GCSEPod - Education Anywhere

Phillipa Denham, a History teacher, gives her tips on how to make the most of Year 11 – a crucial year.

Final year of GCSEs start in September? Now’s the time to get prepared!

If you’ve just finished year 10, next year will be a very important year for you as you prepare to take your GCSEs at the end of it.

For you, year 10 may well have been jam-packed with exams, especially if you are taking some of the modular subjects. You may well already know what it is like to be waiting to go into your exam and feeling the pressure to revise. However, for some of you your first big exam experience will come in year 11 – but don’t panic. Here are some tips to help you survive year 11.

GCSE survival tips

Go into the year with a new or renewed determination to do your best. Look forward from year 10 and embrace the fact that this is your last year and resolve to make it count. Surely you haven’t put up with school since you were four just to leave empty handed!

Take every opportunity to get involved. There may be all sorts of extra-curricular activities so make sure you take some on - having another interest will help you through the pressured times and will also help you develop as a well-rounded individual. Employees and colleges aren’t just looking for results - they want personality and dedication too, so if you haven’t been involved before there is still time to change.

Keeping on top of your workload

Keep a well written homework planner in which you record all the GCSE homework set and the dates it is all due by. Make sure you don’t leave all your homework to the last minute either - give yourself time to ask for help if you get stuck. Remember, teachers should be your greatest allies and they do want you to succeed.

Get hold of some revision books so you can check through the things you are learning about and catch up on anything you missed. Download some GCSEPod audio books too to try out a new way of learning and revising. Remember, once they are downloaded you can listen as many times as you want.

Another good tip is to start making revision cards and notes to summarise what you’ve learned as you go along, rather than leaving it all to the exam period.

If you’re going into Year 11 in September, why not revise what you learned last year over the holidays? There will still be plenty of time for fun if you just do an hour or two here and there. If you’re really keen, you could also swot up in advance on the things you’ll be studying next year – it will give you a really good head start.

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Phillipa Denham is a teacher and an old hand at GCSE results day. She gives her tips on getting geared up for the outcome of all your hard work.

So the exams are over and all that hard slogging and intensive revising will hopefully have paid off. Come 27th August (GCSE results day 2009 if you didn’t know!) you will open your results envelope and be beamingly proud of your achievements, or so we all hope. The big day will set your heart aflutter however well or badly the exams went so it is good to prepare for every eventuality before you rip open the envelope.

Results can be collected at school by you or by someone else - remember though if you send someone else in to collect your results they will need to have a letter, signed by you, giving permission for them to take them.

If you choose not to go into school and don’t want anyone to pick the results up for you, they will be sent to your house but you will have to wait another day or so. Can you stand the suspense? However you get your results there is no reason that you should look at them straight away; you can choose to lock yourself away in your room to open them or go for a short walk  - they are your results you can look at them when you wish. Ignore anyone pushing you to reveal your grades to them straight away. Eventually, though, you will more than likely have to tell someone what they are so they can help you make the next step.

Whichever way your results go, you will now need to think what you are going to do next. Have a rough plan about what your options are before you collect your grades - that way you are not left panicking and not knowing what to do. If you get the grades you need to pursue the path you originally planned on going down then you have nothing to worry about, but what if you get less or even more than you expected? What will you do then? 

Say you do better than you thought you would; it may open more doors for you and give you more choice for your next move. Talk to a teacher at school and see what they would advise you.  Perhaps you could now get into the sixth form – it’s not too late to change your options, even if it means changing college courses.

If you don’t not get the grades you need, the school will obviously still be happy to advise and help you – there are ways and means of getting you on a path you are happy with, even if it is different from your original one. Some sixth forms allow you to retake some of your GCSE’s; it is always worth asking. There are sometimes courses that you can take which will get you back on your original career path.

Whatever you do, the message is to talk to the school or the careers advisor and make sure that you have explored every opening. Remember, you can open most doors to most paths - it just takes dedication and time. Once you have your plan, relax and joy a well-earned break. You deserve it after all those long hours studying.

Good luck!

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Mike Ryan, a GCSEPod Chemistry expert, provides a fresh take on using revision timetables.

Revision timetables are a great idea. They help you to organise your time so that you have a good balance between study and relaxation. They also help you to balance the work you need to do for the different subjects. Some students find they only do the work for the teacher they like the most or maybe the one who scares them the most. Either way, there is a problem.

Even after you have struck a fair balance between the subjects, what happens when you realise that you just can’t face an hour of learning Chemistry? As a chemistry teacher I can’t possibly understand why this should be but I suppose it could happen! You are torn between sticking to the timetable and facing your worst fears. Sometimes, you give in to temptation and go and revise something you find easy instead.

Try this idea: rather than having big chunks of an hour or more, chop your day down into little bits, such as half an hour. You could even do as little as ten minutes of chemistry and focus on one mini-topic - it all counts. Anyone can manage ten minutes of anything, no matter how awful it is. With a bit of luck, that ten minutes will show you that there is a way to break through even these scary obstacles. You never know, you might even look forward to the next ten-minute chemistry slot or even stretch it so that you can finish off a full topic.

