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Actual practical sixth form advice thread!!!
I’ve just finished year 12 with 3 A*s predicted and given that it’s GCSE results day, I thought I’d give some advice based on how I got through the year!!
1. USE YOUR FREES
Don’t go out or play cards or whatever during them, work in the library in your frees. Focus especially on getting your homework done in this time!! I did this from the start and I’m SO grateful I did. Has helped so much with my time management!
Don’t go out or play cards or whatever during them, work in the library in your frees. Focus especially on getting your homework done in this time!! I did this from the start and I’m SO grateful I did. Has helped so much with my time management!
2. MAKE YOUR NOTES FROM THE START
Again, something I’m so grateful I did. There’s always notes you can be doing in your frees even if you don’t have homework, and it’ll help soooo much later on!!
Again, something I’m so grateful I did. There’s always notes you can be doing in your frees even if you don’t have homework, and it’ll help soooo much later on!!
3. Pack your bag and choose your outfit the night before!!
You don’t want to be stressing in the morning as that’ll put you in a bad mindset for lessons - plus if you sleep early like me it helps a lot to get you into a routine!
You don’t want to be stressing in the morning as that’ll put you in a bad mindset for lessons - plus if you sleep early like me it helps a lot to get you into a routine!
4. Perhaps my holy grail of advice, USE A DAY FOLDER!!!
A day folder basically has a section for each of your subjects (I also had one for miscellaneous letters and a section for lined and plain paper). This is so practical as you only have to take one folder -
A day folder basically has a section for each of your subjects (I also had one for miscellaneous letters and a section for lined and plain paper). This is so practical as you only have to take one folder -
4(cont) into school/college each day rather than lugging about 3/4 massive lever arches. Then once you’ve finished using something in a section of your day folder you can move it into a bigger lever arch file for your subject (which I’ll come into)!! My back is grateful for this!
5. ORGANISE YOUR FOLDERS WELL!!!
When I say well, I mean have things logically organised for how you learn best. I have a different folder for each component in my subjects, and for English Lit I divide each text into two file sections: notes/resources and essays!
When I say well, I mean have things logically organised for how you learn best. I have a different folder for each component in my subjects, and for English Lit I divide each text into two file sections: notes/resources and essays!
6. (If you’re planning to go) THINK ABOUT UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS FROM EARLY ON!!
It probably sounds very scary but it’ll help so much earlier on. It doesn’t even need to be in a serious sense - just be mindful of what you’re interested in in your subjects and what you can do.
It probably sounds very scary but it’ll help so much earlier on. It doesn’t even need to be in a serious sense - just be mindful of what you’re interested in in your subjects and what you can do.
6(cont) Another good thing to do is go to masterclasses etc from early on, as well as keep reading around your subject as much as you can!! Very glad I did this as it gave me a much clearer view of my interests.
(If any incoming year 12s are interested in doing History and Politics or German hmu!! I can offer some advice as a current applicant!)
7. DON’T BE AFRAID TO TALK TO YOUR TUTORS/TEACHERS!!
You are defo treated as more like an adult in sixth form and you generally form a better bond with teachers, so don’t be afraid to ask them for help, reading advice etc if you need it!!
You are defo treated as more like an adult in sixth form and you generally form a better bond with teachers, so don’t be afraid to ask them for help, reading advice etc if you need it!!
8. Especially for essay subjects, READ AROUND YOUR SUBJECTS!!
If there’s an area you’re particularly interested in, read more into it!! This will help bulk out parts of your essays and if you can throw in some good bits of information not taken from the textbook it’ll look brill
If there’s an area you’re particularly interested in, read more into it!! This will help bulk out parts of your essays and if you can throw in some good bits of information not taken from the textbook it’ll look brill
8(cont) So for example I do German history and the Nazis as part of my History course, and I became quite interested in their policies towards women and motherhood. From that I went on to find out more about things like the Lebensborn programme through reading!!
8(cont) As someone who does three essay subjects, there’s always more you can know so it’s good to focus extra reading on areas you’re particularly interested in. Also good for English Lit if you can learn about specific literary theories - e.g. structuralism, postmodernism!!
9. THINK SERIOUSLY BEFORE TAKING 4 SUBJECTS
Genuinely so important - you might think it doesn’t sound much because you did 10ish at GCSE but it is a LOT. I began with three subjects and added on an EPQ and German classes, and I have much less time to do all the work I want to.
Genuinely so important - you might think it doesn’t sound much because you did 10ish at GCSE but it is a LOT. I began with three subjects and added on an EPQ and German classes, and I have much less time to do all the work I want to.
9(cont) Think about whether four subjects is necessary for your uni course, balancing it with other commitments etc. Three subjects is what most universities look for for basically any course; adding an extra on can mean you spread yourself too thin and damage your performance.
10. REVISE PROPERLY FOR MOCKS, TESTS ETC.
Revising properly for any tests/mocks you have will help in terms of recalling the info later on. Also helps as your revision for these can be making resources you’ll use later on!!
Revising properly for any tests/mocks you have will help in terms of recalling the info later on. Also helps as your revision for these can be making resources you’ll use later on!!
11. REVISION DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NEAT!!
Yes pretty notes look nice (I’m guilty of making them) but some of the best revision is done through active recall in exercises such as blurting (where you make an impromptu mindmap to recall the info). Doesn’t need to look nice!!
Yes pretty notes look nice (I’m guilty of making them) but some of the best revision is done through active recall in exercises such as blurting (where you make an impromptu mindmap to recall the info). Doesn’t need to look nice!!
12. PRIORITISE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH!!
Your mental health always comes first. Sixth form is incredibly stressful and it’s okay to take a break if you need to. Often if you take a break you’ll feel a LOT better for it and you’ll be in a better mindset for later work.
Your mental health always comes first. Sixth form is incredibly stressful and it’s okay to take a break if you need to. Often if you take a break you’ll feel a LOT better for it and you’ll be in a better mindset for later work.
13. DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF
Don’t worry about how other people are doing - people learn differently, and have different trajectories in terms of marks. Learn from your own mistakes and only look at others’ progress in a constructive manner!!
Don’t worry about how other people are doing - people learn differently, and have different trajectories in terms of marks. Learn from your own mistakes and only look at others’ progress in a constructive manner!!
14. AVOID STUDYTUBE/STUDYGRAM ETC!!!!
Some of these are really helpful in terms of realistic advice and motivation (I’m a big fan of Eve Bennett and Jack Edwards) but some also promote VERY toxic ideas of ‘productivity’ and give the idea you need to be working constantly.
Some of these are really helpful in terms of realistic advice and motivation (I’m a big fan of Eve Bennett and Jack Edwards) but some also promote VERY toxic ideas of ‘productivity’ and give the idea you need to be working constantly.
14(cont) This is so detrimental for your mental health and I know that it put me into a really toxic mindset in which I made myself sick from working so much. Use them for motivation and actual tips but avoid those that constantly post about how 
productive they are.
productive they are.
I might add to this if I come up with more but this is it off the top of my head!! I hope this has been helpful for someone (if not it kept me from boredom lol). I’m always here if u have any questions!!!
Feel free to add to this as well!! There’s some super useful advice on the replies :)
