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How to make a revision timetable: strategies that really work.

As your academic career progresses, the art of effective revision is a crucial skill.

But to craft a well-structured and realistic revision timetable you’ve got to find your way through a maze of study advice and options. 

For instance, how much revision is too much ? How far should you break-down each subject? Are you planning ahead enough or setting unachievable goals? And do revision timetables really make a difference anyway?

In this guide, we’ll explore how to make a revision timetable that not only keeps you on track but enhances your study experience and your grades.

Ready? Let’s get scheduling.

Table of Contents

How to make a revision timetable

There are two main aspects to making a successful revision timetable. Firstly, craft your study roadmap by compiling a detailed list of everything (yes, absolutely everything!) you need to revise. Secondly, put time management techniques to work with time-blocking, realistic expectations and prioritising “active rest”.

Up for the challenge? Here’s how to create a revision timetable that really works.

How do I make my own study timetable?

1. start with a detailed revision list.

When figuring out what to include in your revision timetable, go beyond broad subjects. Break-down topics into granular details. The more in-depth, the better. 

Double-check everything against your subject specifications and make sure to tick everything off as you go along. Trust us, it’s very satisfying.

2. Prioritise topics strategically

Start with the trickiest subjects first to avoid any last-minute panic. Identify any areas of weakness and prioritise them in your schedule.

Having said this, it’s also important to ensure everything is covered eventually. So don’t leave any topics out or content crammed into the last minute either!

3. Create small, manageable chunks

Use time-blocking techniques for focused and efficient study sessions. This involves dividing your study sessions into specific tasks, making revision more manageable.

Set realistic goals and track your progress effectively. This should all be clearly listed (and easily checked off) in your revision timeline.

4. Include the How , not just the What

Think beyond the subject content and plan how you’ll tackle each topic. For instance, will one revision session focus on organising notes while you work on memorisation, past papers or timed essay writing in another?

Experiment with different approaches to find what works best for each subject – keeping your schedule flexible and adaptable.

5. Understand your own attention span

Attention span is different for everyone, but be realistic about the amount of time you can study at once. Many students find shorter, focused sessions helpful.

When planning your time, also account for personal commitments, family obligations and any clubs you don’t want to miss. It’s your revision timetable after all, so it needs to suit your circumstances!

6. Block out your diary effectively

Yes, your revision timetable needs to suit your circumstances. But as you get closer to exams, have another look at your diary. Is there any way to prioritise revision by blocking out dedicated time?

Whatever schedule you decide, communicate this with family and friends to minimise interruptions.

7. Schedule well-deserved breaks

A good revision timetable recognises the importance of self-care in maintaining focus and well-being.

So include breaks for relaxation, physical activity or socialising. These enjoyable activities will rejuvenate your mind and avoid burnout, so you can focus on consistent, effective exam preparation.

8. Regularly review and adjust

A revision timetable isn’t a static thing that you create one day, and then it’s done. Periodically assess your progress and adjust your timetable accordingly.

As you get started with revision, identify any areas you need to focus on and redistribute study time. Stay flexible and adapt your schedule to meet evolving needs – and you’ll ensure success for the long-run.

Ultimately, your revision timetable should be more than a mere schedule. It’s a tailored roadmap designed to navigate the complexities of exam preparation, your personal circumstances and learning style. 

If you’re getting started with revision, don’t miss our subject-specific guides for GCSE Maths , English Literature and Language as well as 10 tips for getting an A at A Level .

Revision Rules: How to find a strategy that works for you

Before you finalise your revision timetable, there are a few different approaches to scheduling study time and breaks. 

There’s the 20/20/20 rule, the 80/20 rule and the 2/3/5/7 rule… and yes, it can all feel a bit confusing at first. 

So here’s a quick guide to each of the main approaches, so you can find out what works best for you. 

What is the 2 3 5 7 study rule?

The 2 3 5 7 revision rule is a holistic approach prioritising a well-rounded study strategy. 

