Studying now will pay dividends

Don’t get out of the habit of learning.

The summer is a long time to be off at the best of times. Yes it is a great chance to relax and have fun – and we’re big believers in doing that – but at the same time over a long period skills can become rusty and knowledge can be forgotten.  Factoring in some time over the summer break for study is a way of keeping the brain active as well as reinforcing previous learning. All of this makes returning to school easier.

Changes are likely to be made to the 2021 exam structure, but not the content.

It’s not yet known how the 2021 exams will be different to previous years, but we do know that they are very likely to be altered. This is a response to the disruption in schooling. The exams dates might be pushed back and some time intensive aspects of courses might be removed – e.g. watching a teacher perform a practical rather than all students doing it. This would all allow for more teaching time. One big proposed change is to make more optional questions. If this is the case then those students who have covered the whole syllabus will have a significant advantage in the exam. They will be able to choose which question they could answer best. If you haven’t covered everything in the course specifications then you won’t have that option; you can only answer the one you’ll have been taught.

Could results be based on predictions again?

Of course there are several unknowns, but planning for the worst tends to be better than simply hoping for the best. What if exams were cancelled again in 2021? If results were based on predictions and teacher assessments, be prepared fully for all homework, tests and mock exams. Students should be wary of last minute revision and cramming – in the event that they don’t get a chance to sit a ‘proper’ final exam.