Try different GCSE revision techniques too. Reading and writing are a start but try spider diagrams, listening to GCSEpods and others too.

Before you know it, you will have overcome some of the things that were worrying you and you will be on the way to a better grade. GCSE exams are not easy. No matter what level you are aiming for, there is always something difficult in the way. So whether you need to move from an E to a D or from an A to an A star, look for something that you cannot do and make it into something that you can.

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Nicky Boughey, a History teacher who has written titles such as Agriculture 1700-1900 and Transport 1700-1900 gives her tips for making your exam leave as productive as possible.

So you have now escaped school, you can almost taste your freedom… there’s just one thing in the way - GCSE exams and the revision that you now have to do without the safety net of your teachers. There are a number of pitfalls that you can fall into during exam leave but the tips below should help you maximise the time that you have left before the exams start:

1. Just because you are off does not mean that your alarm clock gets to have a holiday. Get up early and make sure that you make the most of your day – don’t lie in as it will not help prepare you for the exams.
2. Make a plan of how you intend to spend your revision time and stick to it.
3. Find a quiet space to work free from noise and interruptions.
4. Tell your family to leave you in peace whilst you revise.
5. Ignore MSN, Facebook and emails until you have a scheduled break from revision.
6. Have all of your equipment out ready to use.
7. Revise for 30 minutes and then take a short break – your attention span starts to drift after this length of time.
8. Have a glass of water on your desk – it helps keep your mind fresh and active.
9. Don’t just revise one subject in a day – vary it and make it interesting.
10. Make a set of revision questions and get your family to test you – it helps you and can make your parents feel involved.
11. Try to go for a walk at least once a day to keep your energy levels up.
12. If your school is still running revision sessions, attend them – it breaks up your day and gives you a good excuse to meet up with friends.
13. If you get stuck, ask your teachers for help – that’s what they are there for.

Most importantly, don’t look on exam leave as extra holiday - it isn’t!

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Phillipa Denham giver her thoughts and tips on after-school revision sessions.

In most schools teachers are more than willing to put on revision sessions on top of regular lessons as the exams draw near; some have even had them running since the year started. These sessions often run after school or on lunch breaks. Have you been attending any? If they are available at your school and you haven’t attended yet, it’s never too late to start!

Why attend?

Revision sessions are a chance to go over areas that you are struggling with; they allow you to iron out problems straight away so that you have confidence in lessons. Just think how happy you will be when you open your results envelope and, no matter what you get, you know that hand on heart you did everything you could to get that grade. Having no regrets about how hard you worked at school is worth a huge amount, which you will discover as you get older.

Making the most of revision sessions

If you do attend revision sessions, make sure you are attending the ones you need to attend, rather than just the ones that you like! There will be a few nights when lots of classes are putting on revision so plan ahead to make the most out of your learning. Maybe you will attend Geography one week on a Tuesday but History on the next – it will depend on what is going on in the lessons.

If you are having some problems in certain revision areas, make sure you ask in the revision session. Finally, you might be surprised to hear that taking loads of notes is not always the best thing to do in revision sessions. After all, you should already have a revision book to help you with facts. Spend the revision session listening carefully and getting into a meaningful discussion with the class - this will help you get the topic to stick in your mind. A few bullet points or short notes might help you but let yourself be directed by the teacher who is running the session.

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Phillipa Denham, a Science teacher, gives her tips on making the most of homework - yes, really!

Firstly, not many people really love doing homework but reading this might shed a bit of light on why your lovely teachers set it and how you can get the most out of doing it. Yes, there is usually a reason for setting homework, and it isn’t to prevent you watching TV or going out with your mates! It is to help you learn. Homework is rarely just a test of your knowledge, either. Teachers don’t expect you to just sit down and get on with it in an empty room - it is not cheating to get some help. In fact, quite the opposite - it is a very good idea to get help.

So, if that’s made getting homework a little easier to swallow, here’s how to get the most from it. If you have loads of homework and normally leave it until the night before to complete it –that is your first mistake! By leaving homework until the night before, you are stopping yourself getting any help from the teacher who set it. Most teachers would like students to ask for help; it shows them that people care about their learning. They will usually be glad to give a helping hand – try it!

If you are in the bad habit of leaving things to the last minute, you are also in danger of ending up with loads of homework to do on one evening which can be very daunting. It’s tiring too and you are not likely to put the best of efforts in, therefore you won’t be learning successfully. It is best to keep on top of homework and complete it as it is set so that the learning you did in lessons is fresh in your mind and you have time to ask teachers or friends.

Where you do your homework is another thing to think about. It’s common sense that sitting in front of the television is not the place to complete homework. In fact anywhere where there are many distractions will not help you in your quest to complete work to the best of your ability. You do not have to sit in an empty room, however; just somewhere comfortable where you can keep any revision guides or have access to the computer so that you can look up work to check your accuracy. Have music on by all means, but don’t log into a chat room as it will only lead to numerous interruptions from friends wanting your time! The key is to complete your homework first and then the time is your own.