It suggests dedicating two hours to understanding the material, then three hours actively practicing what you’ve learned. 

To embed learning, spend five hours teaching (or just explaining) the content to someone else. Breaking this time into chunks with a study group will make this feel more manageable. 

Finally, take seven hours to review and reinforce the material yourself.

This rule capitalises on different ways of learning (reading, writing and active discussion) to deepen understanding, engagement and retention.

Don’t have time to commit to the full 2,3,5,7 hours? Just think in terms of percentages and break-down whatever time you have available.

What is the 80 20 rule in revision?

Also known as the “ Pareto Principle ”, the 80-20 rule asserts that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. 

So what exactly does this mean?

Well, in the context of revision, you should identify and prioritise the most critical 20% of your study material. 

By focusing on the most impactful topics (perhaps any “core” content) or personal areas of weakness, you’ll optimise your study time for maximum effectiveness. This makes revision sessions more targeted and results-oriented.

What is the 20 20 20 rule in revision?

The 20-20-20 rule in revision is a guideline to prevent eye strain and maintain focus during study sessions. 

It recommends taking a break every 20 minutes by diverting your gaze to something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This break helps alleviate eye fatigue caused by prolonged screen or book exposure. 

Implementing the 20-20-20 rule fosters a healthier study environment, reducing eye strain and promoting sustained concentration during extended study sessions.

Planning your time: How long to spend revising

So, you know what you have to study. You’ve also got an idea about study rules and strategies.

Now, how much time should you allocate on your revision timetable?

How many hours a day should I revise for GCSEs?

The ideal duration for GCSE revision varies from person to person, based on individual preferences, available time and study habits.

On average though, students often find success with 2 to 3 hours of focused revision per day. This might even out with less on a school day and more at the weekend, but you’ll quickly find your own rhythm and know what’s achievable for you.

Having said this, it’s crucial to prioritise quality over quantity , ensuring revision is concentrated and tailored to your specific needs. 

As we’ve discussed above, consistency is key. Breaking down revision into manageable chunks spread across various subjects (as well as some much-needed time to yourself) will help keep things on track.

How many hours a day should I revise for A Levels?

A Levels demand a more in-depth understanding of subjects, requiring an increased commitment to revision. 

On average, aiming for 3 to 5 hours of revision per day is a reasonable target. However, the optimal duration varies based on the complexity of your subjects, individual learning styles and personal circumstances.

Again, it’s essential to strike a balance, ensuring time spent revising is both productive and sustainable over an extended period.

Is three hours of revision a day enough?

In short, yes! It certainly can be. 

But ask yourself, is it enough for you? Will you cover all the content you need, leaving plenty of time for memorisation and review?

Three hours of revision per day can be sufficient if those hours are highly focused and efficient. The quality of your study sessions matters more than the quantity of time spent. 

Even if you’ve just got a couple of hours each day, you should still plan specific revision tasks, prioritise areas of weakness and incorporate active learning techniques. 

Is seven hours of revision too much?

While commitment to studies is commendable, seven hours of revision per day may risk burnout and reduced effectiveness. 

The key is finding a balance that allows for sustained focus without compromising well-being. Incorporating breaks, diverse activities (whatever it is you enjoy!) and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are essential components of a successful revision strategy.

It’s crucial to listen to your body and mind, adapting study routines to ensure productivity without too much stress.

Final touches: How to craft an effective revision timetable

You’ve made it! With a firm idea of how to make a timetable and strategies for making your revision the most effective it can be – it’s time to start writing your plan.

What does a good revision table look like?

A well-crafted revision timetable is a visual roadmap that enhances organisation and productivity. 

It should be as clear as possible, allowing for easy readability and quick reference. A simple table layout is often best. Many students also find color-coding beneficial, assigning different colors to various subjects or tasks to create a visual hierarchy. 

Whether handwritten or created using online tools , the timetable should resonate with your personal preferences. You’ll have to look at it everyday for sometime to come after all!

