How To Create And Use A Simple Revision Timetable Template [FREE TEMPLATE] 

Revision timetable templates and exam revision plans help reduce exam stress and maximise preparation. They also help keep students accountable and on task. But with so many exams to prepare for, creating your own revision timetable or study planner can be daunting.

This article explores revision timetables, what a good weekly timetable should look like and provide revision timetable templates and checklists.

As part of the development of our GCSE maths revision resources, we’ve also been looking at what additional support we can give teachers and students for how to revise for maths and how to revise for GCSE.  

One of the outcomes of this was a free revision timetable template which you can download straightaway if you know your students need it. 

If you think you or they will need more persuading, read on!

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What is a revision timetable template?

A revision timetable template is a tool for managing study time and exam preparation. Your revision timetable template will include space for a study plan or day-to-day breakdown of the content you intend to cover in each revision session. It may also include an exam timetable for the coming GCSE dates, dates of mock exams and any after school group study sessions. 

Revision timetable templates help students to know what, when and how to revise. They are an important revision technique for GCSE revision, A-Level revision and revision for any other exams beyond that. 

Why do you need a revision timetable template?

Revision timetables give students control. They allow them to implement effective time management and track the material covered. Rather than confronting a whole textbook or note-taking books at once, a revision timetable breaks up the modules to cover each day to maximise revision time.

A revision planner or timetable focuses on students’ specific needs and learning gaps. It provides autonomy to choose how much time is spent on individual topics over the revision period.

How to use a revision timetable 

1. Allow for flexibility 

Students should stick to their revision timetable as closely as possible, but it is not set in stone, they should be open to making adjustments. One day students may be tired, or feel unwell and not cover all of the content that day. Remind them not to panic. At the end of the day note down what topics need to be revisited. 

2. Make it adaptable

On the other hand, students may find that the original revision timetable template they created at the beginning of the revision period isn’t working. A revision timetable is supposed to help with revision. If it’s not, adapt it. 

3. Maintain realism

Revision timetables need to be realistic to avoid last-minute cramming. Nobody can sit through revision sessions for six hours a day without breaks for four months straight. Students need small, frequent breaks to digest information.

For example, revision planners may accommodate for thirty minutes of work followed with a ten-minute break to get a drink or take a walk, before sitting back down to study some more. 

A revision timetable should provide a sense of achievement each day, not overwhelm and negativity. Encourage students to break revision down into achievable and digestible chunks. 

Create a personalised revision timetable

Help guide students’ revision and create revision timetables in class. There are a few different ways to design a revision timetable.

• Some students may include all of their subjects on one revision timetable, for example, maths, English, science and foundation subjects.
• Others may create a unique timetable or study planner for each subject.

Students can create their timetables for exam revision in many ways. some may use Excel, others may prefer to download a ready-made free revision timetable template.

Before looking at the revision timetable template ask students:

• What grade do you hope to achieve?
• What grade are you currently working at?
• What are your stronger/weaker subjects? 
• What are your stronger/weaker topics?
• What gaps do you need to fill to achieve your desired results for each subject?

How to divide up content on a revision timetable

Encourage students to think about dividing up the revision content into a weekly schedule. Some things to consider:

• How much time is there before exams?
• What are the priority subjects and topics? What subjects/topics are students most and least confident in?
• How can subjects be broken into topics? 

Third Space Learning’s online one-to-one GCSE Revision Programme uses diagnostic testing to help students and teachers identify gaps in maths learning. Maths specialist tutors then tailor sessions to the needs of each student to plug these gaps. Using worked examples and exam-style questions, Third Space Learning’s online GCSE Revision Programme aims to help students prepare for the exams and boost confidence going into the exams. 

Interleaving revision

Interleaving is an effective revision technique to consider when creating a revision timetable template. This approach involves mixing up and cycling through connected topics before returning to older topics revised less recently. 

For example, rather than spending a whole week revising only graphs and then setting that aside once the week is done, spend some time each day on several topics and revisit them the following week to review previous revision. 

Students may be less open to interleaving as it takes longer to see the impact. However, if they persevere, the results of interleaving revision are far superior to blocked practice.

5 things to make time for on a revision timetable

Once time is divided, think about what students should cover in each revision session planned out on their study timetable.

