GCSE SUCCESSGCSE SUCCESS

YOU CAN DO IT,YOU CAN DO IT, YEAR 11!YEAR 11!

Hepworth & PlatfordHepworth & Platford

Sounds like me!Sounds like me!If you’ve ever taken to If you’ve ever taken to tidying up your tip of tidying up your tip of

a a roomroom, , baked cakes for hoursbaked cakes for hours, , organised yourorganised yournail varnishnail varnish, , placed your CDs in alphabeticalplaced your CDs in alphabeticalorderorder or or applied online to go hang gliding inapplied online to go hang gliding inthe Himalayasthe Himalayas just to avoid that nasty word just to avoid that nasty word

‘‘revisionrevision’,’, then read on! then read on!

Help is at hand!Help is at hand!

Getting it right!Getting it right!

Know your exam timetable.Know your exam timetable.

Get rest, peace and quiet the night before Get rest, peace and quiet the night before an exam. Listen to some relaxing music an exam. Listen to some relaxing music

(that (that doesn’t mean doesn’t mean SlipknotSlipknot or or Public EnemyPublic Enemy).).

Put your Put your love lifelove life on hold for on hold for a couple of months – an a couple of months – an intense relationship could intense relationship could distract you from your exams.distract you from your exams.

Getting it right!Getting it right!

Wear comfortable Wear comfortable clothes whilst clothes whilst

you’re you’re revising. revising.

Too many chocolate treats duringToo many chocolate treats during revision will make you sick. Stickrevision will make you sick. Stick to your normal eating routine or to your normal eating routine or have healthy snacks. have healthy snacks.

Have back-up copies of any Have back-up copies of any revisionrevision

notes you have on computer.notes you have on computer.

““Now there are 3 steps to… Now there are 3 steps to…

successful revisionsuccessful revision””

ORGANISEORGANISE

LEARNLEARN

APPLYAPPLY

Peter BaynhamPeter Baynham

““Try not to drink too much Try not to drink too much coffee – or buy de-caff.”coffee – or buy de-caff.”

Organise your timetableOrganise your timetable

Draw up a revision timetable that Draw up a revision timetable that includes ALL of your subjects.includes ALL of your subjects.

Make sure that your exam timetable Make sure that your exam timetable starts starts

from TODAY until your LAST exam!from TODAY until your LAST exam!

Be realistic – allow for times when you Be realistic – allow for times when you just just

can’t make yourself revise & don’t feel can’t make yourself revise & don’t feel guiltyguilty

about missing a day!about missing a day!

Organise your subjectsOrganise your subjects

Don’t revise the same Don’t revise the same subject all evening. subject all evening. Variety is the spice of lifeVariety is the spice of life

(even if it is Maths and (even if it is Maths and Shakespeare!)Shakespeare!)

Perhaps you could Perhaps you could plan how plan how many days many days there are to each there are to each exam exam then divide it by topics then divide it by topics to be revised.to be revised.

Organise your timeOrganise your time• Don’t revise for more than 40 Don’t revise for more than 40

minutes at minutes at

a time without a break.a time without a break.

You’ll be too tiredYou’ll be too tired

after 40 minutes to after 40 minutes to

learn anything!learn anything!

• Have breaks of at least 10 or 15 Have breaks of at least 10 or 15 minutes between each session.minutes between each session.

Zoe BallZoe Ball

““Bullet points are a great wayBullet points are a great way

to revise. to revise. Read them through theRead them through the

night before and they’ll still be night before and they’ll still be

in your head!”in your head!”

Organise your lifeOrganise your life

Plan some time off for yourself as Plan some time off for yourself as well as revision.well as revision.

One day and one night off One day and one night off a week is reasonable. a week is reasonable.

You need time to relax You need time to relax with your friends.with your friends.

Eat properly, get enough sleep Eat properly, get enough sleep and get some fresh air every day.and get some fresh air every day.

Some advice…Some advice…

Go to revision lessons. How many Go to revision lessons. How many adults still know all the people they adults still know all the people they went to school with? Who cares went to school with? Who cares what your friends think? what your friends think? This is This is between you and that exam paper!between you and that exam paper!

Talk to your employer about Talk to your employer about reducing part-time working reducing part-time working hours.hours.

Learning to learn.Learning to learn.

• Get brothers and sisters to Get brothers and sisters to

test you on topics … test you on topics … (you (you

knew they’d be useful for knew they’d be useful for

something one day!)something one day!)

• Make colourful mind maps Make colourful mind maps including pictures of each topic including pictures of each topic you’re revising.you’re revising.

Learning to learn…Learning to learn…

Try relaxation Try relaxation techniques techniques such as such as focusing on your focusing on your breathingbreathing

(just don’t snore and (just don’t snore and dribble)dribble)

• Put your revision notes onto an MP3 file Put your revision notes onto an MP3 file and put it on your Ipod. and put it on your Ipod. (… you can (… you can always pretend to head bang to always pretend to head bang to Franz Franz FerdinandFerdinand if any mates see you) if any mates see you)

Nina MyskowNina Myskow

““I thought it was uncool and I thought it was uncool and

boring to revise. What’s boring to revise. What’s

uncool is turning over that uncool is turning over that

exam paper and realising that exam paper and realising that

you don’t know the answers.”you don’t know the answers.”

Learning to reviseLearning to revise

• You must have a quiet place toYou must have a quiet place to

revise in.revise in.

• Have proper lighting (a desk lamp) so Have proper lighting (a desk lamp) so that you don’t strain your eyes.that you don’t strain your eyes.

