Revision Advice

Discussion and advice on GCSEs

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basicbob
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 10:26 am

Revision Advice

Post by basicbob »

Hi,

It is now 1st February. The final GCSE exams start in May and run until June (Fist exam 13 weeks away).

On average and I mean average as all children are different how much work should a typical child be doing in the evening and weekends?

I know I know each child is different but I just want to get a range. Currently my son's pattern is 50 minutes work with a 10 minute break.

Thanks in advance
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by kenyancowgirl »

It is not about how much - it is about quality. I think this has been said to you on your previous thread. The exam boards don't ask how many hours did you put in and then give you the top grade if you say 24 hours a day. No-one can answer this with any meaning.

Hopefully your school runs revision classes in all subjects? Advise your son to access those during the day and consolidate his learning at night (when he is probably more tired). Our school also runs a very useful "how to revise successfully" event - here the stress is on short, sharp bursts with planned breaks/treats. Your role is to keep your child fed, watered and calm and ensure he has a suitable place to revise - right temp/ambience/few distractions.

You have obviously had a shock as there is a difference between how you thought your son was doing and how he actually is doing - if this was a misconception/misunderstanding on your part then all you can do now is support him in the ways suggested above. If he actually was doing really well (doing his own homework and succeeding in lessons etc) then maybe the mocks indicate a lack of understanding of exam technique. This is easier to deal with in the short term than lack of knowledge and understanding - he should speak to each of his teachers about where he went wrong in teh mocks and use past papers to improve his technique.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Revision Advice

Post by Amber »

My Y11 has not started any actual revision yet, though seems to be working pretty hard on CAs and homework. I have no idea how many hours he is doing as it is up to him - maybe a couple most week nights and similar at the weekend (i.e. maybe 2 hours over a weekend). I have never monitored my children's homework or revision and it has worked well for us that way. Neither of my older children started actual GCSE revision until Easter I don't think. If they start memorising stuff now they will either forget it or burn out by June.
RedVelvet
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by RedVelvet »

I think school advised a couple of hours a night, to include any set homework or papers. It depends on subjects too, right now Art is taking up lots of spare time, and we're just filling any gaps in knowledge in other subjects.

For me, taking exams for many years, serious revision only started when the six nations (or possibly 5 as it was then) started! But then I was at Uni in Cardiff.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by scary mum »

Amber wrote:My Y11 has not started any actual revision yet, though seems to be working pretty hard on CAs and homework. I have no idea how many hours he is doing as it is up to him - maybe a couple most week nights and similar at the weekend (i.e. maybe 2 hours over a weekend). I have never monitored my children's homework or revision and it has worked well for us that way. Neither of my older children started actual GCSE revision until Easter I don't think. If they start memorising stuff now they will either forget it or burn out by June.
Same here, Amber. DS2 is spending a lot of time on DT coursework at the moment, but hasn't had much homework since his mocks. I see this half term (or maybe term) as a bit of a breather before the onslaught. A chance to attend to things that has been missed or not grasped first time round after feedback from mocks. Whether DS has the same opinion is another matter :D
scary mum
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by Guest55 »

DS's school held an evening for parents about how best to support your child with practical advice e.g. how much time, keeping them well-fed, encouraging them and what not to do.

The students had a session with an external company on how best to revise.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Possibly the same external company ours used? A very enthusiastic Welsh man who was very good!!
Catseye
Posts: 1824
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Revision Advice

Post by Catseye »

My dd(year 10) is doing 3hrs on school nights except Fridays and 4hrs on Sat and Sun.

We have never pushed her but she has matured so much this year.

She still has no idea what she wants to do with her life except marry a millionaire and have 4 children :lol:

She has always been bit mad I often wonder where she gets it from :oops:
Yamin151
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Revision Advice

Post by Yamin151 »

Catseye wrote:My dd(year 10) is doing 3hrs on school nights except Fridays and 4hrs on Sat and Sun.

We have never pushed her but she has matured so much this year.

She still has no idea what she wants to do with her life except marry a millionaire and have 4 children :lol:

She has always been bit mad I often wonder where she gets it from :oops:
Well if she's marrying a millionaire she might be better using her 3 hours per night watching Housewives of Manhatten or whatever????? :lol: :lol:
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Revision Advice

Post by kenyancowgirl »

I hope you mean 3 hours total on school nights rather than 3 hours per night. If you mean the latter then I would have to say what on earth on???

Sorry but that really shouldn't really be necessary...unless she is really behind, which I very much doubt. My son is in Y11 and the school gives them about 1.5/2hours a night homework - I wouldn't expect him to do any more than that (as most of it is revision type work anyway) as rest and downtime are also important - especially when after school clubs mean he is often out until 6-7pm.
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