How to Build a GCSE Revision Timetable Your Child Will Actually Use

Does this sound like your family?

You (the parent) sit at the table highlighting and neatly drawing a very organised GCSE revision timetable. Your child nods and pretends to agree, but deep down they don't want to do any of it. Then they sit in their bedroom and pretend to revise but really they are just on the internet doing other things, because they aren't engaged in it and they don't buy into it.

That timetable was a waste of time and, in all honesty, any revision timetable the teenager hasn't had input into just isn't going to work.

Nodding is not the same as agreeing

Nodding doesn't mean agreement. A lot of the time it means the teenager wants the conversation to end. (I know, I've seen those nods!) So they have to be involved in the process. You have to sit together at the table and talk about how to make this revision timetable.

I would suggest getting them to select the five things they most need to revise, and then building the timetable around those things.

What they're thinking

Say the word revision and most teenagers think, "Oh God, help me." Some look at the time spent revising and come out with "Where has all my freedom gone?"

The truth is, most teenagers don't want to do it but, deep down, they know they have to.

Where most parents go wrong

Not enough breaks, for a start. We always say a child's attention span is roughly double their age in minutes. So an 8-year-old might be able to concentrate for 16 minutes before needing a change of activity. For a 15-year-old, let's say 30 minutes. Realistically, you could stretch this to 40 or 45 minutes on a good day. For a GCSE student, that means around 30 to 45 minutes at a time, then a break. Then they need a change of activity and to do something else, even if it's only for 15 minutes.

However, there is a caveat here. You know your child. They might be able to do more or less than that, and you know them better than anybody else, so go with what they can do and then they will feel successful.

Treats get written down first!

The breaks have to be in the timetable, as firmly as the revision itself, so they know that if they do this, then that will happen.

Perhaps it's 20 minutes on the Xbox after a session. A biscuit, or a cucumber stick (if that's the sort of house you live in). Perhaps 20 minutes outside walking the dog or chatting to a friend.

The important part is that they choose it. A reward you picked for them is just another thing you've decided.

What actually goes on the timetable

Every child's gaps are different, so "Maths, 4pm" tells you almost nothing. Do a past paper, see where the marks went, and those topics go on the timetable. Feedback from a teacher or tutor does the same job, and it's quicker than guessing.

What to do when it falls apart

It will. A match overruns, the Xbox half hour becomes two hours, and this is usually the point where parents want to rip the whole thing up. Don't. Ripping up the timetable doesn't help, and neither does berating them for not doing it.

Ask what got in the way, change that bit, and carry on. There is always tomorrow.

I hope this blog was useful. If you would like more advice on revising, or on how we can help your teen through their exams, please do book a free 15-minute call with me, Jenny.

BrightBerry offers small group and one-to-one tutoring in Maths, English and Science for Years 7 to 13, taught by qualified UK teachers, and I watch every lesson myself.

Frequently asked questions

Jenny
Founder, BrightBerry Education