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Whether your child is preparing for upcoming exams or consolidating their learning, effective revision is key to academic success.
As a parent, supporting them through this process can feel overwhelming—especially with the sheer volume of revision resources now available. Revision today goes far beyond textbooks, with a wealth of free online tools and materials designed to make studying more efficient and engaging.
In this parent’s guide to revision resources, we’ll explore a range of study materials and techniques to help your child revise effectively.
Flashcards
Flashcards have stood the test of time as a reliable revision tool. They condense information into bite-sized pieces, making it easier for your child to absorb and recall key facts.
Encourage your child to break each subject down into specific units or topics and create a set of flashcards for each. We recommend keeping it simple, with a question on one side of the card and a concise answer on the other. However, they may prefer to include larger chunks of information in the form of bullet points.
Flashcards are excellent for regular, quick, and focused revision sessions. They allow your child to test their knowledge, identify areas of weakness, and reinforce their understanding of key concepts. Plus, it’s a great opportunity for you to get involved with revision by testing their knowledge and providing support and encouragement.
Physically writing out flashcards helps with muscle memory. However, if your child is short on time or isn’t keen on using pen and paper, they can create digital flashcards using programs like Quizlet or Anki. This has the added benefit of enabling them to revise on their phone while on the move.
You can also find pre-made sets of flashcards organised by subject and topic for free on Physics & Maths Tutor. These can be printed out at home or you can purchase physical copies of GCSE and A Level science and maths flashcards from the PMT Shop.
Mind maps
Mind maps are a visual tool used to organise information around a central topic. They can help break down complex subjects and make them easier to understand. Whether your child is revising the ethical implications of GM crops or planning an essay on the treatment of Jewish people during Kristallnacht, mind maps can be very useful in connecting ideas and events. They serve as an engaging revision activity and help cultivate a deeper understanding of the relationships between different aspects of a topic.
Your child could make a set of mind maps using their textbook and class notes, then stick them around their bedroom as a visual aid. Alternatively, they could use mind maps as a form of ‘retrieval practice’. In a brief but focused burst (and without peeking at their notes!), they can create a mind map showing everything they recall about a specific topic. They can then review their mind map and fill in any gaps using a different coloured pen. This technique helps improve memory retention.
Your child could create digital mind maps to use on their smartphone, tablet, or computer using a program such as MindMeister. They can also find colourful, pre-made digital science mind maps on Physics & Maths Tutor or purchase physical copies from the PMT Shop.
Posters
Help your child tap into their creativity with revision posters! Posters are a fantastic revision resource, especially for the sciences. Encourage your child to design posters that showcase key points, formulae, and diagrams. Placing these posters in their study space serves as a constant visual reminder, helping to reinforce memory retention.
Beware! While aesthetics are important, caution your child against spending excessive time making the posters visually appealing. Emphasise that the primary goal is to capture and present the key points effectively. Spending too much time perfecting handwriting and design might detract from the core purpose of reinforcing essential information.
For those seeking ready-made revision resources, explore our selection of GCSE and A Level Biology posters in the PMT Shop.
YouTube
YouTube is a treasure trove of educational content. If your child needs supplementary learning materials or a fresh perspective on challenging subjects, there are lots of YouTube ‘explainer’ channels that break down complex topics into digestible content. For example, the Amoeba Sisters create humorous videos explaining key biology topics, from meiosis to the human nervous system.
Additionally, if your child is struggling with a particular exam question, they’ll likely be able to find a helpful video walkthrough on YouTube. On the PMT Education YouTube channel, you can find video solutions for various GCSE and A Level maths and science past papers.
Past papers
Past exam papers often present questions in a different manner than those found in textbooks or worksheets provided by teachers. Therefore, they are crucial for helping students become familiar with the types of questions they might encounter and giving them a sense of the exam format. Practising past papers also reinforces understanding and highlights any knowledge gaps or weaknesses in exam technique.
Instead of waiting until they’ve covered all topics, your child should practise past papers regularly throughout the revision process. After revising a specific topic, they should test themselves using relevant exam questions – Physics & Maths Tutor provides exam questions conveniently organised by topic!
Ensure they check their answers using the mark schemes (or using our step-by-step video walkthroughs) and make use of examiner’s reports to gain insight into common pitfalls and areas where students often slip up. Especially in science subjects, mark schemes can be highly specific, often requiring keywords or phrases for marks to be awarded. As your child reviews mark schemes and examiners’ reports, they’ll begin to develop a sense of what examiners are looking for—giving them a valuable edge when it comes to the real exam.
Predicted papers
Predicted papers are exam-style papers created by experienced teachers who analyse past trends to forecast likely exam content. While they can’t guarantee what will appear in the real exam, they closely mimic the format and difficulty of actual papers, making them a valuable revision tool.
Your child can use predicted papers to refine their exam technique, identify weak areas, and focus revision on topics that may be more likely to come up. Visit the PMT Education Predicted Papers Hub to explore our free predicted papers for a range of GCSE and A Level subjects and exam boards, complete with mark schemes and model answers.
Educational apps
Revision apps can support your child’s learning by helping them stay organised, break down tricky topics, minimise distractions, and stay motivated. From digital flashcard tools to website blockers, our in-depth student article explores eight of our favourite revision apps.
Revision courses
If your child needs a more intensive and focused approach to exam preparation, we run GCSE and A Level revision courses covering a range of subjects and exam boards. This can be an excellent opportunity for your child to bolster their existing subject knowledge, strengthen their exam technique, and ask our expert tutors any questions they might have.
Supporting your child’s exam revision doesn’t have to feel daunting. With a wide range of resources available—from tried-and-tested methods like flashcards and mind maps to digital tools such as educational videos and apps—there’s something to suit every learning style.
Encourage your child to vary their revision techniques to stay engaged and tap into different memory pathways for more effective learning. With your support—and a solid set of revision strategies—they can learn how to revise effectively and approach their exams with confidence.
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