This document provides an overview and guide for Year 11 students preparing for their prelim exams. It includes tips for organizing revision materials and space, planning a revision timetable, and choosing effective revision techniques. Subject-specific pages provide exam tips and key topics to focus on for subjects like maths, English, science, and more. Students are encouraged to start revising early and try different strategies to find what works best for their individual learning styles.

2. Class of 2017
This guide is an overview of what you need in the lead up to your
prelims. It has been designed to guide you through some of the ways
you can organise and revise without overloading you early on in the
year. You should use it as the basis to start your revision and use it
alongside your lessons, assemblies, revision sessions and tutor time to
support your preparations for the Prelims.
The organisation and revision techniques in this guide have been cherry-
picked from the best published guides, websites and articles. Most
include hyperlinks to further content that will support your revision.
The subject area pages each include revision tips, topics for revision and
useful links to get you started. You will still need to dedicate time to
resourcing your revision and finding the techniques that work for you. It
won’t suit everyone! If what is in this guide does not suit your learning
style, covers content you are already confident with or just generally
does not work for you, don’t use it.
Revision is about trial and error, finding what works for you. Now is the
best time to start if you haven’t and this guide can help you to do that.
This document will be added to as the year goes on if you as a cohort
find it useful, any suggestions would, as always, be gratefully received.
Mr Green
Head of Year 11

3. Page 4 – Organised environment: how to get your work space ready for revision.
Page 5 – Planning to revise – how to plan what you need in order to revise.
Page 6 – Revision strategies: techniques and advice on the best ways to revise.
Page 7 – Revision timetabling: how to create a weekly revision timetable.
Page 8 – Maths exam tips and revision topics
Pages 9 & 10– English exam tips and revision topics
Page 11 – Science exam tips and revision topics
Page 12 – MLF exam tips and revision topics
Pages 13 & 14 – History exam tips and revision topics
Page 15 – RE exam tips and revision topics
Page 16 – Drama exam tips and revision topics
Page 17 – Geography exam tips and revision topics
Pages 18 – Dance exam tips and revision topics
Page 19 – PE exam tips and revision topics
Page 20 – Catering exam tips and revision topics
Page 21 – Resistant Materials exam tips and revision topics
Page 22 – Music exam tips and revision topics
Page 23 – Art exam tips and revision topics
Page 24 – Photography exam tips and revision topics
Page 25 – Target Setting
Page 26 – Support
Page 27 – Blank revision timetable

4. Getting organised
A lot of revision time can be wasted by not organising what you are going to do before
you do it. Sitting down to revise with a past paper or book is all well and good but it
doesn’t really focus on the key areas of subjects you need to work on or take into
account which subjects need prioritising.
Here are a few basic tips to help you organise your revision:
Keep what you need
Have a good look through all your study STUFF and get rid of everything you know that
you won’t need again.
Where to study – if you can’t work in a certain environment, don’t! There is no point in
wasting your time trying to revise in a place that will not work for you.
Making your study space work for you – a clean desk or table (uncluttered work space,
uncluttered mind) and have with you everything you need before you start, don’t keep
looking for excuses to get up.
Healthy body, healthy mind – eat, drink and sleep. Without the fuel to revise you won’t
be able to. Eat fresh healthy foods, drink plenty of water and sleep well.
Distracting yourself during revision is easy! Make sure you’re in an environment that
will help you to focus, avoid phones, computers and televisions, THEY DO NOT HELP YOU
CONCENTRATE!
Music – loud music through headphones has been scientifically proven to hinder revision
as the brain struggles to take in varying sources of information. Work to ambient music
at low volumes, it will help you relax and make your revision more productive. Here are
some artists and albums that are worth trying (as recommended by The Guardian
online):
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Vol 2
Nightmares on Wax – N.O.W. is the Time
Portishead – Dummy
Burial – Untrue
Miles Davis – King of Blue
The Internet – Feel Good
Nas – Illmatic
Jamie XX – In colour
Getting what you need – as part of your revision planning,
make sure you organise the resources you need before
you start. This should include equipment, text books and
exercises that make the time you have set aside to revise
as productive as possible.

