What's the best way to revise?

There are many methods and what works for one person doesn't work for another. One thing is certain not revising doesn't work. If your child says they don't need to revise because they get the same marks whether they do it or not they may be referring to short topic tests based on recent lessons that they can remember, answering questions on material they were taught up to two years ago is a different matter.

Your child has a lot of experience of sitting tests and should know what revision methods have worked well in the past or what was a total disaster (although disasters are usually related to a lack of revision not the method). Trying out a brand new method at the expense of the tried and tested is a risky method of preparing for these final exams, variety is the key to keeping it interesting and these could include making notes, making posters and diagrams and sticking them up at home, doing past papers and self marking, ‘read-cover-write' exercises where they see what they can remember from a passage they have just read as well as using the school web site to access the learning platform as well as other revision web sites.

Having music on while revising can block out other distractions in the home and actually help keep them at their desk (For example they could set up their MP3 player to play 10 songs and they work while they are on then take a mini break before starting another play list.)Having the TV on while revising is a complete no no, they must decide a small number of programmes they want to use as a reward for themselves and plan them in or ideally record them and use them as a reward and way to wind down at the end of revising for the day.

Students can reassure themselves about the quantity of work they are doing by keeping an hour by hour record. If they count up how many days they have until the exams start and that they could do 3 hours study on a week night after school and 8 hours study when they are on full time study leave or a weekend and still have time for ‘a life' they can quickly work out a maximum possible total, draw out a ‘totaliser' like the old Blue Peter appeals or church roof appeal and colour in the hours as they are done.