London


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749.jpg" alt="Collingham College Principal, James Allder" class="wp-image-9329" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T123837.749-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>London&#8217;s Collingham College takes students from Y9 to Y13, so it&#8217;s something of an exam specialist. Muddy grabbed Principal, James Allder and Vice Principal, Emma Clyne to chat all things exam prep.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-really-need-an-exam-timetable-nbsp">Do you <em>really</em> need an exam timetable?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>JA: Some students can spend an inordinate amount of time making ornate timetables that aren’t necessary, but making a plan with topics to cover and how long to spend on each is essential. You need to use your time effectively and avoid missing important stuff out. Not having a timetable can ramp up anxiety as well: Should I have done more of that? Did I do enough?&nbsp;</p>



<p>EC: With SEN, if we create the timetables together, the bigger and brighter the better. Visual learners and especially those with ADHD can immediately see what they need to do. Then it can go up on the wall for everyone to see and the family is onboard as well, so we don’t have a situation where the parents have arranged a trip to see the grandparents right in the middle of revision time.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spider-diagrams-flash-cards-cover-and-copy-which-techniques-are-most-effective">Spider diagrams, flash cards, ‘cover and copy’: Which techniques are most effective?</h2>



<p>EC: Flash cards work for most people and can be used in a variety of ways. For some, the <a href="https://quizlet.com/107306990/app-store-flash-cards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quizlet</a> app for digital flash cards is great but for others it’s best to go back to the old school index card with coloured pens. The idea is that these reinforce key facts and terms so they’re completely embedded. Students can then associate the other information with that solid core. </p>



<p>A technique I find the most helpful, though, is getting students to explain their topic to someone who doesn’t understand it &#8211; this is where family can really play a part. Sit there patiently and let them go through the mental exercise of organising what they know and selecting the right vocabulary. Feel free to ask questions, if they struggle to explain something, that’s where a gap might be.&nbsp;</p>



<p>JA: It is important to do some revision with pen and paper, especially if they are going to hand write exams. The neurological processes of physically writing is important prep. They’ve started this with mock exams, where the schedule is tighter and they will often do two exams a day, so the whole process of mocks also helps with writing practice.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-get-the-most-out-of-practice-questions-and-mark-schemes-nbsp">How do you get the most out of practice questions and mark schemes?&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4144830.jpg" alt="Revising for GCSE and A Level"/></figure>



<p>JA: Mark schemes are super useful in terms of checking you have the answers correct. But to get the most out of them, students need support and should practice marking a paper themselves. I have marked for years and come across students who are really quite able and not hitting the top marks because they have not been supported. Students can also misuse them by trying to get hold of papers and mark schemes even when they’re password protected online, which utterly defeats the exercise.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The most underrated tool, though, is the examiner’s report, which is issued with all past papers and gives a number of marked student answers. This is invaluable in terms of really understanding the mark schemes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>EC: It’s all about practice. The more students work to the right time slot, the more it becomes internalised and they know what 20 or 30 minutes feels like. It means they’re not constantly having to look at the clock and work out how much time they have.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-knowing-the-textbook-inside-out-enough">Is knowing the textbook inside out enough?</h2>



<p>JA: The level of many of the A Level textbooks can be fairly weak. In factual subjects they do not go into enough detail. Some of the textbooks are also out of date and if you want an A or A* grade, many subjects will require topicality and not using case studies that are five years out of date. At GCSE you can usually rely on the textbook.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bedroom-library-kitchen-table-where-to-revise-nbsp">Bedroom/library/kitchen table – where to revise?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>JA: We have a school library/study room that’s supervised with no phones and no distractions – a silent room is a great place to work. You need to find a place where you are not distracted by people or gadgets. The danger is that friends what’s app you and suddenly your five hour’s revision has gone.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revise-solo-or-with-a-buddy-nbsp">Revise solo or with a buddy?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>EC: Body doubling for ADHD students is a great system for those who find it difficult to stay on task or start a task. The &#8216;double&#8217; will sit in the room with you doing whatever it is they’re doing but at an appointed time and for an agreed duration. It can be a parent or friend or even a website. Many adults with ADHD in executive roles use online body doubles to hold them accountable for the duration of a task. But choose your study partner carefully. When your Buddy is the parent that can end up with tension. Equally a chatty friend is unhelpful.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-you-over-prepare-for-exams-nbsp">Can you over-prepare for exams?&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124858.455-1024x683.jpg" alt="Collingham College, London" class="wp-image-9331" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124858.455-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124858.455-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124858.455-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124858.455.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>JA: For the vast majority of students the more you do the better, but very high achieving or anxious students can spend too much time revising. You should exercise, get decent sleep and the right food is so important. It is not helpful to stay up late and swot.&nbsp;</p>