5. Planning your time – the most productive revision is the revision that is planned for a
particular time on a particular day. Look ahead each week and plan realistic slots of time
for focused revision. There are exercises further on in this booklet that will help you do
this.
Prioritise your subjects – you can’t revise all your subject all at once. Make a plan of
which subject you want to prioritise for which day of the week.
Choosing the right topic to revise – planning to revise Maths is a bad idea! Maths is a
huge subject! Look at the topics highlighted in this booklet and again prioritise! It might
be an idea to highlight which topics in each subject area need the most focus depending
on how confident you are with them:
• Trigonometry
• Circle theorem
• Algebra
• Quadratics
• Simultaneous equations
Check topics off – when you finish revising a topic, tick it off your list! If the topic is
tricky, make a note of it, ask for help in school and come back to it again when you’re
ready, DON’T hide it, ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist!
Manage your time – when it comes to the best and most enjoyable revision, time is of
the essence. If you plan to revise, keep the revision short, frequent and to the point to
avoid boredom and help you remember what you have done.
Take regular breaks - keep these short too and do something you know will last as long
as you plan, such as:
“make a cup of tea, catch up on texts for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes more revision”
DON’T
“make a cup of tea, catch up on texts then go on Instagram and look at everything until I
remember that thing I heard about on YouTube that I should snapchat to everyone whilst
having another cup of tea, waiting for replies and watching TV”
Start now – there is no reason that you should not be revising or at least trying to revise
from October in Year 11.
Start small with less than an hour a day, organise your work, experiment with different
strategies and techniques, the sooner you find what works for you the easier the rest of
the year will be.
I’m confident with this topic.
I still need some work on this topic.
I need to prioritise this topic for
revision.

6. Below are a few simple strategies that might help you revise. Not all of them will work
for you and part of the process is finding which ones do work for you and for which
subject.
Quality not quantity – revise for periods of no more than 30 minutes then rest your brain
for 5. This is a more productive way of taking in information and it stops you from
overloading yourself.
Vary the type of revision – use a range of different types of revision e.g. reading, writing,
questions, short essays and note taking. This will avoid boredom and help you find the
more effective ways to revise.
Student forum of ideas to vary the type of revision you can do –
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Revision_Methods_and_Tips
Practise skills - revision shouldn’t be one long memory test. Practise note taking,
identifying key information in text, images or diagrams and make summaries of larger
topics, units and modules.
Use other people – ask people you trust to help and test you. Especially friends studying
for the same exams, it’s a good way to get feedback and progress.
The Open University guide to revising in groups –
https://www2.open.ac.uk/students/skillsforstudy/revising-with-others.php
Look, memorise, cover, try, check – it’s an old method of revising but a very effective one
for practising things you know you need to work on.
Improving your memory - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nFkQ4cQhME
How to remember what you read - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0dKnzu8-D8
Mind maps, post-its, flash cards, highlighting and annotating – these are all really good
ways to break down important information into bite-sized chunks. Try each as one might
work better for you than another.
Mind mapping - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJJeT22UpZA
Chunking - it helps to break down subjects into manageable chunks that are easier and
less time consuming to revise. Maths revision then becomes a focused 20 minutes
revision on algebra and is much more meaningful and manageable.
Chunking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVyl-S584EQ

7. Creating a timetable for your revision in an effective way is just as important as the
revision itself. Take time to organise your week before it begins, prepare what you need to
revise before you revise and use your time wisely. Use the tips and example timetable
below to create your own plan on the blank template.
Things to remember:
 Prepare yourself for your revision; make sure you have everything you need.
 Make sure your plan is realistic; after school there is no way that you’re going to
want to spend 3-4 hours revising.
 Select and plan subjects and topics to cover. Make sure it is a topic you know you
need to work on, not a topic you are already comfortable with. You must challenge
yourself!
 Be flexible, if your plans need to change then change them. Don’t feel guilty about
making time for yourself, family, friends and things that make you happy.
A weekly plan is an easy way to organise your revision and prioritise subject that will
benefit you in lessons. It might look something like this.
Revision Timetable EXAMPLE – Week 1 Strategies
that
work.
Sat OFF Dance - 30
minutes –
routine
practise.
Media – 30
minutes –
game show
idea.
Flash card
for Spanish
Colour and
highlight
mind maps
Speak to Sir
about FIB
sheet in
lesson
Sun OFF Plan revision and work for the week.
Prep at school Revision task 1 Revision task 2
Mon Take home
Spanish exercise
book.
Maths revision after school
– 1 hour
20 minutes – Spanish
vocab practise – family and
friends (use exercise book)
Tue English revision –
lunch time.
OFF OFF
Wed RE – print past
paper question –
Right to Life.
RE - 30 minutes – practise
question – Right to Life.
English Lit – mind map key
themes of characters –
Macbeth, Lady Macbeth
and The Witches.
Thurs Maths – collect
FIB sheet.
Maths – 30 minutes –
based on FIB sheet
feedback.
English Lang –
summarising key themes
from a text – practise
question.
Fri OFF

