If you're done with nagging, and worrying your child isn't going to be ready for their exams:
GIVE YOUR CHILD THE SKILLS and STRATEGIES THEY NEED TO SMASH THEIR GCSEs
The Toolkit is designed with a ‘little and often' approach in mind. We've broken everything down into bitesized chunks because lots of little steps will add up to a BIG difference!
There are 7 essential elements that every student needs if they want to get the grades they are truly capable of. Read on to find out how to equip your teen with great learning skills for life.
“The revision checklists have ensured that my daughter stayed on track all year.” 🙌 Amanda
Introducing The GCSE Toolkit!
If you feel the Toolkit isn't working for you, we'll give you a refund.
Simple as that. No small print, no inquisition.
(That said, we'd much rather help you make it work, so if you're really struggling to get your child on board, we'll happily hop on a quick zoom chat to try and get them ‘sold'. Sometimes they just need to hear it from someone else… 🤷🏻♀️)
Why your teenager needs your help:
They've got home from school, flopped on the sofa, and unless there's an apocalypse, they're not moving any time soon.
You ask if they've got any homework, and either get a shrug, or The Eyeroll™️.
Bedtime rolls around, and they suddenly remember the essay that's due tomorrow, and are frantically scribbling something, anything on a page.
(Or maybe, they spend hours revising, but there seems to be more time spent making multicoloured flashcards look beautiful with 6 different highlighters than actually revising.)
And… it's not long before exam season arrives, and all of a sudden they're cramming for 48 hours straight.
That's where the 7 essential elements come in.
Having a plan
Students are asked to do so much these days that it's no wonder they often get overwhelmed.
When faced with a neverending to-do list of topics to be revised, most students just don't start.
Our Revision Plan Generator will help them create a plan for the year in less than 10 minutes. It'll break everything down into manageable chunks so your child doesn't get overwhelmed.
Knowing what to cover
8+ subjects, each with multiple topics… there's a lot to cover at GCSE.
You could look it up on each exam board website, but to give you an idea, the AQA Science specification alone has 198 pages… 😱
Our printable checklist for every subject let your child track what they've already done for each subject, so they won't end up wasting time repeating topics (and they won't miss any either!).
Knowing where to find resources
There are roughly eleventy-billion websites out there with ‘revision' resources. Some are great. Some are not. The trick is knowing where to find the great ones.
Our cheatsheets will signpost your children to the best revision sites. We've covered English, maths and science revision, as well as including key information and formulae.
Using the right revision methods
Knowing how to revise is a skill in itself.
Our study skills class will take your child through some of the basics of revising, from mind maps to note-taking – with the aim that they choose a method that works for them.
This is such an important factor in exam success and one schools often forget to cover as teachers are focussed on their particular subject.
This alone could save your teen hours of pointless highlighting and post-it notes – AND improve their grades.
Working smarter, not harder
With so much to cover, it's essential they have a strategy for organising their notes. There's no point creating an amazing revision resource for a topic if you then can't find it again nearer the exam!
Their daily routine is also a key part of being prepared for their exams. If they do the right (small) things throughout the year, they'll stay on top of their work.
They need to build the right habits early on.
The last thing they want is to have to spend all of the Easter holiday revising for hours on end because they've left it all too late.
Being resilient
It's never plain sailing. There are common problems that most students will face at one point or another during their GCSEs.
When the going gets tough… students often quit.
We'll talk them through common problems students face, and how to beat them.
Staying motivated…
Wouldn't it be lovely to live in a world where our kids cared about their results as much as we do…? 😂
If they don't know what they're working towards, then too often they're not motivated to put in the work.
Yes, you could bribe/reward them for studying, but that could get expensive (and it's not always the best life lesson for them).
Our Masterclass will help them to work out what's in it for them. It’s one of the most powerful things we’ve created (and I wish I’d watched it as a teenager!)
What happens if they don't get on track with their revision now?
Teenagers think they have ‘forever' until their exams.
Left to their own devices, they'll only do homework until it gets to the point where mocks are looming. Once mocks start, reality hits, but it's often too late for them to really make a difference to their revision (there are only so many hours in a day…).
This is often where parents take the plunge and hire a private tutor. £25/hr, for an hour a week, for the rest of the run up to exams.
Even if that's only January to May, that's easily a whopping £360 per subject, just to catch up.
If they start now…
See what's waiting for your child inside…
Let's start with the biggest problem. Motivation.
In Module 1, we'll talk your child through finding their Big Why.
If they know what they're working FOR, it will motivate them in a way nagging never could. It needs to be something for them, not just what their parents or teachers want them to do.
This module is how they'll work it out. (If they already know what they want to do, it'll help them check it's definitely the right thing, and then work out exactly how they're going to get there.)
