Taking your GCSE courses can be a stressful time so it is important that you know the best ways to study for you and how you can make studying and revising more efficient. Here are some quick tips recommended from previous top-grade GCSE students themselves. 

Do your homework

I know it sounds boring, but staying on top of your homework ensures you completely understand the material covered during the lesson, this allows a wider understanding and helps you remember the information.

Participate in class

Active class participation means you engage with the material and the learning process and can develop your own ideas about the work. You can do this by participating in the group discussion or asking further questions.  This can lead to better retention of information. 

Stay motivated

Staying motivated keeps you on track with your aim and allows you to have realistic, achievable goals, it also prevents procrastination if you have a certain goal you have set for yourself . This really helps with revision and completing homework and NEA (non-exam assessment). 

Ensure you take thorough notes

Taking notes is a huge help for your GCSEs, taking notes means you are actively listening and noting down what your teachers are saying and any relevant information, they are useful sources of key information and it helps make your revision clear.

Ask your teachers for help

If you are struggling or confused, it is very important to ask your teacher for help. Teachers are always happy to help you and it will really help clearing up any issues you have.

Take time for self care

It is so important to take time for yourself, whether you are on study leave, or are revising for a topic test or just have a lot of homework. Taking breaks allows the information you have learnt to sink in and refreshes your brain to take in more information.

Make sure all work is completed

All the work you do in preparation for your GCSEs is part of the curriculum, so any incomplete work is a gap in your knowledge so it is essential to catch up on work and ensure it is all completed thoroughly. 

Use online resources

Using online resources such as BBC bitesize, Corbett maths and ActiveLearn can really help your understanding. You can use these online and when revising by yourself. Find out which online resources work best for you and you can take quizzes and play educational games to solidify your knowledge.

Keep on top of NEA/ coursework

Keeping on top of NEA is key to achieving a good grade at the end of the course, if you leave your coursework to the last minute it will not be high quality and won't get you a good grade in the end. As long as you work hard and stay on top of your coursework and don't procrastinate you will get a good NEA grade. 

Revise things you struggle with

Revising things you struggle with is a great way of improving your grades, this allows you to improve your weak points which overall brings up your grades, so make sure when revising you don't revise things you are confident with instead focus on areas and aspects you struggle with.

Overall, keeping up with these healthy studying tips is a great way to allow you to reach your potential and help you improve your grades.