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Year 11s- How much A level prep are you doing?

Firstly, I hope everyone is enjoying their extra long summer :biggrin:
I know a lot of people will spend their entire summer relaxing and doing no work at all, but for those of whom will be preparing for their A levels starting really early, how much work are you planning on doing?
Consistent studying or whenever you feel like it?
Throughout the summer or just for a couple of weeks?

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So far I've done it about like two to four times in a week for about an hour or two and plan to increase this after results day.
Original post by Lemur14
Firstly, I hope everyone is enjoying their extra long summer :biggrin:
I know a lot of people will spend their entire summer relaxing and doing no work at all, but for those of whom will be preparing for their A levels starting really early, how much work are you planning on doing?
Consistent studying or whenever you feel like it?
Throughout the summer or just for a couple of weeks?


I'm just looking at the reading lists and trying to read whenever i feel like it - not consistent because i have already been on holiday and going on another 3 week holiday so will probably not be able to do much. Reading ahead is always good for essay subjects tho.
Original post by Lemur14
Firstly, I hope everyone is enjoying their extra long summer :biggrin:
I know a lot of people will spend their entire summer relaxing and doing no work at all, but for those of whom will be preparing for their A levels starting really early, how much work are you planning on doing?
Consistent studying or whenever you feel like it?
Throughout the summer or just for a couple of weeks?


waiting till I actually get the results because doing it before knowing if I made it or not is a bit silly tbh
Revising stuff you havent even been taught is even more silly and a waste of time. I 10000% bet you all are gonna scrap your premade notes lol.

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I'm just completing the bridging work that was set by the sixth form I want to go to; I don't really want to focus a lot of time on preparing when I want to enjoy my summer.
(edited 6 years ago)
Just chill out, getting a job would be far more productive.
ain't doin none whatsoever!!! I know A-levels will be a living hell so I wanna use this opportunity of a great vacation whilst it lasts and then high-key jump back into a levels after summer ends :tongue:

tbh I feel that I'm like the only one on here that's just doin no prep LOL
I'm going to read my set texts for English literature, French and Spanish, and then do whatever preparation work I'm set by the college throughout the summer. :-)
I don't know where to start, so I'm going to save my strength for AS summer.
Reply 10
As a person who's just finished college, I would just advise you guys just to chill out as much as you can right now. When college starts, the workload builds up but the teachers are there to support you so dw. My tips for college are:
Do your HW the day you get it
Have a routine-set a sleeping pattern!!!! (I regret not having a proper pattern)
Cover content and make the notes/ revise the stuff the day you cover it in class
My sixth form set 20 pages of Summer Homework for anyone wishing to study A-level maths last year. Apart from that you don't need to do any work over the Summer, just enjoy the time off. :smile:
Okay yeah reading english texts would be a good idea and maybe doing a bunch of algebra for maths would be helpful.
(edited 6 years ago)
Just chill kids, there's no point.
just finished year 12 and honestly ENJOY YOR TIME OFF! your teachers wont be expecting you to know the syllabus off by heart before you've even started, so i recommend completing the summer work they've given you, familiarising yourself with the syllabus (but not memorising it) and doing some extra reading around the subjects if you have any free time or are still not 100% on the subjects you want to take, just so you get started on the right foot. apart from that enjoy your summer and good luck with your results!! :smile:
I'm just doing what the two sixth forms that I'm choosing between set me and maybe a little bit of reading around my subjects. To be honest, I'd rather make the most of this summer while it's still here and just do what I feel I need to do and the things that I genuinely want to do, both academic and non-academic
As a current year 12, here's my advice to you - don't burn yourself out. This summer after GCSEs will be your last ever summer to ultimately be free from any work and just enjoy yourself before you go to uni or become an adult (if you don't count the summer after year 13 where you'll either be sorting your life out by preparing to go to uni or go into the work place). Therefore please just relax and enjoy the summer you have! Of course do any homework set by the school that's mandatory, but if I were you I wouldn't do any prep for the actual A Level courses. If you want to read a couple of books around the subjects you'll be taking then I personally think that's the max that you should do. If you spend your summer doing a lot of studying, you'll regret it when you come to this time next year during exams as you'll lose all motivation to do work and you'll have burned yourself out (I learnt it the hard way)
I would advise to fully research what Alevels you want to do and maybe have a thought about what u want to do at uni so you know you are doing the right subjects.
Ofc have fun and you don't have to do this but i think it's a good idea. Sometimes I felt (this what happened to me), you can get so carried away with your studies at as level and even do really well, that you may not know what it is you want to study at uni.
Maybe consider getting some work experience or a job related into the field you wanna go in.
Never too late to think about your future....
Go to open days
Reply 18
It's always good to take a head start if you want but i'd say when you begin AS/A-levels revise from the beginning of the term but but chill and take it slow at first, when it comes to serious revising start doing that in January at latest, you won't be able to remember everything you need to know for the exam if you leave it til april/may

But right now,, make the most of your summer young one,,, cherish it... pls

my tips:
-Download every past paper or specimen paper and the mark schemes, and keep them sorted in a folder for you to start doing after you've collected/written all your revision notes! (for most subjects, the old spec and new spec are like 70% the same, unless its a subject like psychology, i took a third year for biology and chemistry and saw what my class who are doing the new alevels being taught and alot of the content is the same, even using the same powerpoint files my teacher taught us with the year before, so even downloading from the specification that isnt yours will be useful)

-textbooks have way too much information and you only want the relevant stuff that will be marking points in an exam, i'd say go through the textbook slowly as the months progess and buy exercise books for each exam unit from ya local WHSmith or Ryans, and write all you need for the exam into them! This is specifically for subjects which require a lot of recalling, less for subjects like english or psychology involving lots of essay style stuff

teachers will say it to you a lot but past papers are the only way to familiarize with yourself with the way the exam board questions you, and you'll notice what sorts of information from the textbooks are important from them too :3
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Lemur14
Firstly, I hope everyone is enjoying their extra long summer :biggrin:
I know a lot of people will spend their entire summer relaxing and doing no work at all, but for those of whom will be preparing for their A levels starting really early, how much work are you planning on doing?
Consistent studying or whenever you feel like it?
Throughout the summer or just for a couple of weeks?


I constantly studied during my A level and it was worth it. It's only for a year anyways

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