Ah yes, exam preparation. Even in September of years 6, 11 and 13 thoughts of examinations are lingering in the minds of students and teachers. It can be a difficult slog to get to the point of sitting the exams, and we’ve all met those students who leave it all to the last minute. So how can you ensure your pupils are prepared without piling on too much pressure? Can you coax even the most resistant students to revise in advance of the all important exam season? With these 5 effortless ways to prepare pupils for exams they’ll be revision ready in no time.

1. Revise As You LEARN

I use this technique all the time with my students and it works wonders for knowledge acquisition and fact recall. Every subject has key words, definitions, facts, quotes or equations to remember. You can get your students ready for these crucial exam marks by encouraging them to revise and remember these as they learn them. For example, I give students a separate book for key definitions. Every time a new one is introduced I ask them to add it to their key words book. I can then test them on the new definitions they’ve learnt in the starter of the next lesson. This is a double win as not only have they learnt the definition, it makes planning a starter activity for the next lesson super easy!

Another great method is to ask students to make revision cards for key facts, quotes or equations. This can be a part of the lesson, so instead of pupils copying notes from the board or completing a worksheet they can create a revision card to add to their collection. (Please don’t think making them do a word-search of the key terms will help, it doesn’t). Then, if you’re like me, you’ll print them all a net for a cuboid and get them to make a revision card box that they can decorate and keep. (Bonus points for helping with 3D shapes and nets as well as providing an activity that counts towards revision!)

I’ve even included my 4 things to remember about worksheet here – perfect as a plenary revision activity for pupils who struggle to revise!

2. Application of knowledge

Now you’ve got pupils positively bursting with all the facts they need to know it’s time to get them applying that knowledge. Exam boards love asking students to apply what they know to an unfamiliar situation. I also know that most students panic at that point. Or, as one student asked me, ‘Miss, does that mean we can use things we already know to answer the questions?’ Lets face it, we can’t prepare them for every possible question because we don’t know exactly what is going to be on that exam paper. Instead we can provide them with the skill to apply what they know to work out the answer to any problem.

Here’s how to do it. Take something that your group have never been taught before but that has a connection or overlap to something they have studied. Put it up for all to see and then ask them about it. No explanation, no preamble, just get them to think. For example, in English you could take a piece of unseen poetry on a different theme to the ones you’ve studied and ask them to compare it to one of the poems they already know. Or in Science you can show pupils an animal they haven’t studied and ask them to think of the adaptations it may have and why those have come about.

It’s all about taking pupils out of their comfort zone. Encourage them to think. Ask them to use what they already know to solve unfamiliar problems. It takes some practice but you will be amazed at the response. It’s a critical skill that will support them when exam time comes.

3. The best pupil preparation is practice exam questions

I know, it’s dull. Past exam questions. They are, unfortunately, a necessary evil that plagues exam season. The earlier you start using them with pupils the better. Why? Well, in my experience the more familiar students are with the style and format of exam questions the better they perform. In fact, with all of my GCSE and A-Level pupils I only ever use past exam questions. That way students learn exactly what is being asked of them in an exam and how to gain maximum marks. Students should also be familiar with the mark scheme, so they understand how their answers will be marked.

Plus, as a side note this is a huge bonus for teachers too! All past papers have solutions so no having to create your own mark scheme. And there is significant benefit to students marking their own or their peer’s work so less marking for you!

Incorporate past exam questions into classwork, starters, plenaries and homework. The options are endless!

4. Mini-Mocks

I know it’s controversial, but I believe there is a right amount of testing. I also think that a teacher should adjust that amount to suit their group. There are proven benefits to pupils being familiar with the idea of sitting in silence and answering questions. If you normalise the idea of exam conditions it can make the situation less stressful. This removes pressure and improves performance. Think of it like an athlete preparing for the Olympics. They race frequently and develop a routine to remove the intensity of the situation and improve their performance. I do the same with my students. We practice sitting the exams, preparing a routine for the day itself.

This could become an activity every half term. Encourage your students to develop a set of actions they do before each exam. Then set them a short, no-pressure assessment in exam conditions (or as close as possible). This supports several things:

• The habit of working under exam conditions
• Performing well under time pressure
• Revising and preparing for a test
• A routine that can support them on exam days

5. USE Independent Study

For the final tip of my 5 effortless ways to prepare pupils for exams it is all about independent study. I LOVE independent study! Encouraging pupils to think for themselves, practice key skills and take responsibility for their learning is what independent study is all about. Setting independent work for pupils can teach them so much more than just the topic you’ve set. What does independent study look like?

• Research tasks for pupils to then report back what they find
• Project work either individually or as part of a group
• Prepare a presentation or talk
• Revision for an assessment
• Practice exam questions, worksheets or puzzles to solve

And there you have it. 5 effortless ways to prepare pupils for exams. I use all of these in my lessons at both Primary and Secondary level. They will ensure your pupils are prepared without piling on too much pressure. They’ll be exam ready in no time!

Looking for practice exam questions or worksheets? Check out our free resources section.

Primary revision – Twinkl

Secondary revision – BBC Bitesize