The half-term revision plan
5 min read · updated 2026-09-01
Half term is the highest-value revision week of the school year: no lessons, no homework from other subjects, and enough time before exams to fix what mocks reveal. Five structured days, done right.
The five-day structure
- ✓ Day 1: full mock (or half-papers) in the weakest subject, marked same day
- ✓ Days 2-4: two 60-90 minute sessions a day on the mock's biggest losses
- ✓ Day 4 afternoon: re-sit the weakest topic questions, improved
- ✓ Day 5: full re-test, compare against day 1, plan the next half term
Balance intensity with actual rest
The plan above is roughly 3-4 focused hours a day, mornings only. Afternoons are genuinely free, and that is deliberate: rested students retain more, and a holiday that becomes a bootcamp poisons the relationship with the subject. Two or three of these intensive weeks a year (autumn half term, Easter, pre-finals) is the pattern.
What NOT to do in half term
Do not cover new content: half term is for consolidating what was taught, which is where exam marks live. Do not schedule six hours a day. And do not spend the whole week on one subject at the expense of others; balance the week across papers.
FAQs
Should we book extra tutoring sessions in half term?＋
It is the best week for intensive support: no school timetable means double sessions are possible. Many families add sessions specifically in autumn and Easter half terms.
How many subjects can one week cover?＋
Two or three well, one superficially. Choose the subjects where the mock data shows the biggest recoverable gaps.
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