<p>EC: I use the image of the three-legged stool with my students. If one of the three legs is wobbly, the whole stool falls over. The legs are nutrition, rest and exercise. This is where the timetable comes in and means not over revising if you have built in time to rest. When I am working with students on planning revision, the times for sleeping, food and exercise are all included on their timetable.</p>



<p>JA: Students should also factor in a break to reward themselves for working hard by taking some time out to relax.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timings-short-study-bursts-with-lots-breaks-or-longer-stints-nbsp">Timings: short study bursts with lots breaks or longer stints?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>EC: The timings vary by student. Those with ADHD are better with shorter chunks with an immediate reward – 15 minutes with a 5 minute reward, while others can study for an hour with a longer break. If students have difficulty in getting started, setting the time longer can be too off-putting. That said, others might be able to work productively for 2-3 hours. Different neurological systems like different time frames.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-are-study-skills-a-key-part-to-nailing-revision-nbsp">Are study skills a key part to nailing revision?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>JA: Absolutely. We have a study skills day that students can sign up to as well as our revision courses when lots of these techniques will be discussed. For our students, these skills are embedded into the curriculum.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-your-revision-courses-focus-on">What do your revision courses focus on?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124844.602-1024x683.jpg" alt="Collingham College, London" class="wp-image-9332" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124844.602-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124844.602-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124844.602-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/02/Untitled-design-2025-02-25T124844.602.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>JA: Our Easter revision courses cover those areas that come up again and again. Lots of these exams have patterns and specific areas that examiners like. The vast majority of teachers at Collingham College have been examiners and some even chief examiners, so they can get across this experience during our courses.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-revision-courses-benefit-most-students">Do revision courses benefit most students?</h2>



<p>JA: Students on our courses are working hard and in a systematic way, which is more than they would do if left to their own devices. I’d say 10% of students can work by themselves and will fly, but the majority don’t know how to study and so procrastinate. Study leave is not helpful for the majority of students. Many just don’t know what to do when they get a maths question they don’t understand.</p>



<p>EC: Around exam stress, there is an old phrase that the best way to deal with a worry is to bore it to death. If the things you are worried about you do repeatedly, after a while your brain stops worrying about it and this drops the stress levels right down. It is the fear of the unexpected that causes a lot of the anxiety around exams. Practise as much as possible – it is the most beneficial thing to combat exam stress.&nbsp;This applies to every aspect of exam taking, from getting up in time for early papers, to handwriting and working sitting up at a desk or table.&nbsp; Many students worry about ‘what-ifs’, which may not be around the academic content.&nbsp; Helping them talk about these anxieties and finding solutions in advance can really reduce exam stress.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-usp-when-it-comes-to-exam-prep">What’s your USP when it comes to exam prep?</h2>



<p>JA: The size and scale of everything at Collingham College sets us apart. We have max eight students in a class at A Level and nine GCSE, though the average class size is five. This means students get individualised attention and it’s a discursive environment.&nbsp;</p>



<p>EC: We also personalise and individualise the learning support. There are huge variations in what works for students with ADHD or dyslexia. We don’t take a fixed approach but offer all options and find a way of working with each students&#8217; strengths.</p>



<p>JA: When you are in a small group of people, everyone should be engaged. In larger classes, if you are well behaved and quiet then it’s easy not to be involved. Our teachers will very quickly get to know students and mould the group into a coherent whole where everyone is contributing.&nbsp;</p>



<ul>
<li><strong><em>Want to know more? <a href="https://www.collingham.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Collingham College</a> takes students from Y9 to Y13, offers online schooling, and runs <a href="https://www.collingham.co.uk/easter-revision-london.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">revision courses</a> for A Levels and GCSEs in the Easter and Christmas holidays.&nbsp;</em></strong></li>
</ul>


Exams incoming? How to nail that GCSE and A Level revision

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