How to make an IGCSE revision timetable that works

Write down the date of your first exam and today's date, and count the days between them. That number decides everything else. With 12 weeks you can go slowly through every topic. With 3 weeks you need to jump quickly to past papers.

Next, list your subjects and their topics. The syllabus for each subject lists every topic; use it as your checklist, not a textbook contents page.

Split the time you have into three parts. Roughly:

• Learn (about half the time): go through the topics one by one. Fix gaps. Make short notes or flashcards as you go.
• Practise (about a third): mixed questions and short topic tests. Mixing topics is harder, but it is what the exam does, so it builds real exam memory.
• Past papers (the last fifth, at least a week): full papers under timed conditions, marked with the mark scheme. Then fix every mistake.

Tip: If you are short of time, shrink the Learn phase, not the Past papers phase.

Plan in blocks of about 45 minutes with a 10-minute break. Most students can do 2–3 blocks on a school day and 4–6 on a weekend day. Two focused hours are worth more than five distracted ones.

Rotate subjects: do not spend a whole day on one subject. Switching between subjects makes each session feel fresher and spreads out your practice, which helps you remember more.

Memory fades fast unless you test yourself. Every few days, spend 10 minutes answering questions on topics from last week without looking at your notes. This "retrieval practice" is one of the strongest study methods we know.

1. Close your notes.
2. Write or say everything you remember about one topic, or answer 5 questions on it.
3. Check against your notes and mark the gaps in a different colour.
4. Put the gaps on your mistakes list and revisit them in two or three days.

Every time you get a question wrong, write one line: the topic, what you did wrong, and what the correct step is. Before a past paper, read the list. In the last week, this list is your best revision.

• Do one or two timed papers per subject, not five.
• Read your mistakes list and your formula or keyword notes.
• Check your equipment: calculator (with a new battery), black pen, pencil, ruler, protractor and compasses for maths.
• The night before: light review only and a proper night's sleep. Staying up late costs more marks than it earns.

Everyone falls behind at some point. Do not try to catch up by doubling tomorrow. Instead, move the missed jobs to your next free sessions and drop the lowest-value ones: topics you already know well, or re-reading notes. Protect the past-papers phase.