• De-clutter your work area (it will also De-clutter your work area (it will also help you to avoid the distractions of help you to avoid the distractions of reading Kerrang / Heat)reading Kerrang / Heat)

Learning to be successfulLearning to be successful

Organise your revision notes in anOrganise your revision notes in an

orderly fashion. orderly fashion.

Or you could invest in some blu-tack Or you could invest in some blu-tack

and put your notes on the walls.and put your notes on the walls.

You could You could even even …use …use the school LIBRARY!the school LIBRARY!

(that place with the books!)(that place with the books!)

APPLY (spot the APPLY (spot the theme…)theme…)

•PracticePractice answering questions.answering questions.

•PracticePractice key spellings. key spellings.

•PracticePractice using past papers.using past papers.

ExerciseExercise

• Reduces stressReduces stress• Promotes self esteemPromotes self esteem• Maintains general fitnessMaintains general fitness• Controls body weightControls body weight• Clears the mindClears the mind• Makes you ready for the next Makes you ready for the next

round of revision!round of revision!

MusicMusic• Revise to music if it Revise to music if it

helps you helps you • OR promise yourself a OR promise yourself a

good air guitar or good air guitar or boogie when you have boogie when you have finished each 40 min finished each 40 min session of studysession of study

• OR treat yourself to a OR treat yourself to a new download for new download for every successful day every successful day of revisionof revisionBut Mr Platford – what should I But Mr Platford – what should I

listen to – I hear you saylisten to – I hear you say

Listen to a good Listen to a good musical dietmusical diet

• Floyd, Abba, Schubert, Radiohead, Scissor Floyd, Abba, Schubert, Radiohead, Scissor Sisters, Dire Straits, chilled meditative stuff, Sisters, Dire Straits, chilled meditative stuff,

Guns N’Roses, bit of grebo-bit of chav, Guns N’Roses, bit of grebo-bit of chav, Madonna, Beatles, Blondie, Elton, Muse, Pet Madonna, Beatles, Blondie, Elton, Muse, Pet Shop Boys, Chic, Mozart, the Boss, the King, Shop Boys, Chic, Mozart, the Boss, the King,

Queen, Prince, Christina, Shania, Purple & Pink, Queen, Prince, Christina, Shania, Purple & Pink, more Floyd, Stones, Who, Clash, Wacko Jacko, more Floyd, Stones, Who, Clash, Wacko Jacko,

U2, Who, and plenty of good cheese pop. U2, Who, and plenty of good cheese pop.

These should do the trickThese should do the trick

Lesley JosephLesley Joseph

““Dorian would say don’t go out Dorian would say don’t go out

partying the night before partying the night before

because late nights, parties and because late nights, parties and

exams don’t mix. Have the real exams don’t mix. Have the real

fun when they’ve all finished.”fun when they’ve all finished.”

VISUAL TIPSVISUAL TIPS

Talk through your notes to Talk through your notes to yourself in the mirror. yourself in the mirror.

(you won’t look mad at all … (you won’t look mad at all …

honest! Snigger)honest! Snigger)

Use key facts / formulae as a Use key facts / formulae as a screen saver on your screen saver on your

computer.computer.

Visual tips cont…Visual tips cont…

Colour code pocket size Colour code pocket size cards with revision cards with revision notes.notes.

Use pictures to Use pictures to illustrate your revision illustrate your revision notes.notes.

Stand on your desk or Stand on your desk or chair to remember a chair to remember a really difficult fact – really difficult fact – that action is a memory that action is a memory aid.aid.

Edible tipsEdible tips Reward yourself with healthy snacks Reward yourself with healthy snacks

or chocolateor chocolate for a good revision session.for a good revision session.

Make fruit smoothiesMake fruit smoothies for an instant energyfor an instant energy

boost!boost!

BREAKFAST!BREAKFAST! (say no more)(say no more)

Swotty tipsSwotty tipsTeach yourself speed reading. Teach yourself speed reading. Read notes really quickly to Read notes really quickly to get an overall idea. get an overall idea.

Compose a song using Compose a song using

revision notes to yourrevision notes to your

favourite song. favourite song.

Use the GCSE Bitesize site and buy Use the GCSE Bitesize site and buy Bitesize Bitesize

Revision booksRevision books

ON THE DAY…ON THE DAY…

Hopefully you wouldHopefully you wouldhave gone to bed have gone to bed

earlyearlyand would have gotand would have gotearly so that your early so that your brain is in tip topbrain is in tip topcondition. Be at thecondition. Be at theright exam at the right exam at the

rightrighttime. time.

Avoid panic Avoid panic stricken friends – stricken friends – they will only they will only make you make you nervous. nervous.

Have the Have the CORRECT CORRECT

EQUIPMENT. EQUIPMENT.

Wear a watch or have a watch on Wear a watch or have a watch on

your desk – just in case you can’t your desk – just in case you can’t

see the one in the hall.see the one in the hall.

Read each question twice before you Read each question twice before you write ANYTHING! write ANYTHING!

Make sure you’ve been to the toilet!Make sure you’ve been to the toilet!

Take no notice of the people around Take no notice of the people around you! They may have turned a page over you! They may have turned a page over because they’ve missed out questions because they’ve missed out questions or have made loads of mistakes.or have made loads of mistakes.

Success and glory will be Success and glory will be yours as you reach for those yours as you reach for those

starsstarsAnd what’s more – And what’s more –

you’ll have you’ll have GCSEGCSE s, s,

my son!my son!

It’s over to you now! It’s over to you now!

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!THAT’S ALL FOLKS!

Have a nice life - Thank Have a nice life - Thank you and good night!you and good night!