Preparing for Exams

Follow these easy steps to help you through the revision process. You should start to prepare

yourself about three months before an exam.

Step 1 – Know what you need to do

Dates and times for each of your exams.

Exam topics for each of your exam subjects so that you know what you need to revise.

The format the exam will be in e.g. written, spoken, practical, online.

Step 2 – Plan your revision

Draft a revision timetable so that you can identify when you can revise.

Block out times when you cannot revise because of after-school activities and other

commitments.

Aim to work in 45 minute blocks, taking 10-15 minute breaks.

Step 3 – Where to revise

Prepare a place to revise and try to use the same place where you can work undisturbed.

Choose a place that has enough room, good lighting, is comfortable and tidy.

Get together your school books, past papers and revision guides. Have a supply of

equipment such as A4 paper, notebooks, index cards, pens, pencils and highlighters.

Step 4 – Make us of your learning style

Know your learning style and use the revision techniques

Put information into diagrams and mind maps so that you can visualise it. Add colour!

Make condensed notes on paper and index cards.

Look at essay titles and prepare for them by listing key words and ideas.

If you do not understand something ASK NOW!

Step 5 – Focus your on revision

Test yourself using active revision - the method memorise, write, check.

Ask family and friends to test you by asking you questions from your notes.

Practice exam questions from past papers.

Timelines

Timelines can be helpful - especially for History. They are invaluable for making sense of a series of

events, because you can trace improvements, factors etc. Pin them up in your room.

Alternatively, for example, in English Literature you could pick a key character and do a series of

cards with evidence of their characters action or a useful quotation. Put these chronologically so

you can trace development.

Draw key theme cards, style cards etc. You could draw a timeline for each book or play that you're

studying and superimpose a tension graph where lines rise for more dramatic events.

Annotations

For poems, you can blow up the poem (photocopy and stick them on large paper) and annotate it in

different colours for content, and various stylistic ideas. For books and plays, chapter or scene

synopses can be useful (4 points will do).

This can also be useful if you own your textbooks - you can highlight key points and ignore the

waffle if you're struggling and write down helpful notes on how to remember things.

Mind Maps

Mind maps (I'll use philosophy as an example) Plato ----> arguments/analogies (e.g. forms/cave) ----

> draw links ----> work things out ----> show criticisms etc.

Get an A3 piece of paper - divide into four parts. Then, for example, make four headings e.g. Hume,

theory, good things, bad things; Aristotle, theory, good things, bad things etc. For the latter you

could have under theory his four causes: material, efficient, formal and final (MEFF) etc.

It’s a good idea to stick your mind maps on the wall in your room. Stick up the topics that you really

need to learn and look at them over and over.

Note/Cue Cards

Note/cue cards are always handy for when you're out and about. List definitions and rules you need

to know. Or write key words from which you can fill in the gaps to tell the whole story.

These are also (very!) handy for learning language vocabulary. You can buy index cards in any good

newsagent that will be a convenient size once cut in half, or buy ready-made ones. Business cards

are also good. Once filled in, these cards will allow you to reclaim time that would otherwise be

wasted - on the bus, in the queue at the supermarket - there's no limit.

Mini Revision Booklet

Take the topic heading for your subject and a few pieces of paper and then attempt to write concise

summaries containing key information under each. This is a useful way to see what you know and

create a resource that is easy to understand.

It is important that this is done completely from memory towards the end of your revision. Points

you miss out can be put in an appendix section called 'points to remember'. Don't forget you're not

writing a book - this should use up no more than 10 A4 sheets (both sides).

Practice Essay Writing

Perfect your essay technique. Good spelling and grammar helps too.

When attempting past papers, always answer the question! It might sound fairly obvious but many

people just narrate the story. Examiners are assessing your ability to show historical reasoning.

Always reread the question at the start of every new paragraph. Make a brainstorm/mindmap of the

major points you want/need to cover in your essay. Make sure your points are relevant. Try not to

waffle.

Never say 'I think' (unless you're studying something like Philosophy where personal evaluation is

paramount) - they don't care about your opinion! Use phrases such as 'the evidence suggests' or 'this

implies that...'

Don't assert - demonstrate.

Be analytical and evaluative.

Structure your essays - e.g. intro, 4/5 paragraphs, conclusion. Start and finish every paragraph with a

topic sentence relating to the question. Make links.

Key sentences - an interesting intro - a clever conclusion (with a twist?) - use historical hindsight. Use

evidence well. Don't be afraid to criticise.