8. Revision Structure (Diagnosis, Therapy & Testing.)
Diagnosis - Identify the topics you are not secure in by using FIB sheet feedback,
and question level analysis from prelims and past paper feedback. (DO NOT spend
time revising stuff you can do)
Therapy - Review these topics using FIB club as well as Mathswatch and Corbett
Maths videos.
Testing – Attempt the practice questions provided on either Mathswatch or
Corbett Maths, If you get them RIGHT move on, if NOT then go again.
Top topics for revision:
1. Make sure any revision guides are for the new GCSE 9-1 (2015 Onwards)
2. Creating Revision Cards works well for maths, make sure that you use facts
and questions you have found difficult.
3. Make sure you understand the language of the exam. What does simplify,
expand or factorise look like are you able to tell the difference between
evaluate or estimate?
4. Practice doing questions under exam conditions NO MUSIC, NO TV, NO
BREAKS and HIDE YOU PHONE. Exam conditions should mean no
distractions.
5. Practice using your calculator (and if possible make sure it’s a Casio), do you
know how to reset your calculator?
6. If it helps revise with other people so that you can teach and test each other
but remember that the exam is an independent event so spend plenty of
time working on your own in preperation.
7. Use other WEBSITES such as BITESIZE and Youtube if it helps.
Useful links:
https://www.mathswatchvle.com/ https://corbettmaths.com/

9. Revision tips
• Read a variety of recent and 19th Century non-fiction texts from
newspapers, magazines, journals and webpages
• Using the feedback from the paper you have completed in class, practice
doing each question from the reading section using two linked texts.
Q1: Identify T / F statements based on one text [4 marks]
Q2: Write a summary of the differences (or similarities) in the ideas
presented [8 marks]
Q3: How does the writer’s use of language (show their opinion / persuade or
affect the reader) [12 marks]
Q4: Compare how the writers present (their ideas on….) [16 marks]
• Practice doing writing tasks, where you are presenting a strong
viewpoint. Think about the different purposes for writing: persuade,
inform, review, explain etc. and remember to be clear about the form
and audience for your text.
Top Ten Topics / Skills for revision:
1. Identifying key pieces of information from any text (for the T/ F
statements in Q1).
2. Summarising the key ideas in a text / summarising how two texts have the
same or different ideas.
3. Exploring how writers have used language choices to create impact.
4. Exploring how writers have used linguistic techniques to create impact.
5. Exploring how writers have structured texts to create impact.
6. Comparing how two writers have presented their ideas (similarly / in
contrast / both / likewise / whereas…)
7. Writing clearly for different audiences, purposes and in different forms
(letter / speech / article etc.)
8. Writing using persuasive techniques effectively.
9. Writing using a range of techniques for impact (similes / alliteration /
repetition etc…)
10. Writing using a range of sentence features and a range of punctuation
for impact.
Useful links and resources:
1. GCSE Pod (look for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2)
2. BBC Bitesize (look for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2)
3. CGP Revision Guide: GCSE AQA English Language For grades 9 – 1 Course
– The Workbook

