Revision Tips

Supporting young people at home
Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children’s learning at home, especially during times of SQA assessments. This support can include creating a conducive learning environment, encouraging active revision, and fostering a positive attitude towards learning. Below are some general hints and tips to support learning at home. 

Create a positive learning environment
Having a relaxing and productive environment to work at home can help maintain focus levels. 

• Help your young person identify a quiet area, with minimal distractions to work. 

• Ensure they have resources to work effectively, including, pens, paper, notebooks and internet access if required. 

• Prioritise comfort and well-being by ensuring they have comfortable seating, are well rested, properly hydrated and take regular breaks.  

Encourage Active Revision
Evidence shows that the best revision is where learners are actively engaging with the material and doing something with it. Discourage passive activities.  

• Using classwork, notes and feedback to create new material such as mind-maps, flashcards or posters can aid long-term memory.
  
• Make use of SQA past papers, specific to subject and level. Use these to work on practicing time as all past papers contain the allocated time on the front page.
  
• Encourage learners to focus on areas for development, as opposed to parts of the course they already feel confident with
  
• Make use of revisions tips or guides from a range of different sources including the SQA, class teachers and textbooks.  

Encourage Active Planning
Support learners to be organised and prepared for key deadlines and assessments by encouraging use of diaries/calendars, as well as creating revision schedules when appropriate.  

• Ensure revision schedules are realistic and manageable to support a positive mindset. 

• Encourage learners to include an appropriate range of topics and subjects withing revision plans, based on priority. 

Show Interest
Demonstrating genuine interest in learners’ studies and asking questions can play an important role in maintaining morale and increasing motivation. 

• What are you working on?

• What is the thing you are most confident about?

• What are you struggling with?

• What do you need to do to fix this? 

Communication and Collaboration
Maintain an open three-way dialogue between families, learners and school to ensure that your young person is being supported in the best way possible. 

• Inform school of any additional support needs.

• Raise any issues with pastoral if support needs are not being met. 

• Encourage young people to check Teams/Email as class teachers may communicate through these methods.

• Encourage young people to seek clarification and/or support when required. 

• Alert school to any new issues ASAP – especially around prelim/exam time.  

Please see the rest of this section for specific subject related advice or browse the links below.

https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/2022/05/31/16-tips-to-support-revision/

https://www.windsorhighschool.org.uk/assets/downloads/exams-information/Revision-Guide-for-Parents-v2.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjPFZaMe2yw