While handwritten timetables provide a tangible connection, online tools offer flexibility and easy adjustments.

Whatever look you go for, place your timetable in a prominent location, such as on your desk or pinned to a wall, ensuring it remains a constant visual reminder of your study goals.

Do revision timetables work?

Yes. Absolutely.

When approached thoughtfully, revision timetables can be highly effective tools for successful exam preparation. They provide structure, promote consistency and manage your time efficiently. A good revision timetable will  help you not only understand what you need to know, but how you’ll get there.

However a word of caution, a revision timetable’s effectiveness solely depends on your commitment to following the schedule and making any necessary adjustments. 

Ultimately, a revision timetable is a dynamic tool that, when used strategically, can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your study routine.

Want to create a study plan that really works?

Start your revision journey with confidence with academic coaching . Tailored for GCSE and A Level success, our coaching goes beyond conventional approaches. We provide personalised guidance and strategies to elevate your study experience and ensure long-term success. Get in touch today to discover how we can help.

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How To Study: The Power of Retrospective Revision Timetables

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Revision timetables are often praised as the best way to structure your time in a coherent, logical manner. It’s certainly true that they can have some benefits and I know that revision timetables can work for some people – that’s absolutely fine.

But are we using them in the correct way? Is the standard ‘prospective’ timetable really the most effective technique? I don’t believe so.

The Standard “Prospective” Timetable

Prospective means “looking forward” — we plan out our schedule by writing our dates in advance along with the topics we want to cover. I used this method back before GCSEs, like many students still do and, as time went by, found three main problems with this approach.

• This standard method requires us to look into the future and work out what topics we think we’re going to have issues with.  For some, this might be crystal clear but, for most of us, it’s pretty unrealistic. Laying out topics beforehand may lead to either needlessly repeating subjects, or not covering our weakest topics enough. Also, occasionally life just gets in the way. We can’t help that. A friend’s birthday or unexpected emergencies can interrupt our entire schedule and render our neatly organised timetable useless.
• Prospective timetables encourage us to think of revision as a function of time rather than topics.  It doesn’t really matter how we fill our time. What matters is understanding the content. Rather than thinking “each day I need to get three topics done”, I find it helpful to think “what topics do I need to work to improve”.
• Actually creating the timetable.  Personally, I used to view this as an exercise in procrastination — we’re putting off studying by working on a neatly organised timetable and playing with highlighters to create a schedule that 9 times out of 10 we won’t even follow! Sounds a little absurd to me! Friends of mine even managed to put off studying for weeks by rationalising that a timetable needed to be created first. The lack of activation energy engaged them in a damaging cycle of procrastination that does nobody any good when exams are fast approaching!

So, if the common prospective timetable is unhelpful, what should we be doing? Enter retrospective timetabling.

The Retrospective Timetable

Retrospective revision timetables reverse the conventional method. Rather than starting with a timeline of dates, we start with a list of subjects and topics that we have compiled through scoping our subject.

This method of scoping your course is, in itself, a very valuable use of time. A subject can often seem daunting until it’s broken down into its constituent parts.

My Spaced Repetition Spreadsheet System, which you can read about  here , is an example of a retrospective timetable in action. The approach involves making a sheet for each subject and, in the first column of each spreadsheet, you list all the topics for that subject.

Once you’ve done this, the spreadsheet system is very simple. In essence, every time you study a topic and, crucially, test yourself through actively recall, then you write the current date in the column corresponding to that topic in the spreadsheet.

After repeating this exercise, you build up a list of repetitions as well as a table which enables you to keep track of not only when you last studied that topic but, by colour coding each topic based on your comprehension, you can start to rank how confident you are for each area of the course.

By inputting dates into my spreadsheet as well as colour coding my understanding, each morning I can look through my lists, identify which topics have a red mark by them and/or haven’t been covered for a few days, and then work on those topics for that day.

Over time, we develop a deeper understanding of all of our topics and, by working on our weakest areas each day we’re tackling the content that we find most difficult which is therefore more cognitively demanding and hence more effective at improving our long-term memory.