10. Revision tips
• Go through the notes and practices assessments you completed last
year, especially looking at any advice and feedback from your teacher.
• Reread the text of Macbeth, adding to your notes as you go and watch
the Roman Polanski film version.
• Plan and complete practice questions on key extracts of your choice.
Top Ten Topics for revision:
1. The character of Macbeth (tyrant / hero / strong / weak / foolish /
ruthless / obsessed etc…)
2. The character of Lady Macbeth (controlling / weak / female / evil etc…)
3. The Witches (power / language / trickery / evil ect…)
4. The themes of Loyalty / Treachery
5. The theme of Ambition
6. The themes of Power / Tyranny
7. The themes of Guilt / Conscience
8. Dramatic Devices and how they show character and theme (asides /
soliloquies / entrances / exits / directorial decisions about performance –
tone, movement, lighting…)
9. Language in use (noble characters / iambic pentameter / rhyme / the
witches language / imagery – nature, blood, sleep / persuasive devices used
by key characters / repetition)
10. Context of Macbeth (King James / Witchcraft / Gunpowder plot /
Kingship and the divine right of Kings / religious beliefs)
Useful links and resources:
GCSE Pod – search for Macbeth (on RMUnify)
No Fear Shakespeare – search for Macbeth (Website:
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/)
BBC Bitesize GCSE English Literature Revision and BBC Shakespeare Archive
(both on R M Unify Launch Pad – search for Macbeth once into each site)
CGP Revision Guide: Macbeth by William Shakespeare

12. Revision tips
1. Use your revision guide (you can download all listening material to
practise listening skills at home)
2. Learn vocabulary from class on a regular basis, test yourself at home.
3. Come to revisions language revision clubs (Find out from your MFL
teacher when they are)
Top Ten Topics for revision:
1. Self, family, friends, relationships and future plans.
2. Home town, home life, free time and shopping.
3. Local environment, pollution and recycling.
4. School and education.
5. Work experience, part-time jobs and future careers.
6. Healthy living, illness and accident.
7. Weather and seasons.
8. Travel and holidays.
9. Social issues (e,g, life of young people today, homelessness, crime, drug)
10. Technology (sending messages, accessing information).
Useful links and resources:
1. www.linguascope.com (username: stpetersce password: fromage16)
Intermediate section for all languages
2. duolingo and memrise (two free apps you can download on your phone to
practice language skills)
3. www.appliedfrench.co.uk for French Listening/Reading and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ (for all languages.
4. http://www.wjec.co.uk/students/past-papers/ (to access past papers in all
languages. You can do Foundation and Higher practice)

13. Top Topics for Revision: Paper One: International Relations 1919-39 and USA 1919-1941
1. Who was to blame for the Cold War?
• Why did the USA/ USSR alliance breakdown in 1945?
• How had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948?
• How did the USA react to Soviet expansion?
• Who was to blame for the cold war – USA or USSR?
2. Who won the Cuban Missile Crisis?
• How did America react to the Cuban revolution?
• Why did Khrushchev put missiles on Cuba?
• Why did JFK react as he did?
• Who won the Crisis?
3. Why did the USA fail in Vietnam?
• Why did the USA get increasingly involved in Vietnam?
• What were the different ways that the communists and American fought in the war?
• Whose tactics were the most effective?
• Why did the USA withdraw from Vietnam?
4. How far did the US economy boom in the 1920s?
• What factors led to the BOOM (LACK PANTS!)?
• Who did well in the 1920s/ who did not do well?
• Problems in farming
How far did US society change in the 1920s?
• What were the ‘Roaring Twenties’?
• How intolerant was the USA? Monkey Trials/ Vanishing Americans/ Immigrants/ Black
Americans
• Why was prohibition introduced, and then later repealed?
• The role of women?
5. What were the causes and consequences of the Wall Street Crash?
• Causes of the Crash – Speculation/ overproduction etc.
• What were the social consequences of the Crash – The Great Depression?
• Why did Roosevelt win the election of 1932?
How successful was the New Deal?
• The first New Deal… Alphabet agencies
• Second New Deal 1935
• Who opposed the New Deal and why
• Successes and Failures New Deal