Provide students with these revision tips and study tips on the revision techniques to prioritise:

1. Active learning 
2. Making and reviewing flashcards
3. Practice questions 
4. Exam questions 
5. Past papers 

1. Active learning

Active learning means systematically studying the syllabus to address any gaps in knowledge or understanding.

It can be tempting to read over notes, but actively practising concepts and formulas students find difficult is much more beneficial when revising.

2. Flashcards

Flashcards are an effective revision tool. Though premade flashcards are available for purchase, it is often best for students to make their own as actively creating flashcards will help retain revision. 

Once students have written the flashcards, they can use them to test themselves.

Top tips for using flashcards:

• Split flashcards up into those answered correctly and those that need revisiting
• Revisit each pile of flashcards until all questions are answered correctly at least once 

3. Practice questions

Practice questions and GCSE maths questions with worked answers are useful in demonstrating how to answer specific types of questions.

Exam boards may produce worked example questions. Go through worked examples in class and guide students to online resources they can add to their revision timetable template such as YouTube.

4. Exam questions

Review past exam questions to help students understand the structure of the exam. Looking at exam questions helps students understand what to expect on exam day and how much time to dedicate to questions worth different marks.

Reviewing previous exam questions from recent years may even indicate what may appear on the real exam.  

5. Past papers

Although it may be unpleasant for teachers and students, students need to make time to complete past exam papers in exam conditions on their revision timetable template.

Familiarity with the types of questions on the exam and how marks are awarded is crucial to developing good exam techniques and time management.

Students can complete these as part of their revision timetable in 10-20 question increments under timed exam conditions to feel more comfortable and ease exam anxiety on exam day.

Start effectively with this free revision timetable template

Third Space Learning wants to help your students succeed. Here’s a printable, blank GCSE revision timetable template to personalise.

This study timetable template can be used across GCSE exam boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, SQA, WJEC) as a daily planner to guide revision. 

How to use this free revision timetable template

Third Space Learning’s revision timetable template is a short but valuable resource which can be photocopied multiple times.

Or, students can download this free planner template directly and fill it in to match their needs. 

This revision timetable template is complete with a blank revision timetable and an example of what a completed study timetable might look like.

While students can use this revision timetable template for all GCSE subjects, the example provided is for maths as Third Space Learning are maths specialists.

While students can use this revision timetable template for all GCSE subjects, the example provided is for maths as maths specialists.

Step-by-step guide and top tips to complete the free revision timetable template

1. Prompt students to start with a list of 5-6 topics they need to revise, preferably identified from past papers or diagnostic assessments.
   
   All students who receive Third Space Learning’s online tuition sit an initial diagnostic test to identify any learning gaps in maths. Use these free diagnostic questions to help students identify mathematical learning gaps.

2. Use the list of topics to create a revision cycle. For example, students might do 10 minutes of Pythagoras and 10 minutes of simultaneous equations on Monday, then 10 minutes of index laws followed by 10 minutes of surds on Tuesday.
   
   Promote interleaving of revision topics throughout the week where appropriate. 

3. Task students with reading through class notes and any relevant revision guide notes. They may also work through step-by-step examples from memory. 

4. Incorporate regular flashcard reviews to ensure key formulae are well memorised. Aim to do this weekly.

5. When students feel confident in their understanding, they may work through a topic-based worksheet to check their understanding.

6. Once students are confident with the topic, they can use past papers and find similar exam questions to attempt – or correct questions they have previously answered incorrectly.

7. Ensure timings are open and flexible depending on students’ needs. For example, some might prefer to work with 15 or 20 minute slots, or have commitments on particular nights of the week. This is a suggested programme and can be adapted to individual needs.

8. Closer to the exam – probably around February half term – encourage students to use their revision time to complete a practice paper every week. This can be tied into review in class. 

9. Encourage students to review their own work using mark schemes, or access tutorials and walkthroughs on YouTube if they are completely stuck. 

10. As students complete papers, they will continue to identify topics that still need to be addressed in another cycle of revision as described above.

Building good study skills

GCSE exams are likely not the last time students need to revise content. Whether it’s A-Levels, university exams, professional qualifications or even driving tests, the revision skills students gain preparing for the GCSE exams will be useful throughout their lives.

For this reason, it’s important to take this opportunity to develop robust revision skills. Hopefully, this revision timetable template can help develop the study skills they need to succeed.