8 tips to teach your students how to revise for GCSE science

When they’re in the thick of it, pass on these great revision tips to teach your GCSE science students how to revise. They’ll thank you for it!

Are you gearing up to guide your students through the twists and turns of how to revise for GCSE science? We all know the drill - as exam season approaches, the pressure cranks up. But fear not! LbQ is here to share some tried-and-true strategies to make science revision less of a headache for everyone involved.

From how to revise required practicals to prioritising cross-subject topics, we’ve got you covered.

8 revision tips to share with your science GCSE students

Set your students up for success with these 8 GCSE science revision tips.

1. Attend revision sessions

Nothing beats the support students get from teachers, but that’s not always an easy message to get across. Encourage students to take advantage of the specialist support they can get, while they can get it. If you really need students to attend your extra revision sessions, offering food treats can be a real motivator. We don’t like to use the word bribery but, if it works, don’t knock it!

2. Study the specification

Specifications from exam boards are a fantastic way to seek out gaps in learning - they are a detailed checklist and students should try to get to know them inside out. Tell students to go through the specification for the appropriate exam board, and highlight all the topics and content areas they’re not confident with. This can inform, not only their own revision, but also what you’re teaching in lessons and extra sessions.

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3. Use visuals as well as text

Simply, visuals help students remember. They’re often easier to process and support students in making connections in their learning. Whether it’s flashcards, diagrams or just being thoughtful in the layout of revision notes, students should be incorporating striking colours and images as part of their GCSE science revision strategy.

4. Utilise video

Whilst the older generations are continuing to use Google to get information, younger people are using YouTube and Tiktok. If they’re going to do it this way, it might help to meet them in the middle and provide them with good, reliable accounts to check out for their science GCSE revision.

One of our favourite video content creators is Mr B. He has a Chemistry-focused YouTube channel as well as a Tiktok account (@revisechemistrywithmrb) and over 20 years of experience in teaching science.

5. Be the teacher

One of the best indicators that learning has been solidified is the ability to teach another person a topic/concept. Encourage students to test one another on content by explaining a topic without notes. You can provide opportunities for this in lesson time, of course, but students should also look for opportunities outside of class.

Teaching a family member GCSE content can also be an incredible confidence booster - it’s tough stuff, and they could truly be teaching adults on subjects they don’t know/understand!

6. It IS possible to revise required practicals

Revising required practicals is a thorn in everyone’s side - but it doesn’t need to be. From using past paper questions to creating revision concept maps and diagrams, there’s all sorts of revision techniques that students can use to make the information sticky! We have a whole blog dedicated to the different activities students can do to revise required practicals if you want more ideas.

7. Revise exam technique

Let’s talk straight for a moment: we obviously don’t want to be exam factories, but GCSEs are important for everyone involved, and smashing exam technique can make all the difference.

Ensure students have all the tools they need to approach their exams in the best ways possible, whether that’s to start with higher mark questions or ensure they mention measurements and equipment needed for required practicals. Give them the best tactics!

8. Prioritise cross-subject topics

As the clock ticks on and the exam is just around the corner, prioritisation becomes integral to revision strategy. In GCSE science, choosing to revise cross-subject topics more than others could be just the ticket. For example, isotopes and atomic structure will appear in both physics and chemistry.

Learning by Questions has exam-board aligned resources and gives you the control to create individualised revision programs for your GCSE students. Better yet, you can get a free 6-week trial of LbQ.