14. Top Topics for Revision: Paper 2 – The British Depth Study
1. Liberal Reforms:
• Problems faced by the poor 1900s
• Why did the Liberals introduce reforms (5 reasons)
• What reforms were introduced?
• What was the reaction to these reforms?
• What were the problems with the reforms?
2. Votes for Women
• What were the arguments for and against women getting the vote
• Actions of the suffragists and suffragettes
• How did the government deal with militancy – force feeding/ Cat and Mouse Act
• The role of women in WW1
• Why did women get the vote in 1918
3. Britain during WW1
• Recruitment/conscription/ propaganda/censorship/
• Conscientious Objectors
• DORA including Government powers/ rationing
• What was the mood of the nation in 1919?
Useful links and resources:
The Ben Walsh Modern World Textbook – this covers all the topics in depth and you
have your own copy at home
The History webpage on FROG – Every single lesson you have studied over the two years
has been uploaded for you to look back on/ this includes all ppts and worksheets!
ClickView – Go to web address: http://online.clickview.co.uk/SignIn
Username: year10@spexe.org Password: revision10
Once on go to St Peter’s Tab – History – find the correct documentary
GCSE POD – this can be found on the dashboard of FROG and includes podcasts which
can either be downloaded or watched straight from the computer. To download the
GCSEPOD onto devises use: Username:webmaster@st-peters-exeter.devon.sch.uk and
password: stpeters

15. Revision tips
• AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding) questions: Make sure you are concise and to
the point, only offering you opinion when asked. Use the structure PEEL (Point,
Evidence, Explain, Link to another point or back to the question) to help you
structure your answer and develop points to achieve the highest marks.
• A02 (Evaluation) Use quotes and religious teachings within your answer but
remember to explain them and how they relate to the question. If you are able,
contrast quotes directly with other quotes as this shows high level evaluation skills.
• Use the structure MOO (Most religious believers…On the other hand…Overall, I
think…) to help you structure your 6 mark questions.
Top ten topic:
AQA Specification A: Religious Beliefs and Lifestyles
Unit 2: Christian Ethics (Prelim Paper)
1. The Right to Life
2. The Use of Medical Technology
3. Personal Responsibility
4. Social Responsibility
5. Global Concerns
6. Conflict
Unit 7: Philosophy and Ethics
1. The Existence of God
2. The Characteristics of God
3. Revelation and Enlightenment
4. The Problem of Evil
5. The Compatibility of Science and Religion
6. The Afterlife
Useful links:
http://www.spexe.org/learning/revision-subject-guides/re-revision/
http://www.rsrevision.com/contents/index.htm
Tip from the RS Chief Examiner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trd4ShUgbrc

16. Top Tips for practical controlled assessment: (Find Me and Changes)
100% focus and commitment in practical drama controlled assessment
Make sure you know all the different drama strategies, mediums and
elements
Remember to evaluate the work of others
Top Tips for written controlled assessment: (Find Me, Changes and Theatre
Review)
1. Make detailed notes during the practical assessment day
2. Draw the staging of your groups work. You can use this later to remind
yourself of what you did.
3. Include some written evaluation other people’s work as often as you can
during the day
4. State how the explorative strategies and mediums enhanced your work
and the work of others.
5. WRITE UP ALL YOUR NOTES AT HOME. Make them make sense so that
writing them up in your controlled assessment time is easier.
6. Unit 2 (Find Me) 1000 words. Unit 1 (Changes) 2000 words. Get as close
as you can but the quality of it is more important than the quantity.
7. Theatre Review (unit 2) 2000 words. You need to give your opinion and
thoughts about the whole production. Staging, acting, lights, sound, music,
your chosen scenes. You can discuss these elements in separate paragraphs
or as you discuss your chosen scenes
Useful links and resources:
Edexcel GCSE Bitesize
Example essays
Discuss your ideas with us

17. Revision tips
• Learn key geography words and terms for each topic.
• Create case-study cards, with bullet points, facts and figures, and place-
specific detail.
• Test your understanding by doing past exam questions
Top Ten Topics for revision:
1. SUSTAINABILITY
2. SETTLEMENTS (LEDC - Dharavi and MEDC- Bristol) SDME
3. POPULATION (in SDME paper)
4. MIGRATION (in SDME paper)
5. CLIMATIC HAZARDS
6. TECTONIC HAZARDS
7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AID
8. INDUSTRY
9. RIVERS
10. COASTS
Useful links and resources:
http://www.geographypods.com/ OCR B GEOGRAPHY section
OCR B Geography Revision Books, class notes & text books
http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Homepage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHLFQ9VGNwY&list=PLym9F_l_YF-
AUCexGKBRNWo-bTnaxhv9E Ark Vega series of videos tailored to OCR B
Geogrpahy course

