Revision

Year 11 students and families will find useful advice to support them at this time on this page. 

Scroll down to access guidance for if you’re feeling stressed, and guidance for specific subjects. 

Any queries, get in touch: year11@malcolmarnoldacademy.co.uk 

How to structure revision

• Aim to do 2-3 sessions per day, trying to cover 2-3 different subjects.
• Sessions should be about 45 mins each, with a 15 min break in between. Use a timer to help you focus: 
  • 15 mins recapping a topic: video / revision guide / exercise book...
  • 15 mins applying the knowledgE: answering an exam style question, quizzing, making a flashcard...
  • 15 mins looking back and seeing what you did/did not know, adding further notes to address gaps
• Make a plan and stick to it. Which subjects will you do on each day? The prep timetable is a good pattern to follow as a starting point. You can tweak to add more sessions for subjects you need to focus upon more. 

Watch out for doing too much of one subject and not enough of another. Try to balance the ones you find tricky with the ones you find easier.  

Useful Strategies

What doesn't work?

What should I do instead? 

The Inclusion team run a weekly club to support revision and homework. This takes place in Symphony every Tuesday . Please join us; there is no need to book a place. 

Resources

General Websites

Seneca Learn - [Students log in with their usual school Microsoft login] 

BBC Bitesize - GCSE - BBC Bitesize 

Revision World - GCSE Revision | Revision World 

Subject Specific Resources

Past papers can be found via the exam board websites listed below.  

We provide various revision materials in school throughout the academic year. The additional resources are optional to be purchased in addition. Some students like to use a revision guide to support their revision, but this is not vital. We have copies we can lend for many of these titles; students can ask teachers about this. It is often easy to find second hand copies in good condition online or in charity book shops. 

Following the exam period, we welcome donations of revision guides to use with future cohorts. Any guides borrowed from us must be returned on the day of the last exam for the subject. 

maa revisionguides.pdf

Support for when you're feeling stressed

3-4-5 Breathing

This exercise can be extremely effective if you are prone to anxiety or stress.

• Breathe in for three seconds (through your nose – this helps slow down anxious breathing and stops you gulping air)
• Hold your breath for four seconds
• Breathe out for five seconds through the mouth.

When your outbreath is longer than your inbreath, you reduce the activation of your stress state and encourage your body to move into a thrive state. It’s like hitting the pause button: you re-set the para-sympathetic nervous system. You can do a few rounds of this breath or extend it to take five minutes. Listen to your body and see what works for you.

Box Breathing

Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, then hold for another four. Box breathing helps lower stress levels, calm the nervous system and take your mind away from distracting thoughts. It’s reported that Navy Seals use this method to control their stress levels.

The 54321 Game

• Name 5 things you can see in the room with you. (Notice small details – “surface patterns”, “the way the light reflects off a surface” etc.) 
• Name 4 things you can feel (“chair on my back” or “feet on floor”)  
• Name 3 things you can hear right now (Inside: “fingers tapping on keyboard”, “TV” / Outside: “distant traffic”, “wind  blowing through the trees” )  
• Name 2 things you can smell right now (or, 2 things you like the smell of)  
• Name 1 good thing about yourself or 1 thing you can taste or like to eat (a sweet, gum, crisps etc. Focus your attention on the flavours and the texture.)

Body Awareness

1. Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your mouth. 
2. Stomp your feet several times before curling and uncurling your toes, then wiggling them. Notice the sensations you feel. 
3. Clench your hands into fists, then release the tension. Repeat ten times. 
4. Press you palms together. Press harder then hold this pose for fifteen seconds. Pay attention to the feeling of tension in your hands and arms. 
5. Rub your palms together briskly. Notice the sound and the feeling of warmth. 
6. Reach your hands over your head, like you’re reaching for the sky. Stretch like this for five seconds. Bring your arms down and let them relax at your sides. 
7. Take 5 more deep breaths.