But you may be wondering how should you approach your spreadsheet? The first thing to do is start with what you DON’T know.

We often gravitate towards topics that we feel comfortable studying because we know the basic principles and it feels easier. But for your revision to be effective, you have to keep reminding yourself to study topics that you are  least  comfortable with.

For example, I started with the final topic in the textbook and then worked my way back. By starting at the end of the textbook or even at a random point in the course, it encourages you to study topics that are more cognitively demanding. That said, you may find the first few topics particularly difficult and so it would be better for you to concentrate on those.

The KEY POINT is to  avoid starting with topics that you already feel that you have a good grasp of  – whilst it may feel satisfying, it’s not mentally taxing and, as I’ve said elsewhere,  learning is most effective when we’re engaging in cognitively demanding study .

The more effort it takes you to learn a topic and the more effort it takes you to actively recall information – the stronger that information is going to get encoded in your long-term memory.

Personally, I also found that it was better for me to blitz through a topic, test myself and repeat this process for 10 different areas on a single day rather than spend hours focussed on a single topic.

It’s easy to get too focussed on one topic and fall into the trap of Parkinson’s Law whereby “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”.

An approach which aims to target multiple areas on the same day can help to prevent you from getting caught up in one complex area.

In fact, this approach where you switch tasks and subjects regularly rather than ‘blocking’ numerous hours/days trying to learn a single topic is a form of  ‘interleaving’ .

It might appear somewhat counterintuitive and it’s hard to convince yourself to take this approach, but there has been evidence in both sport and academia which shows that it’s more efficient and effective as, over time, it constructs a stronger knowledge base.

It certainly worked for me – please give it a try for a few days at least and I’d be surprised if you didn’t see some benefits!

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To summarise, the main reasons why I prefer a retrospective approach to timetable over the classic prospective timetables are:

• We don’t have to look into the future.
• We can see an overview of our topics as well as our confidence with each topic.
• It encourages us to think of our studying in terms of topics, instead of time.
• It’s easy to construct one of these spreadsheets that it spares us the cognitive effort of having to look weeks into the future.
• It accounts for unpredictable events that could offset our entire calendar.

I understand that everyone is different and timetables do work for some people but if you’re finding that your standard ‘prospective’ timetable doesn’t really work then perhaps try the retrospective spreadsheet system.

Give it a go and let me know how it works out for you.

About The Author

I'm an ex-doctor turned YouTuber, Podcaster, entrepreneur and author. I've been creating YouTube videos for over 7 years and have a following of over 4 million over on my main channel.

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How to make a GCSE Revision Timetable

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2 months ago

• 1 . What is a GCSE Revision Timetable – and Why Should You Use One?
• 2 . How to Use a Revision Timetable
• 3 . How Many Hours Should You Revise For Each Day?
• 4 . Eight Revision Timetable Tips for GCSE Exam Success
• 5 . How to Create your GCSE Revision Timetable in Seven Simple Steps
• 6 . Achieving your GCSE Revision Goals

It's normal to feel overwhelmed or struggle to manage your time effectively when preparing for your GCSEs, but revision doesn't have to be stressful. Creating a personalised GCSE revision timetable is one of the best ways to break subjects into manageable chunks, prioritise and organise revision topics, and put you in control of your study. In this article, I’ll be using my experience as a teacher of more than 20 years to share some top tips for revision planning. I’ve also included a free GCSE Revision Timetable Template for you to download at the end of the article.

Save My Exams offers a wealth of GCSE revision materials, including study notes, topic questions, and past papers that cover most GCSE subjects. You could also take a look at our GCSE Revision Guidance , written by an experienced teacher and GCSE specialist.

What is a GCSE Revision Timetable – and Why Should You Use One?

A GCSE revision timetable is a plan that covers all of the preparation you need to do in time for your exams. 