18. Revision tips
• Start 4b early with a choice of music and a clear theme
• Watch 10 minutes each week of Rosas Danst Rosas and Still Life at the
• Penguin Café focusing on costumes, lighting, set design, accompaniment
and movement content
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!!
Top Ten Topics for revision:
1. Costumes for each work
2. Set Design for each work
3. Accompaniment for each work
4. Movement content for each work
5. Lighting for each work
6. Good studio practice
7. Expressive skills
8. Performance skills
9. Physical Skills
10. Dance style

19. Revision tips
• There are many key words and definitions across the syllabus. Little and
often is the key! Use the actions, acronyms and other strategies that we
have learnt throughout the course to help you.
• Make links across different topic areas.
• Practice giving a point or definition, following this with a practical
example and explain how this impacts the sports performer (PEE!)
Top Ten Topic Areas for revision:
1. A healthy active lifestyle, mental, physical, social, benefits & reasons.
2. Influences, roles, participation pyramid, common purposes of
initiatives, sport England, youth sport trust, national governing bodies.
3. Exercise, health, fitness, performance, Components of health related
exercise, components of skill related fitness.
4. Principles of training, fitness testing, methods of training, smart targets
5. Diet, nutrition and performance
6. Somatotypes, optimum weight, weight conditions, recreational &
performance enhancing drugs, Risk and Safety.
7. Cardiovascular System
8. Respiratory System
9. Muscular System
10. Skeletal System
Useful links and resources:
w drive > class handouts > PE > Y11 Edexcel revision guide / Y11 Exam
Questions Revisions
BBC Bitesize > GCSE PE > The body (be aware that this is not Edexcel
specific)
GCSE Pod (Edexcel GCSE PE specific only)

20. Revision tips
• Many of the questions within the exam paper will ask you to analyse,
evaluate or discuss. Practise your extended writing on past paper
questions at the link below.
• When answering the questions think about how you might approach a
situation if you were in the industry e.g. how would you plan an event.
Top ten topic:
1. Cooking, cooling, freezing and holding temperatures.
2. Kitchen and specialist equipment.
3. Catering terms and technical language.
4. Forms of communication used in the industry.
5. Menu planning.
6. Using ICT in the industry
7. Health, safety and hygiene
8. The 6 R’s
9. Planning an event
10. Health and safety in the workplace
Useful links:
https://prezi.com/mchv5t4twesh/gcse-hospitality-catering-revision-tips-
and-advice-wjec/ - revision presentation covering the main topics from last
years paper.
http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/qualification-
resources.html?subject=hospitalityAndCatering&level=GCSE&pastpaper=tru
e – WJEC Hospitality and Catering past papers

21. Revision tips
• Go through previous exam papers
• Research thoroughly exam designing question and prepare some sketch ideas before exam.
• Attend ALL teacher led exam revision sessions in school!
Top Ten Topics for revision:
1. Materials – Hardwoods, softwoods, man-made boards, ferrous / non ferrous metals – focus
on their properties and uses.
2. Thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics including composite materials – properties and
uses.
3. Sustainability and environment impact of using finite resources– inc the 6Rs
4. Manufacturing – scales of production (job, batch and mass) including CAD, CAM and CIM.
5. Measuring tools, quality control, quality assurance and engineering tolerances
6. Product life cycle and product maintenance.
7. Health and safety - inc. signage and personal protective equipment
8. Adhesives and finishes for woods and metals including galvanising and plating.
9. Ergonomics and anthropometrics definitions and application.
10. Manufacturing processes – injection moulding, vacuum forming, blow moulding, metal
casting
Useful links and resources:
www. Technologystudent.com –
(click on Resistant Materials link and scroll down to find 2016 exam topic)
GCSEPOD (D&T).
Revision pack to be posted home to all students later in year.

