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Your Council supporting learning for you and your family
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Be smart this holiday
Make sure you enjoy your Christmas break, but if you have any spare time to fill, why not revise for your mock GCSE exams?
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Revising over the festive period last year helped these Wilberforce College students
succeed in their summer exams. Catherine Hailstone (front) and (left to right) April
Matthews, James Tennison, James Monaghan, and Sammie Clarke |
While opening their Christmas presents and tucking into their Christmas dinners, the important matter of mock GCSE exams will never be far from the thoughts of Year 11 students in Hull.
Across the city's 14 secondary schools, some mock exams will have been taken before the Christmas break, while others will be held after the students return in January.
Either way, studying through the Christmas holiday is a great opportunity not only to fill up a rainy day but also to keep on top of course work and put in some valuable revision time for the mock exams still to come.
It's also a perfect excuse to avoid having to do the washing up over the entire Christmas and New Year period or go to boring parties with the relatives!
"It's important and beneficial to revise thoroughly for mock exams at Christmas," says Sarah Moffatt, the head of humanities at Wilberforce College.
"A student who learns their material thoroughly during the holidays in preparation for the mock exams will find it quicker and easier to absorb that information again for the final exams in May and June.
"Mocks also give you the opportunity to test yourself under timed conditions and to focus on the exam questions and answer them within the allowed time.
"The key to learning is constant repetition – no-one takes a driving test without learning the manoeuvres first, and a mock exam is just like that."
Meanwhile, Catherine Hailstone (16) from east Hull and James Monaghan (16) from north Bransholme revised for their mock exams last Christmas before taking their full GCSE exams this summer.
Both are now Year 12 students at Wilberforce College and have not forgotten what it was like to be busy with exam work over the festive period.
"I did lots of little bits of revision often," says James, who was previously a pupil at Trinity House and achieved eight GCSE passes (including three at grade A*) as well as a diploma in media studies.
"I wouldn't say I enjoyed the revision but I didn't hate it either.
I'd lose focus quickly so I found it easier to study three or four times a week in half hour slots on the subjects I felt I needed to devote the most time to."
James' revision tips
- find a quiet place to study. I've got two younger siblings who like to make lots of noise, so I used to go and revise at the top of the garden
- listen to some music – something relaxing that isn't too fast-paced
- don't do too much at once because you'll just overload yourself
- make your revision visual – underline and circle important things to remember
- use memory tricks – memorise important points to jog your memory of the whole subject area
Catherine, who was previously a pupil at Andrew Marvell, achieved eight GCSEs (at grades including A and A*) as well as a first certificate in art and design.
She is now studying for AS Levels in biology, chemistry, English literature, history and maths.
"I did revise a lot, particularly maths, during the Christmas holidays last year and I spent about two or three hours revising each topic," says Catherine.
"I took three exams before Christmas and the rest after.
I'd say I was confident before taking my mock exams, but there's always the possibility that you'll walk into an exam and just go blank, so I was a little bit nervous, but mainly confident.
"My mum is very supportive of me and was happy to help me plan and revise.
"I think revision can be enjoyable, depending on how you do it.
If you like to sit and read books, then read books.
If you don't like books, revise using the internet.
Revision doesn't have to be boring – find out what you enjoy and use that to create your revision sessions.
"I would advise students to revise hard, but not too hard.
At the end of the day, if you try and take in all the information you can, you can say you've tried your very hardest and your results are the best you could achieve – you won't then be kicking yourself for not doing more!"
Catherine's revision tips
- find a quiet place to revise
- a revision plan is always helpful
- eat something – don't be distracted by hunger!
- dedicate a couple of hours each day to one topic
- get your family involved in your revision – they're there to help you
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