GCSE revision ideas

[MontyTigger]

My year 10 child is struggling with organising revision for end of year 10 exams , which their school are naming as mock GCSEs
Do you have any tips / guidance for effective revision when covering so many subjects at Gcse? They are wanting good grades so they can do A levels and university but struggling to put the hours in / organise - any help or tips?

I bought 2 books and looked through them with my DS:

New How to Revise for GCSE: Study Skills & Planner - from CGP, the Revision Experts (inc new Videos): for the 2024 and 2025 exams (CGP GCSE 9-1 Revision) https://amzn.eu/d/8xa62ZZ

and

BBC Bitesize GCSE Revision Skills... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1406685917?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

They both have some great advice and tips. What has worked best for my DS (he’s a year older than your child and has 4 GCSEs to sit next week then all done) is making mind maps on A4 paper rather than the revision cards he started with. And doing past papers and asking teachers to mark them/comparing answers with mark scheme.

Those books helped him see what options he had and helped him find what worked best for him.

Good luck to your child! X

Each revision session to have an aim: learn properties of ionic and covalent bonds NOT revise chemistry.
Active revision, write or say 5 causes of WW1, not just rereading notes.
Flash cards/mind maps so have them ready for y11.

(This is why y7-y9 tests/exams are important, so when you get to y10 you know what you are doing....)

Revise a subject for 40 minutes and then have a break. Then revise a different subject.
Active reading ie make notes.
End up with a set of cards on each subject that people can test you on.
I used to recommend The Good Study Guide.
Towards the end of the revision period, close all booked and see if you can write an essay in answer to a question for 40 minutes.

My DD switched from flash cards to mind maps recently and is much happier with them.

Are you able to sit & work or do something alongside your DC in the evenings/weekends? I’ve gone back to studying recently & do this and it helps to set the vibe.

Mind maps are good for mapping out a whole topic. Flash cards good for key terms, case studies or facts- check out quizlet you can often find premade flashcards for topics / exams. Practice exam questions. Find out if the school subscribes to Senenca learning.
Pair up with a buddy and each take a section of the spec, learn it then reteach it to the other one.

I did psychology A level and helpfully my teacher taught us the most effective ways of learning which I used throughout uni and taught my uni friends. In psychology we had to write long essays remembering studies and dates and she taught us how to do it. I then applied the methods to other subjects.
Reading notes or books only had something like 5% recall so don’t waste time on that.
The most effective way of remembering things is to teach someone else.
She showed us how to create a mind map for a topic and how to make mnemonics to remember the main sections of the mind map and then within each part of it. When I got into an exam I would draw out my map, and then I could relax as I had my whole essay bullet pointed infront of me.

For subjects where this wouldn’t apply like say science. I would pick a topic and have your child teach you. If you aren’t around they can just say it outloud to themselves. Draw diagrams etc

Just don’t sit reading a text book! It needs to be active learning.

Revise a topic then do a question on it. Too much revision focuses on getting info in the brain. The test will be getting it out on paper so definitely do questions.

also Make videos of self explaining concepts and talking about specific subjects.

Mind maps on a3 of key areas and linkages. Videos on you tube then summarise.

Depends on the child - DD1 just wanted to be pointed to resources.

DS needed some one organising as got overwhelmed and his notes were poor and also needed someone sitting with him but by AS level was fine on his own.

DD2 Y10 in Wales having GCSE exams at minute needs prodding and a list of topics for each subject and what to get through that week - then checking up on - usually by doing a bank of questions on topic.

DD1 claimed to do best with flash cards.
DS textbooks, work books -books full of questions - and past papers.
DD2 does a mix on on-line sites which seem to work for her SENCA free, BBC bitesize, educate/maths watch with school and we pay for tassomai - and this year school been better with revision sessions put on and school revisions booklets produced and then her board has question bank now you can search though for topics and get questions and answers to print off.

We tend to advise summarising then lots of answering question rather than just reading though as can see what you actually recall and understand - though revision session at school have given DD2 chance to explain to her mates concepts so that helped as well.