Listen to the points your teachers/friends/parents make - write them down so that you have a really

comprehensive range of notes to revise from.

Past Exam Questions

Practice your writing skills or make sure you know what rules, definitions and equations you might be

expected to know.

Always ask where you went wrong if you get a low grade.

Have a look at what the examiners are after. There are specific websites with past papers, mark

schemes etc. For maths, look at what you get marks for - many marks come from the method even if

the final answer is wrong. So make sure you always show your full working when in the exam.

Do lots of past papers under timed conditions - this works particularly well for History, English

Literature and Philosophy.

Only describe events when you need to in order to make your argument. - Explain why your point is

relevant and how it answers the question.

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION TIMETABLE SUMMER 2016 v6

Any timetable clashes will be resolved on individual candidate timetables.

Date 2016

A.M. Exams start at 9.00 a.m. unless otherwise stated

P.M. Exams start at 1.20 p.m. unless otherwise stated

For GCSE French speaking tests throughout the year students must check dates/times with their MFL teacher.

The 10 hour Art exam consists of 2 x 3 hour sessions plus 4 hours in sessions of 30 mins or 1hr during Art lessons. Dates: 17th (3hrs), 22nd, 24th (3hrs), 29th & 31st March, 19th, 21st & 26th April. Attendance at all sessions is compulsory.

Tue 10th May

CiDA DA201 Dev Web Products 2hr 30m (Y11 resits)

Mon 16th May

GCSE RS 5RS02 1hr 30m (Y11 short & full, Y10 short) BTEC Travel & Tourism 21474E 1hr (Y11 resit)

GCE AS Psychology Paper 1 B29OU10-1 1hr 45m (Y12)

Tue 17th May

GCSE French Reading F A703/01 35m & H A703/02 45m (Y11) GCSE French Listening F A701/01 35m & H A701/02 45m (Y11) GCE AS Sociology paper 1 7191/1 1hr 30m (Y12)

GCSE Biology 5BI1F/H 1hr (Y11 separate sci & Y10) GCE Accounting ACCN1 1hr 30m (Y12)

Wed 18th May

GCSE ICT 5IT01 1hr 30m (Y11)

GCE AS History 6HI01 1hr 20m (Y13 resit tbc) GCE AS History paper 1 8HI0/1 2hr 15m (Y12) GCSE RS 5RS08 1hr 30m (Y11 Full course)

Thur 19th May

GCE AS MEST1 2hrs (Y12) GCSE Chemistry 5CH1F/H 1hr (Y11 separate sci & Y10)

GCE AS Business 7131/1 1hr 30m (Y12)

Fri 20th May

GCE AS Eng Lang & Lit ELLA1 1hr 30m (Y13 resit tbc) GCE AS Eng Lang & Lit 7706/1 1hr 30m (Y12) GCSE Spanish Reading H A723/02 (Y11) GCSE Spanish Listening H A721/02 45m (Y11)

GCSE PE 48903 1hr 30m (Y11) GCSE Portuguese Reading A833 1hr (Y10) GCE Accounting ACCN2 1hr 30m (Y12)

Mon 23rd May

GCSE English Literature Paper 1 97151F/H 1hr 30m GCE AS Eng Lang & Lit ELLA2 1hr 30m (Y13 resit tbc) GCE AS Eng Lang & Lit 7706/2 1hr 30m (Y12)

GCE AS Psychology Paper 2 B29OU20-1 1hr 45m (Y12)

Tue 24th May

GCSE Engineering A622/02 1hr (Y11) GCSE Media Studies 48101 1hr 30m (Y11) GCSE Chinese R & L 5CN03 50m & 5CN01 40m (Y10) GCE AS Sociology paper 2 7191/2 1hr 30m (Y12)

GCSE Geography 5GA1F/H Geo Skills 1hr (Y11) GCE AS Business 7131/2 1hr 30m (Y12)

Wed 25th May

GCSE Business Comms 5BS01 45m (Y11) GCSE Portuguese Listening A831 50m (Y10)

GCE AS History 6HI02 (Y13 resit tbc) GCE AS History paper 2 8HI0/2 1hr 30m (Y12) GCSE Physics 5PH1F/H 1hr (Y11 separate sci & Y10)

Thur 26th May

GCSE Mathematics Paper 1 Non-Calc 1MA0F/H 1hr 45m (Y11)

Fri 27th May

GCSE English Literature Paper 2 97152F/H 1hr 15m (Y11)

