How to support your child during their GCSEs

Session aims: To provide parents with a range of practical strategies to help students to revise for GCSE exams To raise awareness of / discuss the key issues surrounding revision and exam preparation

Icebreaker Activity: sort the cards into two groups How to revise How not to revise

Structuring revision sessions

Structuring revision sessions: Try to work in 2 hour sessions Have aims for each session –What subject? –Which units of work? –What resources are needed? Students test themselves / parents test them

Resources

Resources: Know what to revise and how to revise for each subject Be able to access a bank of past papers and their answer booklets One good revision guide, CD or aid (possibly a website) per subject

Resources – key websites

Revise by ‘doing’

Revise by ‘doing’: Common misconception – reading and re-reading = effective revision Read material once Read again, this time making notes Now apply the knowledge Do a related exercise from a revision book / a past paper

Other popular revision strategies

Draw ‘spider maps’ / spidergrams Use big flip-charts to make notes Put post-it notes around the house Make notes to summarize longer texts using revision cards Highlight key words in texts, then write onto revision cards (again, this is doing something, not just reading)

Memory Techniques

Memory Techniques: Acronyms, e.g. NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Picture stories – drawing pictures to represent a story / sequence of events Mnemonics – Make up a silly sentence to help remember something, e.g. NATO – No Action Talk Only

Creating the Right Atmosphere

Discussion: what would create the wrong atmosphere?

Creating the Right Atmosphere: Keep noise to a minimum Remove all key distractions Listening to music while revising? Very debatable! Provide water / favourite snacks for revision sessions

Music and TV Will this help or hinder them?

Tackling excuses

Question… What are the most common excuses students give at home for not doing IL or revision?

Here are a few of our favourites… My work is on the computer The printer was broken What IL? The library was closed I did it, but it’s at home! Here it is (student hands you a memory stick)! Didn’t you get the ?! I lost my bag

Dealing with excuses: Keep track of the excuse with a date and time Agree a solution Always follow up! Call the Academy to check out the story Get in touch with teachers via Play the game – it’s a battle, it’s about getting the work done Remember, knowledge is power!

Identifying Stress: Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning Constant fatigue Forgetfulness Aches and pains for no apparent reason Poor appetite Social withdrawal Increased anxiety and irritability "Flying off the handle" Increased heart rate Migraines/headaches Blurred vision Dizziness Loss of interest in activities

Avoiding Stress Start early – less revision per day = less stress Build upon the things you do know, don’t panic about the things you don’t know Focus on one thing at a time – your planned revision session. It is counterproductive worrying about everything all at once Don’t worry about what you haven’t done for two years – that’s gone. Focus on what you are doing now

What should you do before the end of term? Ensure your child has a copy of their exam timetable Check the exam timetable and ensure that all subjects are on there and that they are entered for the correct tier. Also check the spelling of their name, date of birth and any other info. Don’t worry about exam clashes - we are aware of them and will inform you of the time change very soon

What should you do before the end of term? Are they up to date with all their controlled assessments? If they miss the deadline, there are no second chances Ensure they have applied to colleges and sixth forms, as well as the CA sixth form, and you are aware of what you they aiming for this summer

What should you do before the end of term? Are they up to date with all their controlled assessments? If they miss the deadline, there are no second chances Ensure they have applied to colleges and sixth forms, as well as the CA sixth form, and you are aware of what you they aiming for this summer

Planning for the Easter break

Planning for the Exam Season Ensure you know when your child’s exams are and that they are on time Ensure they have the right equipment Ensure they are getting enough sleep, rest and nutritious food Please let us know if your child will not be able to collect their results

Session aims: To provide parents with a range of practical strategies to help students to revise for GCSE exams To raise awareness of / discuss the key issues surrounding revision and exam preparation