22. Revision tips
• Use the suggested listening in your revision guide to actually hear examples of the
music studied
• Use Focus on Sound to see/hear and read about any key music vocabulary you come
across in your revision guide. If you can’t login from home or have lost your
user/password, then ask for it be reset. If we don’t know, we can’t help!
• Ensure you attend listening exam revision sessions scheduled for the Spring/Easter
Term on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. After school sessions before this
will focus on composition support.
Top Topics for revision:
1. Area of Study 2 Musical Styles (Shared Music)
2. Area of Study 3 Musical Styles (Dance Music)
3. Area of Study 4 Musical Styles (Descriptive Music)
Useful links and resources:
1. Music page from GCSE bitesize - http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zpf3cdm
2. Focus on Sound (Music First) – Accessible if you logic via school website
3. www.classicfm.com

23. GCSE ART: How to get there. A guide to improving your work
Quality of artwork
A1. Make sure that I use a range of Tones when drawing - dark, medium and light shading.
A2. Improve my shading by blending Tone smoothly and gradually
A3. Be more consistent with my artwork - aim for top quality all the time.
A4. Strive for accuracy and precision in my artwork. Take care when using art materials to enable more
control and a neater end result.
A5. I will not rush work, instead I will spend time looking and ‘seeing’ what I am drawing.
A6. Practice key art skills like drawing outside of art classes to improve my ability level.
Development and making it personal
D1. Include ‘Where am I now?’ pages to let the examiner know what I am thinking at intervals in my
book.
D2. Add notes to explain why I have done each piece of work.
D3. Take more care when sticking things into my book.
D4. Take time to add good titles and organise work neatly on each page.
D5. Add my personal opinion and experiences as much as I can when writing about work.
Experiment and refine
E1. Aim to combine art materials when drawing or painting e.g. fine liner and pencil.
E2. Check my work to see if I can adapt and aimprove my outcome.
E3. Review the work that I have done through adding notes and keywords that identify how to improve...
E4. Learn from my mistakes - use the right technique or art material for the job.
E5. Use a range of art materials and techniques in my sketchbook.
E6. Try to be more imaginative and creative when developing my ideas – don’t just do the first thing that
comes into my head.
Analysing artists and research
R1. Highlight in bold key words that describe techniques and feelings/mood when analysing work.
R2. Use words that describe feelings, not just what is in a picture e.g.
‘The colours are bright’ becomes ‘The colours are bright and give a feeling of happiness’.
R3. Do more than the basic – write more than I am asked to.
R4. Express my personal opinions about my work and other artists.
R5. Use similes when describing artists work, e.g. “The bold pinks in Warhols work are like candyfloss at a
fairground.”
R6. Extend my research by including quotes, facts, images and personal opinion.
R7. Widen my experience of photography by attending an exhibition, researching online and in books.
R8. Analyse in more detail how ideas and meanings are shown in others work.
Personal qualities and effort
Q1. Don’t give up easily when things are difficult with my work, be persistent.
Q2. If I make a mistake with my work I will not treat it like a disaster. I will work with my mistakes and do,
review and modify.
Q3. I will be absorbed in lessons managing my distractions when the teacher is talking.
Q4. Aim to do more than the minimum, set my expectation high and endeavour to push myself and
extend tasks.
Q5. Try to be generous and grateful in class. Art is hard, and smiling helps!
Q6. I will ask for help more and collaborate in class.
Q7. Complete my art homework in Art Club so I can capitalise on the help and materials.
Q8. Make sure I record my homework and organise my independent time planning clear intentions to
enable me meet deadlines.

