Exam Planning

How do I create an effective revision timetable?

Start with a subject audit: list every subject and exam date, break each into testable topics, and rate your confidence per topic (1–5). Allocate weekly sessions by priority — earliest exams and lowest confidence topics first. A priority-weighted schedule consistently outperforms equal time across all subjects, especially in the final 3–4 weeks.

What should I revise in the week before an exam?

The final week is for retrieval, not new learning. Focus on past paper practice under timed conditions, active recall of your weakest topics, and reviewing summary notes. Avoid reading new textbook chapters — material learned in the final week has minimal retention by exam day due to insufficient consolidation time.

What do I do if I fall behind on my revision schedule?

Reset the schedule rather than trying to catch up by adding sessions. When behind, most students extend their schedule, which leads to exhaustion and more missed sessions. Instead: prioritise the highest-weighted, lowest-confidence topics; accept that lower-priority topics get less coverage; and do 3–5 past paper questions per topic instead of full rereading.

How does spaced repetition apply to exam revision?

Spaced repetition schedules review of topics at increasing intervals — first review at Day+1, then Day+7, then Day+21. This pattern produces far better retention per hour of study than reviewing everything on a fixed daily schedule. The revision timetable tool builds these spaced review sessions in automatically when you generate your schedule.