity, so build it into your timetable.
• Panic is often triggered by hyperventilating (quick, shallow breaths). So if you feel yourself losing it during the exam, sit back for a moment and control your breathing. Deep breath in and out through the nose, counting to five each way.

Eating for Exams

Everyone's capacity for learning is different - but there is one way to ensure your brain is ready to absorb all the information on that carefully colour-coded spidergram - the right diet, packed with brain-boosting foods. Late nights, stress, missed meals and quick food fixes will all play havoc with your ability to concentrate.    https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/eating-exams

Study Space

• Ensure students have a suitable study space, this should include:
• A proper place to work - a desk or table
• Quiet
• No distractions - No TV, music or younger siblings to disturb them

Managing Time

• Some time is better than none, a lot is better than too much.
• It is unwise to do too much on one day and nothing at all on another.
• 30 minutes is an average. But sometimes it could be as short as 10 minutes and other times it could be 3 hours.
• Students should have one day per week free from revision to allow them to relax.
• Breaks are essential when revising to keep the mind fresh. Going outside for some fresh air is a good idea during these breaks.
• Students will also work better at different times of the day, it is worth working out which time of the day is best for them and using this as their revision time.

Remember if a student does two 30 minute revision sessions a day from February to June they will complete 150 hours of revision, so get started now!

4. Use Mind Maps to Connect Ideas

5. Collaborate with Friends