Inside they'll brainstorm:
- What they LOVE doing
- What they're GREAT at
- How they can turn that into a job!
They'll finish this module with a much clearer picture of what they could be working towards, so that when the going gets tough, they have a reason to keep going.
When they need a nudge, it won't feel like ‘nagging', because you'll be supporting them in achieving their dream.
We've just spent a good couple of hours taking the masterclass and both loved it!
Heidi
Holly thoroughly enjoyed it, sceptical at first but as soon as the first task requested that we go house hunting; she was hooked!
It's inspired lots of chatting about her career thoughts, goals and what she realistically needs to be earning to buy that apartment near to Fulham Football Club.
By writing things down, she has those goals and aspirations in front of her to remind herself what she wants to achieve.
Next, we'll hand them the tools they need to build great results.
In Module 2, we'll set your child up for success with the tools that make the difference.
Most importantly, they'll come out with a clear, manageable plan for the whole year to make sure they cover everything they need without getting overwhelmed.
They'll also have a way to track what they have / haven't covered, so that they can actually see how far they've already come.
Finally, they'll get our CheatSheets so that they know exactly where to find great revision resources online.
Inside they'll get:
- A detailed revision plan that they'll build the easy way
- Revision checklists for every subject
- CheatSheets for English, maths & science, listing all the best places to find amazing revision resources online
- A printable poster to help them learn all the formulae for maths
- A mindmap of all the physics equations they need to learn
They'll finish this module with a clear plan to follow.
The best part is that their workload is broken down into manageable chunks, so that they never have to feel overwhelmed.
As long as they stick to the plan, which can be as little as 30 minutes a day if they start early, it'll add up to a HUGE amount of revision by the time exams roll around.
No last-minute panic. No all-day cramming sessions.
They'll be ready.
My daughter found the revision cheat sheets and having all the websites and information in one clear and concise place invaluable. Back in August, I would never have thought my daughter would still be so invested in her revision several months on!
Amanda
Finally, we'll equip them with the skills to learn more in less time
In Module 3, we'll level up your child's study skills.
It's strange but true. Schools teach a LOT of knowledge, but when it comes to study skills – learning how to learn – it barely gets a mention. With all the pressures on schools, and information crammed into the curriculum, it's often assumed that students ‘just know' how to revise. Trouble is, they don't!
Inside they'll learn:
- How to organise their notes so they can find anything, any time
- How to find the revision techniques that work for them
- How to build great study habits
- Common problems and how to overcome them
They'll finish this module with a clear understanding of which revision techniques they should be using, and a clear structure for their notes (so no more piles of paper all over their room!).
They'll also know the common pitfalls students face, and how to beat them.
Finally, I'll have hammered home what you've probably been telling them for months: ‘little and often' is really important – they can't put their revision off until the last minute!
My daughter has always revised by making and reading notes. Since she learned about mindmapping she’s learning things so much faster!
Sarah
I even have some extra bonuses for you…
3 Daily Habits
You've probably heard of the 7 habits of highly successful people?
Well, these are the 3 habits of proactive, confident students.
Not only will these habits help your child avoid getting overwhelmed, they'll keep them ahead of the game all year long.
These aren't just powerful habits for GCSE students, they're powerful habits for any time they'll have to learn something!
Everything you wish they'd told you at parents' evening
As a parent, forewarned is forearmed. If you know what they're supposed to be doing, it's much easier to support them.
Parents' evenings are once, maybe twice a year, and you get roughly 5 minutes per subject. That's it!
That's barely enough time to find out how your child is doing and ask a couple of questions! It's definitely not enough time to get an idea of how each subject works.
We've put together a subject overview for the main subjects, so you'll know how the course is structured, what the key skills are, and how they should revise it.
Knowledge beats nagging, every time!
Maybe you're thinking ‘that all sounds amazing, but what if I invest in this Toolkit and I can't even get my child to look at it?'
- One of the first things in the Toolkit is a video explaining to your child that yes, we know it's really annoying that your parents are ‘interfering', but here's why it's actually a good thing… 😉
- It's all online, so they can do it when they want. There are points and gifs and memes and dancing aliens, so it's not boring either 😉
- All the information in the Toolkit is useful for you too. If you know what to expect, you'll be in a much better position to support them.
- You get to keep it forever. That not only gives you time to revisit it, it also means you have it for any younger siblings!
If you feel the Toolkit isn't working for you, we'll give you a refund. That said, we'd much rather help you make it work, so if you're really struggling to get your child on board, we'll happily hop on a quick zoom chat to try and get them ‘sold'. Sometimes they just need to hear it from someone else… 🤷🏻♀️
“Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.”
Still have questions? Check out ‘everything you need to know about the GCSE Toolkit‘!
