5 ways to keep GCSE students motivated with revision as the exams loom

Our 5 ideas to keep students motivated with their GCSE maths revision could be just the ticket to keep momentum going. Kick start their enthusiasm today!

It’s a tough job keeping all your GCSE maths students motivated to do some of their own revision before the big day. It’s possible that you and your students won't have a ton of time to revise within lesson time, which puts the revision ball firmly in your students’ courts. In this blog, we explore ways you can step up the momentum and keep your students going!

1. Get them to revision sessions at lunch or after school

Whether you facilitate revision sessions for your students yourself or you have a department-wide approach, we have the motivation hack for you! This tip actually comes from our in-house science teacher, Al Heys,

“Chips. Or pizza. But to really make it worthwhile, you need to make sure they come in with the right intentions. They can’t just be coming for chips. I ensure motivation and good intentions by saying they must come to the revision session with a topic or question that they specifically want to revise written down on a piece of paper. That helps my organisation of the session, and it ensures that everyone is getting something worthwhile out of it. And chips, obviously.”

There you have it: bribery. We joke, of course. But, we love the idea that students are encouraged to come with pre-planned ideas for what they want to revise.

2. Provide different ways of doing revision

It’s great to find methods of revision that work for the individual. But for those that lack motivation, it’s great to provide them with a list of different and creative ways to approach revision. Better yet, encourage students to use a range to help them embed knowledge and skills. Below are some ideas that students might find helpful - but it is in no way exhaustive!

Times Tables Around the House: Tape up multiplication tables in places you frequently visit (e.g., fridge, mirror).

Mind Maps: Use these to visually organise topics like geometry rules or algebra steps.

Practice Past Papers: Attempt full past exam papers under timed conditions.

Topic-Specific Questions: Focus on one topic at a time and complete targeted practice questions.
Maths Journaling: Write down worked examples and explanations in your own words to review later.
Whiteboard Practice: Use a whiteboard to work through problems or jot down key points.
Apps and Online Tools: Signing up to an account with LbQ gives you access to 100s of GCSE resources. For a taster, you can download The Non-negotiables that includes links to resources of topics that absolutely MUST be revised.
Visual Aids: Create posters or charts for formulas, rules, and processes.
Buddy System: Revise with a friend or family member; teach them a concept to reinforce your understanding.
Break It Down: Dedicate a short session to each topic daily instead of long blocks on a single subject.
YouTube Tutorials: Watch explanations of tricky topics.
Sticky Notes: Write key concepts or formulas on sticky notes and place them where you'll see them.
Formula Songs: Create rhymes, songs, or mnemonics to memorise key formulas.
Timed Challenges: Test yourself with rapid-fire questions to build speed and accuracy.
Colour Coding: Use different colors to highlight key points, errors, or steps in problem-solving.

3. Provide them with a list of bare basics that they absolutely must revise.

For some students, the real difficulty with revision is knowing what to revise. If it’s getting close to crunch time, providing students with guidance on what they absolutely must revise can ensure that they at least have the basics covered.

We have put together a free download for students that cover both tiers and an added extra ‘crossover’ version for those that hover in the middle of the two. They each contain a list of topics that, based on previous exams, are likely to come up and/or will provide them with the basics to build on. Each topic also links to free sets of questions, where after every answer, students are given feedback to help them learn and develop as they go along. We call these downloads The Non-negotiables. Get yours today by signing up to our mailing list.

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4. Use real-world context for inspiration

Real-world context helps to engage students in their learning by providing them with the ‘why’. For some, doing well in their exams just isn’t going to cut it - and we think that’s fair enough! Applying concepts to everyday situations also creates stronger associations, making it easier to recall in exams - so really, it’s a win-win.

Encourage students to partake in the following activities in their lives beyond school to aid in their revision:

Budgeting a Holiday: Use percentages, ratios, and conversions to plan expenses, including transport, accommodation, and spending money.
Baking or Cooking: Scale recipes up or down using ratio and proportion, and calculate cooking times.
DIY Projects: Measure and calculate areas for painting or tiling, practicing perimeter and area skills.
Sports Stats: Analyse player performance or team statistics using averages and percentages.
Fitness Tracking: Interpret graphs of distance versus time or calculate calories burned using equations.

5. Looking after their mental health

For some students, getting going with revision in the first place is the issue, For others, it’s burnout. They are stressed, anxious and running on empty. This is where taking care of their mental health can really help their motivation with revision. We love this article from the mental health charity Young Minds, All the revision tips you’ll ever need.

It includes tips like:

Remember rest is crucial when revising
Write your worries down
Start with what you enjoy
Stay realistic
Short bursts, not long hours
Get enough sleep.

It might be worth sharing this web page with your students - especially those who appear to be stressed with their revision.

So there you have it, 5 ways to keep your GCSE maths students motivated from now until the exam. It’s no easy feat - but we’ve got your back in the small ways we can. Get your free copy of The Non-negotiables, or have a trial of LbQ and see the progress of your students soar!