Teachers and former GCSE students recommend you start preparing six months before the exams begin, though it’s never too late to start. Short, regular revision sessions are usually much more productive than cramming or leaving everything to the last minute, so getting started on your revision timetable well in advance is a good strategy. 

A revision timetable also allows for the fact that you probably have other commitments alongside your revision. Planning ahead means that you can schedule the activities you love alongside your exam preparation. Allowing time to relax and enjoy yourself will make revision less of a daunting prospect and, in my experience, is likely to make you more productive.

How to Use a Revision Timetable

Revision timetables are most useful when they’re adaptable. If your initial plan isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to change it. As you’re working through past papers, you may identify extra revision topics, or discover that you’re already well-practised in some topic areas. Revisit your revision timetable to reflect this. 

Share your revision timetable with your family. They can support you, give you encouragement, give you space, and get you back on track if you’re losing focus.

If you’ve created a digital revision timetable, print out the latest version and stick it on your wall. Having a visual reminder can help you focus and is hard to ignore!

How Many Hours Should You Revise For Each Day?

The amount of time you should dedicate to focused revision depends on your own revision goals and personal circumstances. 

You need to consider school commitments, homework, coursework, your sporting or social activities, and other important things you have to do. You may need to cut back on some leisure activities for a short time, but I don’t recommend you stop them completely. 

Once you can see the time you have spare, you can build a realistic revision timetable that is focused on what you want to achieve. If you are able to set aside a few hours of revision on most days, you’re probably in a good place, with many education practitioners suggesting a minimum of one and a half hours of focused revision per week for each of your GCSE subjects.

Some schools allow students to take study leave in the run-up to GCSE exams. When you’re building your revision timetable, use this extra time wisely. 

Get up and get started nice and early. You will have exams that begin at 9 am, so it’s a good idea to get into the habit of working hard during the morning. 

Don’t be tempted to work too late. You need to make sure you’re well-rested so that you can concentrate. 

Barnaby Lenon, a former headteacher of Harrow School, advises that you should aim for around seven hours of revision per day during the spring break and periods of study leave. 

Clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause advises timetabling in meaningful periods of rest , preferably with the opportunity to get some fresh air.

Eight Revision Timetable Tips for GCSE Exam Success

1. set your revision goals.

What do you want to achieve with your revision? 

Do you have certain weaknesses you’d like to tackle? Have you got gaps in knowledge? Are you aiming to achieve a particular grade? Do you need to focus on specific skills? 

Take some time to determine the goals that you’re hoping to achieve in each subject area. This will help you work out the steps you need to take and provide a framework for your revision timetable. 

2. Prioritise subjects

You need to decide which subjects require the most attention. 

Which subjects do you find more challenging and need to be allocated more time? In which subjects have you performed less well in mock tests? Which subjects require a specific grade in order to allow you to pursue a chosen course after your GCSEs? 

These subjects should be your priorities when you’re building your revision timetable.

3. Use colour coding to differentiate between subjects

To identify the different subjects, use highlighters, coloured pencils, or highlighting tools if you’re using a digital revision timetable. This will help you to see, at a glance, your priorities for the day.

4. Break subjects down into topics

Break down each of your subjects into small revision topics. This will allow you to focus on each section individually and avoid feeling overwhelmed. 

Each topic presents a smaller goal that can help motivate you, and it’s easier to retain manageable chunks of knowledge than a whole syllabus.

5. Allocate revision time slots

Once you have blocked out times for other commitments, you can allocate a number of sessions to each subject and topic per week. Avoid planning to spend too long on one task or topic; your brain needs an opportunity to process the information that you have been studying.

If you’re studying eight subjects, for example, you might allocate an average of three 30-minute sessions of revision to each subject per week, with some extra time available for the trickier topics. At the weekend, or during study leave, you may allocate further time to each subject, but try to avoid revising one subject or topic for too long on any one day.

If you have problems focusing for a more extended time period, this technique is perfect for you and can optimise your learning.

