Importance of Term 3 - Exam and Assessment Preparation

The start of Term 3 may represent the mid-point through the year, however, realistically it is the term where students begin the downward stretch to their final end of year examinations. Here, knowledge from term 1 and 2 is not only consolidated but built upon and extended.

Term 4 examinations begin from as early as week 4, leaving students with only a small window of time between now and then to thoroughly prepare and reinforce new knowledge, especially if schools offer a study break in the weeks leading up to their end of year assessments. Therefore they only really have this term left to develop a clear understanding of the expectations that are upon them as they prepare for exams. It is the perfect time for them to begin to be exposed to and start practicing exam style questions so they have a clear idea in their minds of what they are heading towards.

It is important to note that for students in Years 9 and 10 (and Cambridge and IB students) this can mean needing to refresh and retain concepts that were covered as long as three to four months earlier in the year, but have not been revisited or reviewed since. Exposure to exam style content will allow students to identify what they are unsure of and prioritise their areas of weakness and polish off areas they already have a strong foundation and retention. Only with a strong understanding of the curriculum and it's examination expectations will allow students to develop a clear game plan as they head towards their end of year assessments and maximise their grades.

This can create a large amount of pressure on students to come up with and plan the best way to tackle areas they are unsure on, especially if they have concepts that they need to re-learn from scratch and don’t know where to start. Study skills and effective studying methods aren’t integrated into the school curriculum, creating confusion for students when they are suddenly plunged into this realm without support. A great place to start is to ask the teacher for past examinations or to look online for previous year's exams. This will mean you know exactly what is going to be assessed and you can help tweak the way you approach your study. Getting together with your friends can also help! Together you can plug up gaps in each others knowledge and clarify anything you are unsure of.

However, if you are someone or know someone who is unsure of where to get started or needs some support getting underway, get in touch for a free assessment, where we can guide them through a tailored approach to their learning, supporting them as they approach their assessment.