Exam tips

Some of our school pupils will shortly be sitting GCSE & A Levels. There is no substitute for hard work and proper planning. There is still time to get help from your teachers on a point you have not quite understood. A few extra marks can take you from a D to a C grade, therefore a little sacrifice of your time now can pay dividends indeed.

 

Here are some tips from the pen of an experienced Secondary school teacher:

 

Plan: Work out how much work you have to cover and how much time you have
before the exams then draw up a realistic timetable.

Study in bitesize chunks: Switch between subjects to avoid becoming bored of a single topic. The most effective way to revise is to concentrate on understanding rather than memorizing.

Don't be distracted by friends: Find a quiet place at home where you won't be distracted by your family, TV or Myspace. Take short breaks every hour or so to give yourself a rest. Drink water and eat healthy snacks to keep your brain ticking over.

What about on the day?: On the day of the exam, don't try testing yourself on specific questions - this will just make you panic about what you think you don't know, rather than focusing on what you do know. Don't think about passing or failing. If you've kept to your revision plan, and you're calm, the answers will come naturally.

 

I would also add that you should plan to have a good night’s sleep before an exam, arrive for the exam in good time, with all the writing equipment you may need. Once the exam starts take a few minutes to read the question paper and choose the ones which appeal to you, but remember to answer the required number of questions.

 

Don’t spend too much time on the one question you can do well and then find that you have not left enough time for the final question, eventhough it may not be to your liking. It is much easier to score more marks on the last question than it is to obtain an extra mark on a question you have already answered well, so use your time wisely and do not go over the apportioned time for each question.

 

Good Luck

 

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