6. Schedule breaks

The Pomodoro Technique recommends spending 25 minutes revising, taking a five-minute break, and then repeating the process. This technique can help you maintain motivation, overcome fatigue, and also help with focus if you have ADHD. 

Try to include some physical activity during your breaks, and change your surroundings for a brief period to help you stay alert and focused.

Make sure you’re well-hydrated and eat healthily during your revision. Avoid sugary snacks that only provide a short burst of energy.

7. Make your timetable achievable

Your revision timetable needs to be constructed so that there’s a good chance you can achieve what you have planned.  

Timetabling too much revision each day will make it unmanageable, and you’re more likely to become stressed. Aim for little and often, and make sure there’s plenty of variety, including a range of Retrieval Techniques . Remember, your timetable is likely to need amendments, and some last-minute changes. 

Focus on specific revision goals (for example, Business – revise key words from Topic 1). This will help you to keep track of your progress. Factor in some time for unassigned revision periods to give further flexibility.

8. Use the format that works best for you

There's no single way to construct a revision timetable; you need to decide which method works best for you. You might want to use your school diary, make checklists, use exam specifications, use an app on your phone, or use the GCSE Revision Timetable Template we’ve provided. You might try out a range of methods before you settle on your favourite option.

How to Create your GCSE Revision Timetable in Seven Simple Steps

Download our free GCSE Revision Timetable Template

Write a list of everything you need to revise

Prioritise your topics

Figure out how much time you have to revise

Block out any commitments

Allocate revision periods on your timetable using colour coding

Schedule regular breaks

Here’s an example of a GCSE revision timetable for a student whose GCSE exams have already begun:

Achieving your GCSE Revision Goals

Your revision timetable needs to be tailored to help you achieve your own goals. Even if your friends seem to be spending more or less time than you on their studies or are prioritising different topic areas, once you’ve decided on your timetable, try your best to stick to it.

Creating a realistic plan for your revision really is key to exam success. Once you’ve built a clear picture of what you need to revise and where you may be less confident, you can approach your preparation in an organised way, ensuring that you cover everything you need before your exams.

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Written by Lisa Eades

Lisa has taught A Level, GCSE, BTEC and IBDP Business for over 20 years and is a senior Examiner for Edexcel. Lisa has been a successful Head of Department in Kent and has offered private Business tuition to students across the UK. Lisa loves to create imaginative and accessible resources which engage learners and build their passion for the subject.

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How to make a revision timetable you’ll actually use!

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1. Write a list of everything you need to revise

2. prioritise your topics, 3. figure out how much time you have to revise, 4. block out any commitments, 5. compile your timetable, 6. schedule breaks, making an online revision timetable.

Winter is coming! This can only mean one thing…No, not a ‘Game of Thrones’-esque showdown. We’re talking about  Christmas mocks .

There’s no tiptoeing around it: mocks can be stressful and scary. There’s a lot of pressure on and a lot of work to do. When you’re staring down the barrel of the hours of revision to come, it can all feel quite daunting. How do you even get started?

Planning.  The importance of preparation is frequently repeated but can’t be overstated. With different topics to tackle and not much time to do them in (plus the school day to get through), our brains need a helping hand to get it all done. A timetable can help you to split your attention equally and motivate you to meet your goals. Making a schedule is as much about drumming up some motivation as it is about providing a scaffold to fall back on.

So that’s all well and good, but how do you draw up a study planner that really works? Is there a right way to plan? Whether you loathe planning, preferring to wing it, or you’re an organisation fanatic who spends far too long crafting the perfect aesthetic calendar, you’re in the right hands. We’ve got all the tips and tricks to making a revision schedule that’s efficient and effective!

Creating your revision timetable

Sounds obvious enough, right? But don’t stop once you’ve written down all the subjects you’re being examined on; break it down into specific modules, units, or topics. This reduces the task at hand into manageable chunks, giving specific focuses for each revision slot. It’ll also make things easier when it comes to prioritising.

