Sixth year goes faster than anyone expects. A rough plan, month by month, keeps you calm and stops everything piling up in May.

September to October: set up

  • Make a simple weekly timetable that fits around school, sport and work.
  • Find your two weakest subjects. These get extra time all year.
  • Start a summary notebook or flashcards for each subject from week one.

November to December: build

  • Keep up with new material every week, so you never have a backlog.
  • Start past-paper questions on topics you have finished.
  • Use the Christmas break to fill gaps, not to start from zero.

January to February: mocks

  • Treat the mocks as a practice run, not a verdict.
  • Afterwards, list the exact questions where you lost marks. That list is your plan for spring.

March to April: practise

  • Past papers, timed, under exam conditions.
  • Learn the marking schemes: they show exactly what examiners give marks for.
  • Finish any orals and practical work early.

May to June: sharpen

  • Short, focused sessions on your weakest topics.
  • Sleep, food and exercise matter more now than an extra hour of study.
  • Keep a calm routine during the exams themselves.

When to get help

The best time to start grinds is early in the year, while there is time to fix gaps. But help after the mocks still makes a big difference when it is focused on specific questions.

Get matched with a tutor in a few questions.