24. GCSE Photography: How to get there. A guide to improving your work
Quality of artwork
A1. Be more consistent with my photography – endeavour for top quality all the time.
A2. Strive for accuracy and precision in my photography. Take care when using compositional devices
and camera techniques to enable more control and a neater end result.
A3. I will try not to rush work, spend time looking and ‘seeing’ what I am photographing.
A4. Strive for accuracy and precision when editing photographs using do, review, modify to improve.
A5. Improve my work by returning to it and refining my outcome.
A6. Practice key photography skills outside of class to improve my ability level.
Development and making it personal
D1. Include ‘Where am I now?’ pages to let the examiner know what I am thinking at intervals in my
book.
D2. Add notes to explain why I have done each piece of work.
D3. Take more care when sticking things into my book.
D4. Take time to add good titles and organise work neatly on each page.
D5. Add my personal opinion and experiences as much as I can when writing about work.
Experiment and refine
E1. Try and combine different processes and materials when producing final outcomes.
E2. Check my work to see if I can adapt and improve my outcome.
E3. Review the work that I have done through adding notes and keywords that identify how to improve...
E4. Learn from my mistakes - use the right technique or process for the job.
E5. Use a range of materials and techniques in my sketchbook.
E6. Try to be more imaginative and creative when developing my ideas – don’t just do the first thing that
comes into my head.
Analysing artists and research
R1. Highlight in bold key words that describe techniques and feelings/mood when analysing work.
R2 . Use words that describe feelings, not just what is in a picture e.g.
‘The colours are bright’ becomes ‘The colours are bright and give a feeling of happiness’.
R3. Do more than the basic – write more than I am asked to.
R4. Express my personal opinions about my work and other artists.
R5. Use similes when describing artists work, e.g. “The fragmented sections of Hockney’s photographs
are like the pieces of a jigsaw”
R6. Extend my research by including quotes, facts, images and personal opinion.
R7. Widen my experience of photography by attending an exhibition, researching online and in books.
R8. Analyse in more detail how ideas and meanings are shown in others work.
Personal qualities and effort
Q1. Don’t give up easily when things are difficult with my work, be persistent.
Q2. If I make a mistake with my work I will not treat it like a disaster. I will work with my mistakes and do,
review and modify.
Q3. I will be absorbed in lessons managing my distractions when the teacher is talking.
Q4. Aim to do more than the minimum, set my expectation high and endeavour to push myself and
extend tasks.
Q5. Try to be generous and grateful in class. Art is hard and smiling helps.
Q6. I will try to ask for help more and collaborate in class.
Q7. Complete my photography homework in Art Club so I can capitalise on the help and materials.
Q8. Make sure I record my homework and organise my independent time planning clear intentions to
enable me to meet deadlines.

25. Target setting – it is a vital part of this year to set yourself realistic and workable
targets. It will help motivate you and break down what you are trying to achieve into
small manageable chunks to work towards.
Try and answer the following and set yourself some targets for the year to help
motivate you as you why you are working hard, or indeed what you are working hard
towards.
Where do you see yourself in a years’ time?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Why do you want this?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Use the table below to set yourself challenging targets that will help you reach your
that place you want to be next year.
Type of target Action Outcome
Short term target (this week)
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………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
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………………………………………………………
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Medium term target (this term)
……………………………………………..
……………………………………………..
……………………………………………..
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
…………………………
…………………………
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Long term target (this year)
……………………………………………..
……………………………………………..
……………………………………………..
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
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…………………………
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Academic target for this term
……………………………………………..
……………………………………………..
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
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………………………….
Personal target for this term
……………………………………………..
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………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
…………………………
…………………………
…………………………
How do you intend to meet this target?
Think about WHAT you will do, HOW you
will do it and WHO will help you if you
need it.
What will you get out
of achieving this
target? It is
important to aim
towards something
you really want and
will be proud to
achieve.

26. At school: there is no shame in speaking with someone about how you feel. Particularly
if it is negative emotions and stress surrounding exams and school work.
Your first port of call should be your tutor, class room teacher, ISO or Head of Year. They
can help and support you through academic and personal issues you might have.
At home: speak to your parents/guardians about the things that are bothering you,
stressing you out or just let them know what's going on every now and again. Opening a
good line of communication with them could be invaluable through this year and years to
come.
Look after yourself
Physical activity: regular exercise can lift your mood and serve as a distraction to your
worries, allowing you to find some quiet time and break out of the cycle of negative
thoughts that feed stress and anxiety.
Diet: complex carbs, processed foods, sugars and fats will effect your ability to
concentrate and process information.
• Hydrate
• Eat fresh fruit and veg
• High quality protein
• Omega 3
• Iron
Young minds and Headspace:
Two of the best websites and apps that are packed with information, advice and
guidance on coping with workload, revision and how to relax. Try them!

27. Have a go – why not try and put together a revision timetable! There will be more
dedicated assemblies, CPSHE and tutor time dedicated to this before the prelims so don’t
worry if it takes a few goes to produce something that works for you.
You should try designing your own!
Revision Timetable EXAMPLE – Week 1 Strategies
that
work.
Sat
Sun
Prep at school Revision task 1 Revision task 2
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thurs
Fri