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Filing System and Organisational Tips for A-Level and Sixth Form

I am starting my a-levels this September. I am doing Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, English Lang and Lit. I was just wondering what is the best way to file my work for these subject and if you have any organisational tips for these subjects or just sixth form in general.
Thank you :smile:
Original post by mariah1242
I am starting my a-levels this September. I am doing Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, English Lang and Lit. I was just wondering what is the best way to file my work for these subject and if you have any organisational tips for these subjects or just sixth form in general.
Thank you :smile:


I didn't take those subjects (but had friends who did) - but for most subjects it's pretty universal that you would use ringbinders with dividers per section. Look up your course and the units/sections you will have to cover and just make sure you have a section for each, separated by dividers. Lever arch ringbinders are best if you have a lot of notes to keep track of.

I had a lot less writing for my subjects and found that I sometimes preferred to use 'tuff folders' to keep loose sheets/handouts which weren't hole punched. I wouldn't recommend this for all of your notes considering your subjects, but it may be handy to keep one in your bag for miscellaneous sheets/when you don't have time to file stuff straight away!

I have also heard of people who had either one notepad that they wrote in for the week and transferred papers to folders when they got home (a LOT less to carry), or big lever arches at home for everything for that subject and smaller ringbinders to take into school and keep the most relevant sheets in (slightly less to carry). It kind of depends on whether your teachers will expect you to have all of your notes/materials with you all the time, your timetable, how much you can carry in one day, whether you revise at school or home, etc. You will find that as you get into the 'rhythm' of A-levels it will become easier to work out what will be the best filing method for you. :smile:
Reply 2
Original post by catrinana
I didn't take those subjects (but had friends who did) - but for most subjects it's pretty universal that you would use ringbinders with dividers per section. Look up your course and the units/sections you will have to cover and just make sure you have a section for each, separated by dividers. Lever arch ringbinders are best if you have a lot of notes to keep track of.

I had a lot less writing for my subjects and found that I sometimes preferred to use 'tuff folders' to keep loose sheets/handouts which weren't hole punched. I wouldn't recommend this for all of your notes considering your subjects, but it may be handy to keep one in your bag for miscellaneous sheets/when you don't have time to file stuff straight away!

I have also heard of people who had either one notepad that they wrote in for the week and transferred papers to folders when they got home (a LOT less to carry), or big lever arches at home for everything for that subject and smaller ringbinders to take into school and keep the most relevant sheets in (slightly less to carry). It kind of depends on whether your teachers will expect you to have all of your notes/materials with you all the time, your timetable, how much you can carry in one day, whether you revise at school or home, etc. You will find that as you get into the 'rhythm' of A-levels it will become easier to work out what will be the best filing method for you. :smile:


Thank you, I was thinking of just taking one ringbinder into school and having separate lever archs at home. Then if my teachers expect me to have all my handouts and work on hand, I could empty that ringbinder every couple of weeks. I will definitely use your tip of carrying a tuff folder for handouts which aren't hole punched :smile:
Reply 3
Never had a folder for psychology nor english language... I just made notes on powerpoints instead lmao
When I was in sixth form, I took one ring binder to college, with file dividers separating my subjects. At the front of the ring binder I kept a few sheets of fresh lined paper (rather than taking a whole refill pad), and a plastic wallet to put non hole punched sheets in so that I could hole punch them and add them to the relevant section later. I also kept a lever arch file at home, which I transferred the ring binder work into when the ring binder became full :smile:
Reply 5
I just carried my notepads for each subject to school. That way I'd have more space in my bag for my textbooks and is just less to carry since I didn't have a locker.
I would then on most Sunday's (depending on the pace of the work) sort them into my folders.

I had one lever arch binder binder for geography and one for politics and then smaller ones for physics for each topic/exam.

I then organised my folders into categories using dividers. For example, in my geography folder, I had one that split the folder in half for Human (Population and Health) and Physical (Rivers and Coasts). I then had subcategories of Notes, Timed essays, To be marked and Past papers for each topic.

It sounds a bit complicated and long winded, but if you start it from the beginning it's not so bad to organise everything throughout the year.

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