Revision and returning to study, worked out in rough
Moor Study is a small independent magazine about learning in the UK: GCSE and A-level revision, going back to qualifications as an adult, and studying at a distance. We show our working, and we link to the rules.
Nobody ever finished a whole timetable. Leave gaps.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before tea | Build a timetablestart here | free | A-level past papers | free | Access to HE Diploma | work | lie-in |
| After tea | free | Does self-testing work?be sceptical | free | GCSEs as an adult | nothing. It's Friday. | Funding distance studycheck the date | catch-up slot |
| Later on | bed | bed | bed | Write for usknow something? | bed | About this book | sleep. Actually. |
- Revision
- Returning to study
- Distance learning
- The magazine itself
Worked example: one 40-minute block
Here is how we would split a block on a topic you half know. It is our suggestion rather than a research finding, though it borrows from the evidence on self-testing and spacing, which is promising but not as settled as you may have heard.
- 5 minutes, blank page. Write down what you remember before opening anything.
- 20 minutes, questions. Real questions, from a past paper if you can get one.
- 10 minutes, mark it. Use the mark scheme, and highlight only what you lost.
- 5 minutes, next time. Turn one mistake into a question, and put the topic back on the timetable a few days on.
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Contents
How to make a revision timetable you will actually keepWork back from the exam dates, keep the blocks short, and leave gaps for the week that goes wrong.
How to use A-level past papers properly, with a worked exampleThree rounds, from single topics to timed papers, and how to mark yourself like an examiner.
Does self-testing work better than rereading your notes?Probably yes, for much of what exams ask you to recall. The classroom evidence is less tidy than the posters suggest.
Can you get student finance for a distance learning degree?Tuition often yes, living costs rarely. The rules change for courses starting from January 2027.
Can you retake a GCSE as an adult, and what does it cost?Yes. The two routes, who pays, and the questions to ask an exam centre before you commit.
What is an Access to HE Diploma, and who is it for?A level 3 course for adults without the usual entry qualifications. The credits, the loan and the UCAS timing.