60 Days to GCSE Success

Facing up to GCSE exams is a tough time for both students and parents! The examination system in the UK is very different to the experience most parents had growing up. This book aims to pull together evidence based strategies that are proven to have impact and improve attainment and progress. Students want to do well for numerous reasons - in over twenty years of teaching I have yet to meet a single student that deep down doesn’t want to do well. Often the difference between getting grades that open doors to wider choices and grades that don’t isn’t down to the capacity or potential of the individual student, it is down to the systems used to support achievement. Some students fall into an effective system because their parents or older siblings found something that works, others manage to work it out for themselves, both of which leave too much to chance for my liking.

This book provides a system lasting 60 days, that, if stuck to, will provide the basis for students to build upon the great work they have done alongside their teachers and achieve the grades they deserve!

As a teacher of many years I have spent a large amount of time supporting students to achieve. Often, many students present similar issues: not knowing how to revise or sometimes spending large amounts of time doing activities which will not bring the impact that their investment of time deserves! Students often look to their parents for advice about what to do, yet often parents themselves are not sure how to help as the exam system has changed significantly in recent years.

That is why I have created this book. It is designed to provide students (and their parents) information about how to prepare for upcoming exams by using techniques that will bring maximum impact. The plan is structured to make it easily accessible and systematic so that it can be easily followed. There is a degree of repetition - this is necessary to reinforce learning. Also the plan involves frequently creating and completing Multiple Choice Quizzes - please do not ignore them!