How to Help Your Child Revise for A Levels

Are you looking on from the sidelines while your child struggles with A level revision and wondering how to help? This isn’t unusual: A Levels are a huge step up from GCSEs. They’re really important and very challenging, so of course you want to support your child as much as possible. 

In this guide, we’ll go through why A Level revision is challenging and all the ways you can be supportive. It will allow you to help your child revise for A Levels with confidence. 

Key Takeaways

• Effective revision relies on evidence-based techniques like active recall and spaced repetition — both of which you can support without knowing the subject content.

• Your main role is to support organisation, wellbeing, and motivation rather than micromanaging the studying.

• Noticing early signs of burnout and setting healthy study–rest boundaries prevents exhaustion.

• High-quality revision resources written by real examiners can significantly boost confidence and efficiency.

Why A Level Revision Is So Demanding

A Levels are a huge step up from GCSEs. Students face a much larger volume of content, spread across two years, and the expectation shifts from simple recall to analysis, evaluation, and application. Because university offers often depend on specific grades, the pressure is higher too.

Most students juggle three or four subjects with different exam boards and assessment styles, so revision can quickly become overwhelming. This is why effective preparation must begin months — not weeks — before exams. Understanding the scale of the challenge helps you support your child realistically and prevent last-minute panic.

How Much Should Parents Be Involved?

Finding the right balance is challenging. Think of yourself as an facilitator, not a manager. They must own their revision — this builds resilience and prepares them for university. But your emotional and practical support is still hugely valuable.

When to step in:

• Missed deadlines, disorganisation, or no clear plan

• Overwhelm or inability to break tasks down

• Signs of poor wellbeing

• When they request targeted help (quizzing, proofreading)

When to step back:

• If their system works for them, even if it’s not your way

• When progress is happening, even if slow

• If your involvement causes friction

• When they need to learn from small mistakes

Often the most powerful support is simply being present and emotionally available.

Helping Your Child Stay Organised

Organisation is the foundation of effective revision, and this is where parents can make the biggest difference without touching the content.

Create a good study environment:
A quiet, well-lit, consistent space matters far more than a dedicated study room. Minimise interruptions, ensure they have everything they need (folders, stationery, access to resources), and keep the area tidy. We have a handy guide to creating the perfect study space that will be useful. 

Planning tools:
Students differ wildly in what organisational systems work for them. Some love colour-coded timetables; others prefer simple to-do lists. Digital tools like Google Calendar or Notion work for some; physical planners for others, like our free weekly planner (opens in a new tab). 

Creating a Realistic A Level Revision Timetable

A revision timetable should feel achievable, not overwhelming. Here's a sample structure you can adapt together:

Sample Weekly Revision Timetable

Key principles for effective timetables:

• Rotate subjects daily: Avoid spending entire days on one subject. Mixing subjects helps maintain focus and allows information to consolidate between sessions.

• Build in breaks: The human brain can't maintain intense focus for hours on end. Regular 15-30 minute breaks prevent burnout and actually improve retention.

• Schedule the hardest content for peak energy times: Most people focus best in the morning, so tackle demanding topics then.

• Include review sessions: Friday afternoon's review time allows your child to identify gaps and fix misunderstandings before they become ingrained.

• Keep weekends flexible: One full day off per week is essential for mental health. Reserve Sundays for lighter review or catching up if needed.

• Leave buffer time: Life happens. Build in spare slots so that missed sessions don't derail the entire plan.

The most important thing about any timetable is flexibility. If it's not working after a week, adjust it together. The goal is sustainable progress, not rigid perfection. Our article on how to build an A Level revision timetable will help

What Effective Revision Looks Like

Many students simply don’t know how to revise effectively. Evidence shows that the most powerful techniques feel harder — but that’s why they work.

Active Recall

Active recall means retrieving information from memory rather than rereading notes. Studies repeatedly show it dramatically improves long-term retention. Rereading feels productive but creates shallow learning; testing yourself strengthens memory pathways. The blurting method is one form of active recall, for example.

Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition means spacing out study sessions over time. Research demonstrates (opens in a new tab) that it is far more effective than cramming. Revisiting topics at increasing intervals allows the brain to consolidate knowledge.

For more ideas, Save My Exams has a wealth of revision tips.

How Parents Can Encourage Effective Techniques

You don’t need subject knowledge to help your child revise well. You can guide them towards methods that work:

• Flashcards encourage repeated retrieval. Save My Exams has a flashcard bank.

• Past papers build exam confidence and show exactly what examiners want. Save My Exams provides a bank of past papers with model answers written by real examiners, so students can see where marks are gained and lost.

• Self-testing reveals gaps far better than rereading.

• The Feynman Technique (teaching the topic aloud) exposes weak understanding.

• One-page summaries written from memory consolidate knowledge.

Subject-specific tips:

STEM subjects: prioritise problem-solving, formula practice, diagrams, and topic-specific question banks.

Essay subjects: practise timed essays, build quotation banks, focus on planning and argument structures.

Languages: consistent vocabulary work, speaking aloud, immersion through media, and tackling common grammar errors.

Save My Exams’ question banks and AI-powered Smart Mark help students identify mistakes quickly, making revision more targeted and efficient.

Looking After Their Wellbeing

Grades matter — but not more than health. Stress is normal during A Levels, but sustained burnout is dangerous and counterproductive.

