As exam season approaches, parents across the country want to know the best ways to support their child’s revision. How can you ensure that the hours your child spends studying are truly effective?

To answer this, Tassomai founder Murray Morrison recently spoke with Nick Cleator, Assistant Principal at The Prescot School, Merseyside, and a passionate advocate for evidence-based learning. Their conversation delved into the science of learning and practical strategies that parents can use to help their children prepare for GCSEs. Here's what they shared.

Why Are Common Revision Methods Ineffective?

“Many students default to methods like highlighting, re-reading, or making pretty notes,” said Nick. “While these feel productive, research shows they’re not the best ways to retain information.”

Highlighting and re-reading rely on passive learning, which means students aren’t engaging their brains to recall information. Instead, Nick explained, effective revision should focus on active learning, where students test their knowledge and practice retrieving information from memory.

Murray added, “Students might feel good after spending hours copying notes or reading their textbooks, but they’re not challenging their brains. True learning happens when they’re forced to think hard.”

What Is the Most Effective Way to Revise?

Nick outlined three key steps to make revision truly effective:

1. Retrieval Practice:
   This involves actively recalling information from memory. “It’s like flexing a muscle,” Nick said. “The more you practice recalling something, the stronger that memory becomes.” Retrieval practice can include:

• Quizzing: Using platforms like Tassomai, flashcards, or even self-created tests.

• Blank Paper Method: Students can try recreating notes or mind maps from memory before reviewing what they missed.

2. Spaced Practice:
   Spreading revision sessions over time is far more effective than cramming. Murray emphasised, “Think of it like watering a plant. If you pour all the water in one go, it won’t all be absorbed. But smaller amounts over time allow the knowledge to grow - and grow healthily.”

3. Interleaving:
   This means switching between topics during study sessions. For example, instead of spending two hours solely on biology, students can spend four 30-minute sessions on biology, chemistry, English and physics. “Interleaving keeps the brain alert and helps make connections between topics,” explained Nick

The Role of a Productive Environment

Creating the right environment for learning is crucial. Both Murray and Nick agreed that distractions are the biggest enemy of effective revision.

“Phones are the number one culprit,” said Nick. “Even a notification can disrupt focus. Encourage your child to leave their phone in another room during revision sessions.”

They also recommended:

• A quiet, clutter-free workspace.

• Removing distractions like TV or loud music.

• Preparing all study materials in advance to avoid interruptions.

Murray added, “If students insist on listening to music, calm instrumental like LoFi beats or white noise might help - especially if it is blocking out other noise distraction, but anything with lyrics or a lot of dynamic range and sudden noises will only compete for their attention.”

Questions From Parents: How Much Revision Is Enough?

During their chat, Murray and Nick addressed a common question from parents: How much revision should my child be doing?

Nick suggested that at this stage of the school year, students in Year 11 should aim for 30–45 minutes of revision each weekday and a few sessions over the weekend.

“By the Easter holidays, they’ll need to ramp up their efforts,” he said. “But for now, the focus should be on building a routine. Revision is like a marathon, not a sprint.”

For younger students, such as those in Year 10, Murray emphasised the importance of starting small: “Even 10 minutes a day can make a big difference. It’s about forming habits early so that they don’t feel overwhelmed later.”

How Can Parents Support Their Child?

As parents, your role is to help your child stay accountable and create a positive study routine. Nick and Murray shared these tips for parents:

1. Focus on Habits, Not Motivation:
   “Don’t wait for your child to feel motivated to study—it might never happen!” said Murray. Instead, establish a daily habit, even if it’s just 5–10 minutes to start with. Over time, this routine will grow naturally.

2. Celebrate Effort, Not Hours:
   Praise your child for engaging in effective study methods, such as quizzing or practicing past papers, rather than simply clocking hours at their desk.

3. Balance Study with Wellbeing:
   Make sure your child takes regular breaks, gets exercise, and has time to relax. Overloading them with work can lead to burnout and stress, which undermine learning.

Start Making Learning Stick Today

Helping your child revise smarter doesn’t have to be complicated. By encouraging retrieval practice, spaced learning, and interleaving, and by creating the right environment at home, you can set your child up for GCSE success.

As Nick put it, “Most students don’t use these strategies, which means your child can gain a real advantage by doing so. This is about giving them the tools to succeed—not just in exams, but in lifelong learning.”

For more tips and tools to support effective revision, explore the Tassomai blog. If you’re new to our platform, find out how Tassomai can help your child build confidence and master their subjects here. Families can trial Tassomai completely free for 7 days.