Exam Preparation
Getting ready for exams
Year 11 are now embarked on the final year of their road to the summer exams in 2021. Students should be thinking about how they can maximise their grades to be able to take the courses they want to at college or apprenticeships they are thinking of following at post 16 level.
Subjects have uploaded revision materials onto Microsoft Teams for students to access.
All Year 11s have an account with MathsWatch to support them in their Maths revision. (If a student is unsure of their login and password they should contact their maths teacher)
Students also have an account with MyGCSESCIENCE (All logins can be found in the files tab on your Science Microsoft Teams class)
How to Revise
- Have a revision timetable (but don’t spend too long making one)
- Revision must be active revision. Experiments have shown that in order to commit something to long term memory it needs to be repeated 5 times. Using multiple parts of the brain helps make connections in the brain which helps memory
- See the Study Strategies section for effective learning revision techniques
Check list
- Revise (using active techniques) in half hour slots
- First 5 minutes: revise what was done in the last slot for that subject
- Next 20 minutes: revise a part of the course using active methods
- Last 5 minutes: Have a short break
- Repeat this again, have a 15 minute break after – it helps the brain!
5 top tips to help you revise
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/08/five-secrets-of-successful-revising
Dealing with exam stress
Everyone gets stressed about exams, and there are lots of places you can go to for help and advice. Search the internet and you will find everything from the Emporia State University promoting the “Five Finger Relaxation Technique” to others like the University of Reading promoting more standard practical advice.
It is natural that you will be a little nervous, but if your anxiety is making your life difficult you MUST speak to someone – a friend, a member of your family, someone at school. Every member of staff at Stratford School Academy is there for you and will be happy to listen to your concerns and worries. Don’t keep them a secret!
Talk to someone if exam stress gets too much
- The AQAexam board has useful advice on dealing with exam stress and also gives answers to some of this exam board’s most frequently asked questions from nervous students.
- Childline receives thousands of calls from students worried about their exams and so they have lots of experience. You can download their “Beat Exam Stress” booklet from the website. You could also phone them on on 0800 1111.
- TheNational Health Service provides useful advice to help people deal with stress and anxiety.
- There is guidance on combating exam stress on the BBC Newsround
- There is help available from BBC Radio 1.
- The mental health charity Mindhas expertise in dealing with anxiety, stress and depression.
- Stress busting also provides some very useful practical advice on dealing with exam stress.
