Carre’s Grammar School GCSE Support and Guidance: Revision and Examinations

Carre’s Grammar School THE CURRENT SITUATION GCSEs are imminent – 14 May 2012 Much of this will re-affirm what you already know. We are all in this together!

Carre’s Grammar School General Advice: Communicate - “How can I support you best with revision?”. Balance between work and social life and stick to the agreement. Reward structure to motivate. Clear boundaries. Falling behind – try to flexible. Communicate the importance of revision to the family. Facebook and XBOX Go Off Line

Carre’s Grammar School Supporting your son in setting themselves up for revision Talk to your child – What would they find helpful? The simplest things often get in the way of starting revision – a revision pack. Revision guides for each subject. Help your child to plan their revision timetable. Nominate a quiet place for revision. Music without words. Provide an area where work and revision notes can be kept safely. Enable the provision of relaxation time Plenty of rest.

Carre’s Grammar School Support when doing the revision Sticking to the revision plan. Provide favourite snacks and water for revision periods. Be flexible. Be sensitive to the pressure your son will be feeling. Keep up with regular ‘check-ins’ and don’t ‘nag’ in between times. Pre-agreed rewards for reaching a goal/ target. Keep things in perspective – there are a range of strategies and techniques!

Carre’s Grammar School Health Tips Exams and revision are hard work. The right fuel e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables. Caffeine vs Water. Regular exercise. A good nights sleep.

Carre’s Grammar School The Infamous Revision Timetable

Carre’s Grammar School

Revision Checklist. TopicNotes123 Percentages Pythagoras Nets Trigonometry Subject: Maths. Sheet Number: 1

Carre’s Grammar School Revision Timetable – – – – – – – – 6.45 Monday Lunch Evening Meal Tuesday Lunch Evening Meal Weds. Lunch Evening Meal Thursday Lunch Evening Meal Friday Lunch Evening Meal Saturday Day Off LunchDay Off Sunday Lunch

Carre’s Grammar School Revision Timetable – – – – – – – – 6.45 Monday English Lang. MathsRELunch Physics English Lit. Evening Meal French Tuesday Biology History Graphic Prods Lunch Evening Meal Weds. Lunch Evening Meal Thursday Lunch Evening Meal Friday Lunch Evening Meal Saturday Day Off LunchDay Off Sunday Lunch

Carre’s Grammar School Revision Timetable – – – – – – – – 6.45 Monday English Lang. MathsRELunch Physics English Lit. Evening Meal French Tuesday Biology History Graphic Prods LunchEnglish Lang. Maths Evening Meal RE Weds. Physics English Lit. FrenchLunch Biology History Evening Meal Graphic Prods Thursday Lunch Evening Meal Friday Lunch Evening Meal Saturday Day Off LunchDay Off Sunday Lunch

Carre’s Grammar School Revision Timetable – – – – – – – – 6.45 Monday English Lang. MathsRELunch Physics English Lit. Evening Meal French Tuesday Biology History Graphic Prods LunchEnglish Lang. Maths Evening Meal RE Weds. Physics English Lit. FrenchLunch Biology History Evening Meal Graphic Prods Thursday English Lang. MathsRELunch Physics English Lit. Evening Meal French Friday Biology History Graphic Prods LunchREFrench Evening Meal English Lang. Saturday Day Off LunchDay Off Sunday MathsRE Physics LunchEnglish Lit. French Biology History

Carre’s Grammar School Effective use of time

Carre’s Grammar School

Guidance on Effective Revision Strategies Presenting the information in a different way. It’s all about active learning.

Carre’s Grammar School Remembering Information 10% - If read 20% - If heard 30% - If seen 50% - If heard and seen 70% - If discussed 80% - If experienced 90% - If taught to someone else

Carre’s Grammar School For example, turn… Linear notes into mind maps Mind maps into linear notes Diagrams into words Words into diagrams Notes into a spoken explanation 2 pages of notes into1 page 1 page into a postcard Poster and Post-it Power Topics into PowerPoint presentations Record notes to create a Podcast Revision groups (and parents!) tests and answers through to a revision group Past papers and mark schemes

Carre’s Grammar School Each time a topic is returned to, condense it into half the space used before, by choosing key words and ideas.

Carre’s Grammar School Mind mapping…

Carre’s Grammar School Mind mapping as a study skill To understand & remember key issues and ideas. Follow 5 steps: Skim Read Mind map Study Personalise

Carre’s Grammar School Skim read The abstract, topic sentences, introduction, conclusion, key headings or chapter headings. Observe any diagrams, pictures or graphs.

Carre’s Grammar School Read Read the article in one sitting (Chunk it into sections/chapters if it is a whole book). Go over (read again) any parts you are not quite sure of. Look up the words you do not understand.

Carre’s Grammar School Mind Map Do it from memory at this stage!

Carre’s Grammar School Study First version: –showing areas that have been understood –showing areas where there is less confidence Study the first version: –discover the gaps in knowledge –refer back to the source material –fill in any of these gaps

Carre’s Grammar School Personalise Use colours & symbols Make links and connections between different ideas.

Carre’s Grammar School

Regular Reviews of the Information SHORT-TERM MEMORY - holds up to seven ideas at once WORKING MEMORY - repeats and embeds ideas or information LONG-TERM MEMORY - your mental ‘filing cabinet’ - keep reviewing so it sticks… Review after… hours -A week -A month -Just before your exam.

Carre’s Grammar School “He who learns quickly also forgets quickly." Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885)

Carre’s Grammar School The ‘Exam Game’ Understand what the examiners are looking for. Learn how to give the examiners what they are looking for. To do this it is necessary to….

Carre’s Grammar School Exam Skills Understand how the exam papers are structured: a) How long is the exam? b) How many questions do you have to answer? c) What format are the exam questions? d) How are the marks divided? e) How are the exams marked? It is also necessary to……

Carre’s Grammar School Exam Skills Practice in conditions as near to the real event as possible. Practice old exam questions. a)Command words. b)Trigger words. Work under time pressure. Check answers afterwards (mark schemes) Learn to work quickly in planning, writing and checking answers. Set up mock exam conditions.

Carre’s Grammar School Common irritations for examiners Answers wrongly numbered Unclear which question student is answering Difficult handwriting ‘Waffle’

Carre’s Grammar School Remember…..

Carre’s Grammar School This will soon be over!

Carre’s Grammar School Exam results released on Thursday 23 August 2012

Carre’s Grammar School If it is not possible for your son to collect the results: a)A named and SAE brought into school. b)A signed letter from your son giving permission for a named person to collect his results.

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