When dividing up topics, it might be useful to refer to your course’s specification or the contents page of your course textbook. These will split the subject up for you. Plus, checking the syllabus will stop you wasting time on topics that won’t come up in the exam.

Have you ever been guilty of revising a topic you know you’re comfortable with, when you know deep down that you should be focusing on another one that you’re struggling with? Yes? You’re not alone. In fact, taking the path of least resistance is an impulse that’s all too human . There’s no shame in it (it’s in our nature, after all) but it is something we need to confront when planning our revision.

Order your list of topics from those you’re least to most confident with; when it comes to constructing your timetable, schedule your hardest topics for sooner rather than later. It can be tempting to procrastinate and revise the topics you find easiest first − but leaving the hardest until last runs the risk of having insufficient time to properly understand the topic and seek advice.

Allow yourself more time to get to grips with your worst subjects − but don’t neglect the ones you’re strongest in. For example, you might decide to complete two hours on a tricky unit for every hour you spend on a more familiar one. It may feel like you know everything now, but this might not be the case by the time mocks roll around!

This will vary depending on the dates of your exams. Don’t worry about calculating exactly how many hours you have: the number of days will suffice! Simply search “How many days until [insert date of exam]” online and your browser will do the rest. If you don’t yet know the exact dates, use an approximate date that should fall before your mocks start; the Sunday before mock week, for example.

If you have your exam timetable, use this with your prioritised subject list to pace your schedule, ranking the hardest and most time-sensitive topics as most urgent. If you don’t, stick with the prioritised list you already made.

Ensure that you put into your plan your school timetable, extracurriculars, and any other activities (e.g. meals, meeting up with friends, holidays). If there are particular days, like Saturdays or a family birthday, you want to keep entirely free of revision, make sure to build these into the plan too!

You don’t need to sacrifice relaxation completely for the sake of revision. The advantage of planning this far in advance is that you have enough time for a solid work-life balance and can hopefully ward off burnout. Having time off will improve your work in the long run. And at the end of the day, these are only mocks!

It’s time for the star of the show, the reason we’re all here: the schedule! Now you’ve got your non-negotiables in, you can slot in your study sessions around them.

For each subject, divide however many days you have until your first exam (minus any days you won’t be studying) by the number of topics you need to revise. This will tell you how many topics you need to revise each day. For example, if you have 60 topics and 30 days, you will need to cover two topics per day. You may also want to keep clear on the calendar a few days before each exam to refresh your subject knowledge of all topics − so remember to bear this in mind.

Remember you have the home advantage: you know how you work best. Put topics you’ll need your full attention for at the times of day when you work best. You may prefer to allocate specific time slots per subject, or you might want to allocate topic-specific tasks to each day. Whichever approach you use is completely up to you! To find out more about content-based versus time-based revision approaches, check out our  top revision tips article .

Keep a healthy split between your tougher and more comfortable topics, referring back to your rankings as needed. This way you’re putting the time in where it’s needed while also reaping the benefits of some quick(er) wins. Experiencing a smooth workflow and seeing progress being made will help you build momentum and stay motivated.

Whether you take a time-oriented or content-oriented approach, it’s vital that you remember to take some time away from your desk. This helps you maintain focus and stops revision feeling even more like a chore.

Some studies suggest our brains can only concentrate for a maximum of 90 minutes before a 15 minute break is needed. Others put the ideal focus timescale at between 15 and 30 minutes. Again, use your insider knowledge: plan based on how long you think you can focus for.

Your breaks should be one of the most flexible parts of your timetable. Keep working until your concentration starts to fade and you’re not in your workflow anymore.

Be flexible

It’s important to recognise that you may not always be able to complete the tasks scheduled for a given day − things will inevitably crop up. Ensure that your timetable isn’t jam-packed and can be adapted if necessary. For example, if you don’t manage to complete Monday’s tasks, there need to be some gaps in your schedule for catching up. It’s all about being realistic. A little time pressure is good, but don’t push yourself too far. We want this to be achievable!