Recognising Burnout

Watch out for:

• Trouble sleeping

• Irritability or tearfulness

• Withdrawal from friends/family

• Persistent fatigue, headaches, stomach aches

• Loss of interest in normal activities

• Perfectionism or catastrophising

• Inability to focus

If multiple signs appear in your child, it’s time to step in.

Protect the Basics

Sleep: 8–9 hours is ideal. Late-night cramming sabotages memory and concentration.

Exercise: Even 20 minutes a day boosts mood and cognition.

Nutrition: Provide balanced meals and healthy snacks to keep energy stable.

Boundaries: Encourage limits like no studying after 9pm or keeping Sundays free. Rest isn’t optional — it’s when consolidation happens.

Motivation Without Pressure

Sustained revision is hard. Motivation will naturally rise and fall. Your aim is to encourage effort without adding stress.

What Helps

• Praise effort, not outcomes

• Set small, achievable goals for steady momentum

• Use positive reinforcement (a film night, favourite meal)

• Avoid comparisons with siblings or peers

• Use supportive language, such as:

  • “What can I do to support you today?”

  • “It’s okay to find this hard.”

  • “Let’s break this into smaller steps.”

What to Avoid

• “You should be doing more.”

• “Your friend is miles ahead.”

• “You’ll regret it if you don’t get the grades.”

• “I’m disappointed.”

These comments create fear rather than progress. Send them our free Exam Anxiety Relief Kit to help them navigate exam worry, too.

When to Seek Extra Help

Sometimes, despite everyone's best efforts, your child needs additional support. Here's how to identify when and how to get it.

Signs that extra help might be needed:

• Consistently low marks in a particular subject despite effort

• Significant gaps in foundational knowledge that self-study can't fill

• Rapid approach of exams with major content still not understood

• Loss of confidence that's affecting their willingness to engage with the subject

• Specific learning needs that require specialist teaching approaches

Types of support available:

School resources: Most schools offer revision sessions, one-to-one support with teachers, or access to subject clinics during lunch breaks and after school. These are usually free and taught by people who know your child's strengths and weaknesses. Encourage your child to attend these sessions — they're often underused despite being incredibly valuable.

Private tutoring: Can provide intensive, personalised support but comes at significant cost. Look for tutors with recent experience in the specific exam board your child is taking. Ask for a trial session before committing to multiple lessons.

Online revision platforms: Save My Exams offers a middle ground between expensive tutoring and generic online videos. Their resources are created by experienced teachers and real examiners who've marked thousands of actual exam papers. This means students get examiner insights on exactly what's required for top marks. 

What makes Save My Exams especially effective is that all the different tools and resources align precisely to exam board specifications. Students don't waste time on irrelevant content or miss crucial topics. This is why 95% of members say Save My Exams makes their revision less stressful (According to our survey of 1917 students in September 2025).

How to raise the subject gently: If you think your child needs extra help, approach it sensitively. Rather than "You're failing, we need to get a tutor," try "I've noticed you're finding Physics really challenging this term. Would it help to explore some extra support options together?"

Let them have input in the decision. They're more likely to engage with support they've helped choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours should they revise per day?

There’s no universal rule, but quality beats quantity.

• Year 13 term time: 2–3 hours daily outside lessons

• Study leave/holidays: 4–6 hours, broken into focused sessions

• Year 12: generally less, as content is still being learned

Encourage focused 25–50 minute sessions with breaks, as per the Pomodoro technique, to keep their brain fresh and focused. Endless hours of passive work achieve little. 

Our article on how long to revise for A levels will dive deeper.

What if they refuse to revise?

Start by identifying the cause: overwhelm, burnout, anxiety, or low motivation.

• Help them plan the next few days only.

• Remind them revision exists to find gaps, not expose failure.

• Use gentle accountability (study groups, check-ins, online trackers).

If refusal persists close to exams, discuss whether they’re ready — this isn’t failure but realism.

Do I need to understand the subjects?

No. Your value lies in providing:

• Organisation

• Routine

• A calm, supportive presence

• Help with flashcards

• Willingness to listen

• Monitoring wellbeing

Should I take their phone away?

Confiscation rarely works and damages trust. Instead, help them choose strategies:

• Freedom/Forest apps

• Phone in another room

• Agreed phone breaks

• Notification off

• A study space away from distractions

If they genuinely can’t self-regulate, agree temporary restrictions together. Our article on how to avoid distractions while studying will help. 

What if they’re too stressed to revise?

If anxiety is overwhelming:

Immediately:

• Take 24–48 hours completely off

• Do something enjoyable together

• Encourage exercise and sleep

• Provide reassurance

Longer term:

• Start with 15-minute sessions

• Rebuild confidence through topics they know

• Involve the school, GP, or counsellor if needed

If stress remains severe, ask the school about adjustments or special consideration.

Final Thoughts

Supporting your child through A Level revision requires a blend of empathy, structure, and calm. You don’t need subject expertise — your presence, encouragement, and guidance are far more influential.

By steering them toward evidence-based techniques like active recall and spaced repetition, protecting their wellbeing, and using the right resources, you’re giving them the tools they need not just for A Levels, but for the independent study skills that define success at university and beyond.

There will be tough days, wobbles, and moments of doubt. But with balanced support — not pressure — your child can approach their exams with confidence, resilience, and a sense of control over their learning.

References 

Evidence of the Spacing Effect and Influences on Perceptions of Learning and Science Curricula - PMC (opens in a new tab)