What should a revision timetable include?
A good revision timetable shows what you will revise, when, and for how long, and leaves room for real life. LoveMaths Tutoring UK recommends that every revision timetable includes:
- Every exam, with its date
- The specific topic for each session, not just the subject
- Short sessions with breaks between them
- Fixed commitments such as school, clubs, work and family time
- A spare catch-up slot each week
- At least one rest evening or half day each week
How do I start planning a revision timetable?
Start with a list of topics, not a blank calendar, because the timetable should be built around what you need to revise. LoveMaths Tutoring UK suggests these steps:
- Write down every exam and its date, then count the weeks until the first one.
- For each subject, list the topics using your specification, revision guide or class notes.
- Rate each topic: red (I cannot do this), amber (I can do some of it) or green (I am confident).
- Mark your fixed commitments on a weekly grid, so you can see the time that is actually free.
- Fill the free slots with topics, giving red topics more slots than green ones.
Re-rate your topics every couple of weeks. As red topics turn amber and green, move time to whatever is still weakest.
How long should each revision session be?
Sessions of 30 to 45 minutes with a short break in between work well for most students, because they are long enough to make progress and short enough to stay focused. LoveMaths Tutoring UK suggests ending each session with five minutes of self-testing on what you just covered, rather than more reading.
On school days, one or two sessions is realistic. At weekends and in the holidays, three or four sessions spread across the day is plenty for most students.
What does a good weekly revision timetable look like?
A good weekly timetable mixes subjects, so each one comes back every few days instead of being crammed into a single day. This example from LoveMaths Tutoring UK is for a GCSE student revising on school days after school:
| Day | Session 1 (40 minutes) | Session 2 (40 minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Maths: fractions and percentages (red) | English Literature: quotation flashcards |
| Tuesday | Biology: cells (amber) | Maths: past paper questions on last week's topic |
| Wednesday | History: key dates and events | Rest evening |
| Thursday | Chemistry: bonding (red) | Maths: fractions and percentages again |
| Friday | English Language: practice question | Free time |
| Saturday | Physics: forces (amber) | Mixed past paper, then mark it |
| Sunday | Catch-up slot for anything missed | Rest |
Your own subjects and topics will be different, but the pattern of mixing subjects, revisiting red topics and keeping a catch-up slot works at any level.
How do I fit spaced practice and past papers into a timetable?
Spaced practice means returning to a topic after a gap of a few days, then a week, then longer, so it is easier to recall in the exam. LoveMaths Tutoring UK suggests building this in directly:
- When you revise a topic, pencil in a short review of it three or four days later
- Use part of a later session to test yourself on topics from earlier weeks
- Add timed past papers in the final weeks before each exam, and mark them with the mark scheme
- Add any mistakes from past papers to a running error log, and revisit it each week
Students who have one-hour LoveMaths Tutoring UK sessions can mark them on the timetable as fixed blocks, and plan independent revision around them.
What should I do if I fall behind my revision timetable?
If you fall behind, move missed sessions into the weekly catch-up slot rather than trying to double up the next day. LoveMaths Tutoring UK recommends these steps if the plan keeps slipping:
- Check whether the timetable is too full, and remove one session a day if so
- Prioritise red topics in subjects with the earliest exams
- Keep the rest evening, because tired revision is rarely productive
- Start the next session straight away, rather than waiting for a fresh week
LoveMaths Tutoring UK provides one to one online tutoring in maths, English and science, from KS2 to A Level. Students can start with the free online assessment or enquire about lessons.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours a day should I revise for GCSEs?
LoveMaths Tutoring UK suggests one or two sessions of 30 to 45 minutes on school days, and three or four sessions spread across the day at weekends and in the holidays, with short breaks and at least one rest evening each week.
How far in advance should I start a revision timetable?
Starting a revision timetable several months before the exams leaves time to revisit each topic more than once. LoveMaths Tutoring UK recommends counting the weeks to the first exam and building in spaced reviews, past papers and a catch-up slot each week.
Should I revise one subject a day or mix subjects?
Mixing subjects across the week usually works better than one subject per day, because each subject comes back every few days, which supports spaced practice. LoveMaths Tutoring UK suggests two different subjects in each evening's revision.
What is a red, amber and green revision rating?
A red, amber and green rating is a quick way to sort revision topics: red means you cannot do it yet, amber means you can do some of it, and green means you are confident. LoveMaths Tutoring UK recommends giving red topics the most revision time.
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