Mrs Jappy, Head of Science, is no stranger to guiding school pupils through the SQA exam season. She shares her thoughts on how the new science-focused Revision Academies can help enhance your child’s exam performance.

What is a Revision Academy? Revision Academies offer teacher-led study sessions at Robert Gordon’s award-winning science centre in Aberdeen, and are designed to help prepare S4-S6 students for their SQA exams in May. With the SQA exams in a matter of weeks, it is essential that school pupils make best use of their time with the most effective types of revision.  Our sessions are a great way to kickstart your child’s revision programme by helping to develop and enhance understanding of the course whilst also providing practical guidance on exam technique, time management and effective answering strategies.  

What key features make a Revision Academy effective for exam preparation? 

1. Small class sizes
Each session is capped at 12 students, ensuring maximum interaction and a more individualised experience. By reaching out ahead of time, we can identify any key areas of concern and deliver a tailored experience for each child, focusing on their specific needs. Our teachers are highly experienced in providing specific support to both neurotypical and neurodiverse learners.

2. Motivational environment
Sessions are designed to help students get into the mindset of studying by providing an environment where they have a shared focus. The three hour sessions create an atmosphere that allows students to work with direct support from teachers, free from distractions. 

3. Tailored support
Each session is carefully designed to strengthen the student’s toolbox by covering key learning points from the course. By using a range of retrieval practice techniques, students are able to continue working effectively at home. 

4. Practice makes perfect
By practising with specially selected tasks and past paper questions, students will learn how to approach challenging questions, helping to build up confidence and prepare for upcoming exams. We will also employ tried and tested exam techniques to reinforce their existing knowledge and support memory retention.

5. Highly experienced teachers
At Robert Gordon’s College, our results speak for themselves with 95.9% A-C National 5 passes, 82.6% A-B Higher, and 72.2% A-B Advanced Higher. Additionally, 95% of our S6 2024 leavers secured their first choice university place. Our teachers are at the heart of these successes, and they will bring the same standard of care and excellence to the new Revision Academies. 

Understandably, the time leading up to exams can be daunting for both students and parents, with some requiring a little more support than others. Building on the foundations of a Robert Gordon’s College education, Revision Academies have been specifically developed to support the wider North-East community and are open to pupils from any school. 

Revision Academies offer a comprehensive approach to exam preparation, helping students gain the confidence and skills they need to support them through their final exams. If you know of a student who could benefit from teacher-led study sessions to boost their confidence ahead of the final exams, get in touch with us today. Let us help them make the most of this critical revision period.