Lastly, before this turns into a lecture, it is important that you read through the task carefully and have a good understanding of what it is you are actually supposed to be doing. If you are not sure – stop – phone a friend or wait until the next day and ask. There is absolutely no point in agonising over homework for hours when a quick chat with someone in the know will put you on the right track instantly. Once you understand what is being asked, look up the topic the homework is about in a revision book, on a reputable website, or on GCSEPod and try and find the section that is relevant to the homework you are doing. Don’t just sit there with the homework task and nothing else unless the teacher has specifically told you to. Reading around the subject will help your learning, give you a better understanding of the topic and in the end give you a better grade.

Try some of this out  - you will honestly see some instant results and feel more confident about going into school with a fabulous piece of homework.
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This week, Phillipa Denham, author of some of our forthcoming Biology content, gives her tips on how to get the most out of school lessons.

Ever feel like you really can’t be bothered to go to English? Or, do you sometimes feel like you just are not as switched as you could be in your ICT lesson? Well almost everyone has at least one of these feelings at some time during the term; it is virtually impossible to always be ecstatic about the latest physics topic or about writing an essay on your favourite character. However, hopefully reading this may make you stop and change your approach to learning in lessons. Changing your opinion today may well have profound effects on what you do with your future, so here are some top tips at getting the most out of your lessons.

Drinking lots of water to stay healthy is not a myth; being hydrated will help you concentrate so drinking enough water throughout the day will help you stay focused and stop you feeling lethargic. As soon as you go into the lesson get all the equipment out that you may need during it, for example your exercise book,  a pen, ruler, pencil, rubber, and calculator. This will ensure that you aren’t still searching around in the bottom of your bag for things while everyone else has gone on to the next topic. Being prepared also means that you do not have to try and get the teacher’s attention to borrow anything and you can get straight on with the task that has been set instead of forgetting what it is that you are supposed to do or missing the instructions. If there is a starter on the board, get on with it. Look up how to do it in your book if that is appropriate or ask for a text book to jog your memory – both of these obviously depend on the lesson you are in.

During the lesson take notes, jot down ideas and explanations the teacher is giving - you don’t always have to wait to copy things down off the board. Tell the teacher beforehand that this is what you are writing if needs be; you don’t want to get told off for not listening!

If you finish a task, start a mind map in the back of your book to see how the topic you are learning fits in with what you have learnt already - this is a great revision tool. Another revision tip is to make fact cards while you go along that contain definitions or diagrams of key things you will need to remember – there is no need to wait until the end of the topic to prepare to revise for it. Be proactive, look at what is coming next and see if you can get on with it or look up things you may need to complete it successfully.

Lastly, make sure you are sitting in a place which has the least number of distractions – don’t choose to sit next to your best friend who you know you speak to endlessly or someone you know you just can’t work with. Remember, anyone can learn if they have the right attitude.

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Helen Nurton marks GCSE Geography exam papers, as well as teaching Geography and writing GCSEpods. She gives her tips on using case studies in GCSE Geography.

To get the higher grades in GCSE Geography, you’ll need to use named examples and case studies in your answers. Don’t be tempted to just write down everything you know about a case study either – you have to use it to answer the question set. Sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how many exam papers I’ve marked where even good candidates haven’t actually answered the question because they’ve got carried away with just writing down all the facts they’ve learnt about their case study.  

The other important point to remember about Geography is that it is relevant and happening around us now. Watch the news or read a good quality newspaper to find out what is going on in the world. Drought in Australia? Possibly an effect of climate change. Cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe? Raises all sorts of issues about rich / poor nations, access to healthcare, quality of life and public spending. Job cuts in manufacturing in the UK? Probably because multinational companies can get cheaper labour abroad. Virtually everything can be linked to your study of Geography in some way and you’ll be sure to impress the examiner if you are able to apply what you’ve learnt to current real life situations.

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GCSE History expert Nicola Boughey gives her tips on how to stay calm just before and during an exam.

Everybody knows what it is like to stand outside of an examination room – whether it is your sports hall, lecture theatre or classroom. Your palms are sweaty, everybody is chatting and you are trying to keep a million dates, facts and figures from escaping your head. So how can you stop the chaos around you from affecting your zen-like calm?

These are a few things that I used to do in the lead up to exams:

1. Try to be so well prepared for the exam you are taking that you don’t have to revise the night before.
2. Take the night off – go and try to do something relaxing instead such as sport or the cinema.
3. Make sure that you have a good meal the night before and a balanced healthy breakfast on the day of the examination – hunger can distract you.
4. Double check that you know what time your exam starts and what equipment you need to take with you – do you need a calculator for Maths or your anthology for English?
5. If your parents can give you a lift to school on the day of the exam ask them to – you will stay calm longer and avoid bus stresses or thinking too much on the walk in.
6. Avoid talking to your friends before the exam – they can frighten you if they know something that you don’t.
7. Once in the exam listen to the instructions given by the exam officer.
8. Take a deep breath and open your paper.
9. Read through the questions calmly before answering them.

We hear the phrase PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) quite a lot but it is never more relevant than when you go into a GCSE exam. If you have revised and are prepared then a good grade is just two hours away.

Good Luck!

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