Parent/Carer
U6 Revision Conference
2nd April 2025
Assistant Principal: Victoria Morgan
• Overview
• Strategies for revision
• Welfare through revision
• Resources will be made available
• Revision Conference webpage via email
• Personal Tutors are available in the canteen for any queries
Timeline
• U6 lessons continue until Friday 16th May
• 39 days to the start of the exam season: attendance is key
• U6 external exam period: Monday 12th May – Wednesday 25th June (7 weeks)
• Revision starts in earnest now
Essential Information:
• Students can now view their Summer Exam timetable on Cedar
• Important exam information (including from the Joint Council for Qualifications) has been sent to students’ College emails
• Parents have access to their child’s Summer Exam timetable through their parental Cedar account. Instruction of how to view this will be sent by the College and will be available in the Weekly Newsletter.
Essential Information:
• Morning exams start at 9.00am
• Afternoon exams start at 1.00pm (unless students are advised otherwise)
• If students have exam clashes (two exams scheduled to take place at the same time), the Exams team will be in contact with these students to resolve this issue.
Essential Information:
• College ID card or other official photographic ID is required for all exams
• NO mobile phones
• NO watches
• Black pen (plus spares)
• Clear pencil case
• Calculator if needed – no case
• Water bottles with label removed
• No food
Essential Information – Exam clashes
• Should exam clashes occur, these will be indicated on examination timetables
• Students who have an exam clash will be given a supervised break between papers
• Arrangements are made on an individual basis for each student
Essential Information – late arrival
• Keep calm – notify the Exams Team exams@winstanley.ac.uk
• Students can complete the exam if they are no more than 60 minutes late
• Time will be added on
Details:
• Students arriving late are advised to go straight to the Exams Office on A-Corridor
• If going to be > 1 hour late, we need parental contact
Intensity
• 3 x A level (or equivalent) students spend 13½ hours in class per week
• They have 13 ½ hours of study periods per week
• They should be contributing (at least) another 13 ½ hours per week out of College
Time management
• During term-time weekdays, students should be revising at home for at least 1½ hours per day
• During Easter holidays, students should be averaging more than 4 hours of independent work/revision per day: a minimum of 3 x 1 ½ hour sessions as a rule
• All study periods at College should be used
• Students should be taking advantage of any in- College study opportunities – tutorials etc
• Social and work commitments should reduce
Parental role: what can you do?
• Help your child establish routines – show an interest in their revision timetables and progress
• A revision timetable helps students get organised / stay on track / stay motivated / identify progress
• Quiet study room
• Remove distractions (e.g. mobile phone etc.)
• Praise / encourage / support
Parental role: what can you do?
Help them see the joy………
• Personal Tutors
• Learning Support Mentors
• counselling@winstanley.ac.uk
• Welfare Manager
• Nurture Room (G5)
• The gym and the field for exercise
Associate Assistant Principal: Phil Duckworth
Memory is like a fading library………..
The Forgetting Curve
Revision Theory
ONE STUDY RECOMMENDED 8 – 10 HOURS PER NIGHT!
Creating An Effective Revision Environment OR
Creating An Effective Revision Environment
Effective Revision Planning
LESSONS FROM THE UPPER SIXTH MOCKS?
Effective Revision Planning
Timing?
Revision method?
Logistics?
Revision basics
• Active revision
• making summary notes/highlighting
• spider diagrams
• cue cards
• comparison tables
• flow diagrams
• Completing exam-style questions
• Completing TIMED questions
• Practise writing under timed exam-style conditions
Flash Cards and Self Quizzing
https://www.tarsiamaker.co.uk/
Tech and Revision
WHATSAPP GROUPS
AUDIO FILES AND REVISION PLAYLISTS
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
MASSOLIT ONLINE COURSES
REVISION PODCASTS
MICROSOFT LENS
Use of A.I.
What can you do?
• Set regular times to test your child
• Create an effective revision plan together
• Discuss sleep and phone usage
• Point out the progress that you can see
• Remind them that huge improvements are possible in the coming weeks with a structured and thorough period of revision.
Wigan Mental Health Support Team: Welfare
through revision
Core Functions of the MHST
The Wigan CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST) works alongside a selection of schools and Colleges in Wigan to provide 3 core functions:
To deliver evidencebased interventions for mild-tomoderate mental health issues
To support the senior mental health lead (where established) in each school to introduce or develop their whole school approach
To give timely advice to school and college staff, and liaise with external specialist services to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education
Impact of exams on our mental health
Exam stress describes the emotional, physiological and behavioural responses caused by an imminent test or exam. It can be related to negative previous experience of exams, poor preparation, worry about failure, or pressure to perform. For children and young people who are generally anxious, the experience of taking exams can be threatening and could lead to unmanageable increases in anxiety levels.
(Reference: Anna Freud Centre)
Tips to manage exam stress
Top tips to help with exam stress
Think about their current routine: what do they need to do, and what would they like to do?
Develop a weekly planner. Make sure there are opportunities for achievement, closeness, and enjoyment. Break their revision down into manageable chunks.
Be aware of their stress bucket!
Make sure to plan in activities that "open the taps" and relieve stress to avoid overwhelm
Advice from other young people
Always take a moment just to breathe, whether in the exam, before or after.
Remember that College does offer support, just reach out and ask! Keep your work balanced. Spend time revising, but socialise and relax too.
Keep a self-care routine so that your revision is the most productive it can be whilst you feel as good as possible.
Break up revision with food exercise to make sure you stay energised.
Remember that results do not define you.
Find a revision space and style that works for you: silence, background chatter, music with or without lyrics.
Work to your own paceeveryone is different in how they work.
If you feel nervous about the time pressure of an exam, practice timing yourself when you revise, or try some test papers.
Plan in some treats to reward yourself, and celebrate when it’s all over!
Self-Care
Comparison is the Thief of Joy
Consider avoiding social media around exam time.
Encourage support amongst friends but advise the young person to focus on their own strengths. Avoid talking about the questions before and after the test with peers.
Ask the young person to set their own goals to work towards. Not what other people think they should do, or what grades others think they should get. Encourage them to focus on this.
Avoid comparing siblingseveryone has their own strengths
Highlighting the positives
Exam stress can lead to feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem. Encourage the young person to focus on the positives. Why not try these techniques: Ask the young person to complete a ‘positive qualities record’, answering questions which highlight their strengths, achievements, positive traits, skills, and what others like about them
•Identify ‘three good things’ every day to train the brain to search for positives
•Repeat positive affirmations to boost confidence such as: I am capable, I am trying my best, I am worthy, I am determined, I am a warrior
•Encourage gratitude by asking the young person to identify the things they are grateful for
•Take time to celebrate achievements and reflect on how far the young person has come. It is also just as important to celebrate the effort.
Thank you for coming