How to Make the Most of March in the Lead Up to Summer Exams

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By Zayna Dar, Founder, Shuhari Tuition

For students, March often comes round with a growing sense of urgency. The first couple of months of the year might have felt manageable, but by now the reality of summer exams is starting to settle in. The good news is that there’s still time to improve, and if you put the effort in now, you’ll see that work start to pay off when it matters most. At this stage in the year, the focus shifts from covering content to consolidation of content. 

This means reinforcing what you’ve already learnt and making sure it can be recalled accurately under pressure. It also involves identifying your weaker areas and dealing with them while there’s still enough time to close the gaps. Alongside this, students need to become more confident in applying their knowledge in exam-style questions. 

Whether you’re preparing for GCSEs, A levels, or end-of-years, here’s how to make the most of March ahead of your summer exams.

Putting your knowledge into practice

By March, most of the content has been taught, although some topics may still be ongoing. The difference is that you’re no longer encountering concepts for the first time, but instead recalling information, applying knowledge, and making connections between different concepts you learnt earlier in the year. 

This means that your revision methods need to switch gears. Passive revision is no longer enough. Reading notes or highlighting a textbook may feel productive, but it rarely prepares you for your exams. At this stage, your focus should move towards active revision. This involves trying to retrieve information from memory and apply it, using resources such as practice questions or testing yourself with flashcards. 

You can also try ‘blurting’, which is where you read through your notes, hide them, then write down everything you can remember on a blank page. Explaining a concept out loud as if you were teaching it can also help you quickly identify whether your understanding is secure or needs more work. The key is to make sure you’re regularly challenging yourself to recall and apply what you’ve learnt rather than passively reviewing your notes, as this isn’t as effective at improving your exam performance.

Past papers are your best friend

Past papers are one of the most effective tools you can use at this stage of revision. They show you exactly how the syllabus is tested and how questions are structured. Referring to mark schemes can give you insight into what examiners are looking for in a strong answer. Examiners’ reports are also invaluable resources that can reveal the areas that tripped up candidates in previous exam series. Check out this blog post for more information on how to use examiners’ reports and mark schemes to your advantage.

Start by completing questions by topic so that you can focus on specific areas that need improvement. As your confidence grows, move towards full papers completed under timed conditions. Timing yourself as you work through a past paper helps you move from simply knowing content to being able to apply it under exam conditions. It gives you a clearer sense of pacing and helps you get used to the pressure of working within strict time limits.

Creating a study schedule that actually sticks

Revising effectively in March isn’t just about what you do, but how regularly you do it. Progress tends to come from steady, focused sessions that are repeated over time, rather than less frequent but longer periods of study that are harder to maintain. At this stage, it helps to plan your week in advance so that revision becomes an established part of your routine instead of something you decide on the day. 

Having a structured plan means you’re less likely to waste time figuring out what to do and more likely to stay focused on the tasks that are actually productive. It also helps to balance your subjects rather than spending too long on one area just because it feels safe and familiar. Rotating between topics means you’ll be covering each one in sufficient detail instead of concentrating on the topics you’re most comfortable with. 

Using feedback to improve your performance

Feedback from teachers and tutors plays an important role in helping you improve your exam performance. It gives you a clearer understanding of where the gaps in your knowledge are and where you could have picked up more marks. When you receive feedback, take the time to look over it carefully rather than just noting your grade. Check out this blog post on how to review your mock exam feedback to boost your exam performance.

Focus on the comments that explain how your response could be improved, whether that relates to missing key details, the wording of your answer, or how your answer is structured. This helps you understand how to meet examiners’ expectations more consistently. It’s also essential that you act on the feedback in your next assignment or exam. Processing and applying what you’ve been told is what helps you make the most progress.

Protecting your energy

As exams get closer, it becomes increasingly important to manage your energy levels so that you stay focused and your revision remains effective. Studying for long periods without proper breaks can make it harder to concentrate and reduce the quality of your revision, even if it feels like you’re putting in the hours. Building regular breaks into your study sessions helps you maintain concentration and return to your work with a clearer mind. 

Short breaks between focused periods of revision can improve how much information you retain and make it easier to keep up the momentum without getting burnt out. Sleep also plays a key role in how well you perform. Getting enough rest supports memory and concentration, which are both essential when you’re revising for and sitting exams. Maintaining a healthy routine that includes time away from your desk can help you stay productive without becoming overwhelmed. 

Tracking your progress

As you move through March, it’s important to have clarity on how your revision is going. Without tracking your progress, it can be difficult to tell whether you’re improving. Being strategic with your revision is just as important as the effort you put in. Rather than working through topics at random, your focus should be guided by where there’s room for the most improvement. This means doing practice questions and directing more time towards weaker areas.

Keep a record of the topics you’ve covered and how confident you feel with each one. As well as helping you identify where your time is best spent, it also allows you to see how you’ve improved over time, which can be motivating when the workload starts to feel heavy. Gradually you’ll begin to notice improvements in time management, accuracy, and any other areas you were previously struggling with.

Bringing it all together

March is the point in the year where making consistent effort will shape your final outcome. The work you put in now is what builds the knowledge and skills you’ll rely on in the exam hall. Following these steps will give you the best chance of performing well when it counts, and feeling in control of your revision will help you make steady progress in the weeks ahead. One last push can make all the difference. If you’d like extra support in the final couple of months before exams begin, contact our team today.