Half term

T/Admin/Examinations/2015-16/June/2016 Summer External timetable v6 15.03.16

Mon 6th June

GCSE History 5HB01B Crime & Punishment 1hr 15m (Y11)

GCSE Food Technology 45451 2hrs (Y11)

Tue 7th June

GCSE English Language ENG1F/H 2hr 15m (Y11) Cert Eng Lang Paper 1 8705/1F 2hrs (Y12/13 resits)

Wed 8th June

GCE A2 Media MEST3 2hrs (Y13) GCSE Computing A451/01 1hr 30m (Y11) Cam Nat Creative iMedia R081 1hr 15m (Y10 resits)

GCSE Geography 5GA2F/H Natural Env. 1hr 15m (Y11)

Thur 9th June

GCSE Mathematics Paper 2 Calc 1MA0F/H 1hr 45m (Y11)

Fri 10th June

GCE A2 History 6HI03D 2hrs (Y13)

GCSE Add Sci Biology 5BI2F/H 1hr (Y11)

GCSE Business Comms 5BS04 1hr 30m (Y11) GCSE Music 5MU03 1hr 30m (Y11) GCSE Portuguese Writing A834 1hr (Y10) Cert Eng Lang Paper 2 8705/2F 2hrs (Y12/13 resits)

Mon 13th June

GCSE Product Design Inn. Challenge session 1 3hrs (Y11)

GCSE Child Development 45801 1hr 30m (Y11)

Tue 14th June

GCSE Product Design Inn. Challenge session 2 3hrs (Y11)

GCSE History 5HB02B Am West 1hr 15m (Y11)

Wed 15th June

GCSE Product Design Inn. Challenge session 3 30mins (Y11)

GCSE Add Sci Chemistry 5CH2F/H 1hr (Y11)

Thur 16th June

WJEC L1/2 Safety & Security in Construction 9811/01 1hr online (Y11 resits & Y10)

Fri 17th June

GCSE Add Sci Physics 5PH2F/H 1hr (Y11) GCE A2 ELLA3 2hr 30m (Y13)

GCSE Geography 5GA3F/H Human Env. 1hr 15m (Y11) EXAM CLASH GCSE Health & Social Care 5HS01 1hr 15m (Y11)

Mon 20th June

GCSE F Add Sci Biology 5BI3F/H 1hr (Y11 sep sci)

GCSE Arabic Reading 5AR03 55m & Listening 5AR01 45m (Y9)

Tue 21st June

GCSE History 5HB03C War on Britain 1hr 15m (Y11)

GCSE Graphic Products 45501 2hrs (Y11)

Wed 22nd June

GCSE F Add Sci Chemistry 5CH3F/H 1hr (Y11 sep sci)

Thur 23rd June

GCSE Arabic Writing 5AR04 1hr (Y9)

Fri 24th June

GCSE F Add Sci Physics 5PH3F/H 1hr (Y11 sep sci)

Mon 27th June

GCSE Statistics 5ST01F 1hr 30m & 5ST01H 2hrs (Y9) GCSE Product Design Designing Influence 1554/01 1hr 30m (Y11)

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Web support revision

Subject Link Useful for Username/

password

General

Revision

getrevising.co.uk Creating study plans, practise

questions, practise papers, and

mark schemes.

General

Revision

bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z98jmp3 All subjects. Summarised notes,

practise questions, practise

papers, and mark schemes.

English

Language

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGFsWf-P-

cAbF4PN9zKiF1qoFpmuyZD9

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7WKivLeqN

E8sd-HuY73POLDzmhQKOOVV

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5m4nS9Kml

kyI_ME7zdL0ZLo1wPy9kspe

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGFsWf-P-

cBnjI-6RVe2xKF43Rzj7f6O

YouTube clips for

understanding and producing

non-fiction texts

English

Literature

bbc.co.uk/education/topics/zxmb4j6

bbc.co.uk/education/topics/zph4dmn

bbc.co.uk/education/topics/zccxp39

youtube.com/watch?v=GS7J4ObYsfs

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7WKivLeqN

E9m_Wu1r0Cp22xie3llEaRz

Plot summaries, character

analysis, themes, form,

structure and language.

Writing and analysing poetry

YouTube clips for poetry

analysis and character and

voice.

Maths mathswatchvle.com

mymaths.co.uk

Foundation and higher tier,

with video clips and questions

on number, algebra, shape and

data.

Interactive lessons and

questions on every GCSE Maths

topic.

un: aomhs

pw: brown

Science bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrkw2hv

gcsescience.com

Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Revision topics and tests.

Chemistry and Physics quizzes

and questions.