What are the benefits of revision coaching for GCSEs and A levels? The answer is many. Knowing how to revise and study effectively will help with understanding, learning and application of the content to the GCSE and A level exam papers in May and June.
At Student Navigator, we understand that it isn’t necessarily the most able students who do the best in their GCSEs and A levels but those students who study the most effectively. This is why we teach students how to study and revise effectively so that they can maximise their potential in their exams.
Revision coaches are experts in how to study and revise effectively. Therefore if you have a concern about how to revise or the best way to revise for a particular subject, then an expert on revision will help.
Revision coaching for GCSEs and A levels consists of:
- Learning revision techniques that are effective for the student and the subjects that they are studying. What works for one subject might not work for another subject. What works for one student might not work for another.
- Learning study skills. These will include planning when and where you study as well as organisational and time management skills.
- Building up a library of resources that you can turn to for your revision needs and subject requirements. For example, where do you start with a resource the size of Youtube for learning? Which channels are recommended for your learning style and needs?
- Learning exam tips and techniques for your subjects. Some might be generic and applicable to all subjects like getting the timing right. Others can be for particular subjects or even certain types of questions: long answer questions; multiple choice questions; source based questions.
- Learning recall and retrieval techniques. What are the best ways of learning and remembering a large amount of content and committing it to your medium and long term memory?
Benefits of revision coaching for GCSEs and A levels:
- Readiness for the exams, knowing that you have revised effectively. Preparation for exams doesn’t have to be stressful. You can feel prepared and ready for the exams.
- Knowledge of how you study effectively. These are skills that will remain with you in the future.
- Learning organisational and time management skills that will serve you well in any workplace setting and future career.
- Greater enjoyment of the subjects you are studying. If you are studying any subject effectively, for example Maths, Physics, French or English Literature, you will start to feel more at ease with the content in your understanding, learning and application of it.
- Improved levels and grades. Effective study and revision skills will help to optimise your levels and grades allowing you to showcase your understanding and knowledge of the subjects.
- Improved confidence in your ability to demonstrate and realise your potential
Case Study
Every year at Student Navigator we have students who come to us in the run up to exams for revision coaching for GCSEs and A levels. They often come because they are struggling to revise, feeling overwhelmed, nervous about their upcoming exams and don’t know where to start with the enormity of the task in front of them. Some students will require one programme of three sessions to get them started while other students prefer regular sessions to keep them on track.
At the beginning of April last year, Peter was studying A levels in History, Politics and Economics and had an offer from a Russell Group university of AAB. The offer seemed a long way off as he was currently attaining Cs in his subjects. He didn’t know where to start and felt that when he did sit down to revise it wasn’t very effective as he was struggling to remember what he was studying and how to put it into answers. For the ten weeks before and during his exams we met each week. At first he learned revision techniques that he could apply to his subjects. His revision became structured and broken down into manageable chunks. He gradually learned exam and answering techniques which he could incorporate into his practice questions, building confidence and understanding along the way. By the time his exams started he was a confident and prepared student, ready for the exams and knowing how to revise and structure his time. He even enjoyed the process, feeling proud of the effort he had put in and how ready he felt. He got the AAB that he wanted and the place at the university he had set his heart on.
Here at Student Navigator, we deliver academic mentoring and academic coaching, both in schools and privately, to students studying for their GCSEs and A levels. Our team are all very experienced at working with young people in schools and in higher education to help them realise their potential. Please get in touch with us if you would like to find out more about the programmes that we offer.