In 96 days, the 2024 GCSE exams will commence with Religious Studies paper 1. For current year 11s, your initial reaction may be to scoff at the number, still trading note taking for Netflix in a heartbeat. This is because 96 days doesn't have much of a scare-factor, after all, if you add 4 more its 100 whole days which is more than enough time to mend poor study habits, fill ravine-sized gaps in knowledge and keep up with reality tv- right?

13 weeks , packs a slightly sharper sting; maybe it wouldn't hurt to skim the textbook ? 

3 months, however, absolutely winds you, sending you into a flash card-fuelled frenzy: reality hits like a pile of unused revision guides!

But wait, all hope is not lost! keep on reading for tips on how to effectively utilise these last few months before GCSEs.

1. print out your GCSE exam timetable and put it somewhere visible

printing out your exam timetable not only allows you to organise revision into a timetable , but also ensures that you know the exact exam you have each day which, for exams like mathematics where specific equipment is required, makes sure you are prepared.

2. dedicate a day to tidying your study area 

before exams start and take up your time, dedicate a day to tidying your study area, as a clean environment promotes productivity.

3. use your specification to clarify what you will be tested on 

checking your specification (which can be found on your exam board's website) is important as subject specificities vary from exam board to exam board and you want to make sure you revise topics that are relevant to your exam board.

4. use past paper questions

when getting closer to exam season, exam technique such as timings, answer structure and understanding command words is something that should be focused on instead of only learning content. these skills can be improved with exam style questions or past papers. these resources can be found on exam board websites e.g. https://www.aqa.org.uk/  and on subject specific websites such as physics and maths tutor.

5. watch topic summary videos

*DISCLAIMER* this should never be used a your sole revision method, however, as a supplement to other methods mentioned, watching videos that go over concepts in a topic sacrificing detail for conciseness can help remind you of concepts that might be forgotten.

 

6. take care of your physical and mental health

though exams are important, you should not allow them to have adverse effects on you health: making sure you are well hydrated and nourished improves concentration making you more retentive of information and focused, this is also the case with having 8 hours+ of sleep.

 

Good luck to all of the year 11s!