BACK TO SCHOOL | SIXTH FORM ADVICE & TIPS

Plan Everything

There will be times where you will have to revise for multiple tests and complete numerous homework tasks in the same night. The secret to not having a mental breakdown is planning. Plan what times you are going to revise for each test and when you will fit in homework tasks. Planners and diaries are really useful and I would definitely recommend buying a planner if your school or college doesn't provide you with one. They really help with sorting out your week and clearing your head, leaving you feeling more calm and organised.

Revise as you go

The workload for A Levels is definitely a lot more than it was for GCSEs or any other part of school so you need to be prepared to for more homework and revision (I had at least one test a week most weeks!) Make notes and revise as you go so you don't leave everything until the last minute because you won't have enough time to thoroughly go over what you've learnt. I would also recommend getting your homework finished by deadlines because it is set for your benefit and if you don't do it then it's only you that's missing out.

Invest in highlighters

I used to be the type of person who would buy really cheap highlighters and then have them run out after only a week of using them, but not anymore. Investing in a good quality set of highlighters is probably be cheaper in the long run as they won't run out as quickly as cheap ones and should last most of the year, if not the whole year. I really like Sharpie highlighters as the nib is cut into different sizes depending on the size of your handwriting.

Don't get disheartened by bad marks

I remember when I had my first test back and had a D, I got so disheartened. Don't get too disheartened over bad marks and instead use them to motivate you to do better in the next test or piece of work. The difficulty of the work is increased from GCSE (not loads but there is a difference) but you eventually get used to putting in a more work and revision.

Refill pads are your best friend

I honestly went through about five refill pads during my AS Levels (year 12) which was a ridiculous amount of paper however you do need to make a lot of revision notes during the year for exams and tests etc. My school provided exercise books so I only used the refill pads for notes. The paper is usually hole-punched which means you can just slot the paper into your binders without any fuss.

Do you have any Sixth Form tips?

If you are still undecided about whether to choose Sixth Form post GCSEs, then check out this post.