When Should My Child Start Studying for an Exam?

Asked by Maureen on our Parent Webinar Series.

Hi Maureen! To effectively manage exam preparation, the timeline depends on the student’s year group and exam type, as this will impact the amount of content being examined. However, breaking down the steps can help guide both parents and students.

Step 1: Ensure Notes Are Complete

The first phase of exam prep involves ensuring that the student has a comprehensive set of notes. Many students' notes are incomplete, either due to missed classes or gaps in content. To avoid these 'swiss cheese' notes, students should compare their notes with the syllabus and catch up on any missing content. This step usually takes around a week for most exams, except final Year 12 exams.

Step 2: Memorisation

Once the notes are complete, students need to memorise the content. The speed of memorisation varies, depending on the student and the volume of content. For 1-2 subjects outside Year 12 exams, one week is generally sufficient, allowing enough time to commit essential facts, theories, and concepts to memory.

Step 3: Practice, Practice, Practice

The final stage involves practising exam-style questions. This prepares students to apply what they've memorised, which is critical in exams where students must analyze and explain, not just recall; no exam ever asks 'list everything you know about Hamlet'. Practice exams and past papers are essential here, and typically one week is adequate for students with one or two subjects. If there are multiple subjects, more time may be needed. This again excludes Year 12 exams.

By structuring exam prep in this way, students can stay on track and avoid last-minute cramming. We provide a full rundown on how to put all of this into practice in our Crash Course on Exam Planning.