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Transitioning from GCSE to A-level For those just finishing Y11 and starting A-level in September Time for a little Relaxation, Reflection and Thoughts, now that the exams are over Now that the GCSEs have come to an end, there is a sense of relief for both the young person who has been at the centre of it and also the parent(s). Whilst relaxing and reflecting, before starting to think about what lies ahead, one of the questions to ask at […]

Preparing for University After A-levels As  the teenager looks forward to University, time for a little Relaxation, Reflection and Thoughts… Now that the A-levels have come to an end, there is a sense of relief for both the young person who has been at the centre of it and also the parent. Whilst relaxing and reflecting, before starting to think about what lies ahead, one of the questions to ask at this stage is “what does this all mean?” For […]

Exam Revision Tips From Students Introduction Just to introduce myself, I am a recent Masters graduate from the London School of Economics and Political Science and I am currently working as a course advisor here at Excel in Key Subjects. As someone who has recently left full-time education, I thought it would be useful and appropriate for me to share some tips on how to handle the busy and daunting exam period. Whether your child is preparing for important end […]

Parental Support During GCSE and A-level Exams GCSE and A-level students are now in the middle of their summer examinations – with the two weeks after the half term being the busiest of all the exam weeks. For those who are taking GCSE, they have done almost half of the exams by now – with the more demanding ones to come in the first two weeks of June.  For A-level students most of the heavy exams are in early to […]

Unproductive Revision for GCSE and A-level From the story I’ve been telling so far in my last blogpost, I have been looking at two aspects: Ineffective use of time spent in the library by teenagers Distraction of a smartphone and other aspects of technology In case you have not read the previous blogpost, here is a link to it. See the link here to the previous blogpost in this series As far as aspects of modern technology is concerned, I […]

Just a little story about my Easter break – Is Studying in a Library Effective? I was able to sneak away from the family for a couple or so days over the Easter break. As we live near Brighton, in my time off work, when we were not walking or cycling along the seafront, walking in the South Downs or having a barbecue in the garden, I’m indulging in one of my favourite activities – spending time in the library! […]

How to Avoid Digital Distractions While Revising It is vital to choose the activities that we indulge ourselves in, in the time we have available. In modern times, the invention of technology is largely a blessing, but, sadly is, also a curse to a great extent. I am referring to electronics in general – such as mobile phones, tablets and computers. For most people, the way they choose to use their electronic devices in not in a way that enhances […]

Action – the ONLY way for dreams to become reality for your teenager as they face GCSE and A-level Revision Strategy for exams in the summer Dreams are very nice and, in fact, they are very important as there is no point being alive if you can’t dream. As parents, in our childhood, we dreamed of what we wanted to be when we grew up. Many parents are grateful for what they have achieved, but it is our wish that […]

Growth Mindset for GCSE and A-level Success The importance of mindset in the achievement of anything in life cannot be overemphasised as ‘thought’ is where every success starts before manifesting itself into practical reality. GCSEs and A-level are very important, as not only are they the most important real test in life for the vast majority of teenagers, they are also the yardstick that society will use to measure their success for the rest of their life. Students in Year […]

How to Improve Grades After Mock Exams The best time to plant an oak tree is 25 years ago. The second-best time is NOW! The Spring term – from January to March/April – is the most condensed term of the academic year. Not only is it the shortest, it is only the time when teachers are trying to finish the bulk of the curriculum. For exam groups such as Year 11 and the final year of A-level (A2), teachers are […]