Colour code

Colour coding allows you to see what subjects you’ll be revising on a specific day at a quick glance (as well as making your timetable look really pretty). When it comes to those inevitable rejigs, using a colour scheme will quickly highlight any topics that have been neglected and help you make effective swaps.

Factor in time for regular refreshers to consolidate your learning and ensure that topics covered early on aren’t forgotten. For more information on how to tailor your revision to how our brains work, check out this article on  Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve .

Be specific

For some students, it may be helpful to plan exactly what you intend to do in a particular session. It’s not much use knowing you need to revise “Science” between the hours of 4pm and 5pm if you don’t actually know what you should be  doing  during this time. What does “revise” entail? For example, “I will revise AQA biology cell structure and complete cell structure questions by topic.”

Be harsh but fair

We all have days when we’re simply not up to it. When this happens, it’s okay if you need to switch to a less intense task for the day. Getting something done is far better than not doing anything. That said, be honest with yourself: is this a one-off, letting-it-slide type situation, or are you avoiding a particularly tough subject that you really should face sooner rather than later? A timetable only works if you stick to it, so try your best to respect what past-you did for the sake of future-you.

Set goals and keep track

Use your timetable alongside other planning tools, such as tallying your hours per subject, writing a checklist of tasks to complete (e.g. a mind map and set of flashcards for every physics unit), or keeping a list of all available past papers and your attempts at them. This helps target your sessions and motivate you − who can resist the thrill of ticking that box or moving a task into the DONE column?

Even if you make a physical copy of your timetable, having a version available online is a good idea: you can take it with you everywhere and it’s easy to adapt. Here are some examples of online resources that can be used to make timetables:

Get Revising

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Don’t overthink your revision timetable: there’s no exact science to it. Ultimately, putting the work in is what really counts. Planning is definitely important, just don’t spend so much time making the ideal calendar that you never get round to revising!

Hannah Richmond

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A Foolproof Guide to Creating a Winning Revision Timetable

“ He who fails to plan is planning to fail. ” – Winston Churchill.

This timeless wisdom from Winston Churchill serves as our guiding principle in this guide to creating a winning revision timetable. In the quest for academic success , planning is not a mere detail but the very foundation of your journey. 

Say goodbye to procrastination and wasted hours; say hello to an effective study plan that ensures your success.

The Basics of Revision Timetables

A revision timetable is your road map to academic success. It’s a structured plan that outlines how you’ll allocate your study time. Why is it essential? Because it brings order to chaos , helping you tackle your subjects systematically. By creating a revision timetable, you’re setting clear expectations for yourself, establishing achievable milestones, and effectively managing your time.

This tool isn’t just about squeezing in as many study hours as possible; it’s about smart allocation . It ensures that each subject and topic gets the attention it deserves, preventing last-minute cramming. Furthermore, a well-designed timetable makes the best use of your most productive hours and allows regular breaks to keep you fresh and focused.

In a nutshell, your revision timetable is your ally in the battle against academic stress. It provides a sense of control, reduces anxiety, and boosts your chances of retaining information effectively. Now that you understand its importance let’s delve deeper into how to create one that works for you.

How Do I Create a Revision Timetable that Actually Works?

Creating a personalised revision timetable is the key to making your study plan work effectively. What works for your friend may not work for you. That’s why personalization is crucial. Here’s how to tailor your study plan to your unique needs:

1. Identify Your Goals: 

Start by setting clear academic goals. What are you aiming to achieve? Whether acing an exam, mastering a specific subject, or improving your overall understanding, having precise objectives will guide your timetable. Knowing what you want to accomplish will help you allocate time where it matters most.

2. Know Your Schedule: 

Consider your daily routine. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Your energy levels and focus vary throughout the day. Allocate your study hours during your most productive times. It’s about quality, not quantity. If you’re a morning person, tackle your most challenging subjects early. Night owls should reserve their peak energy for late-night study sessions.

3. Prioritise Subjects: 

Determine which subjects or topics need more attention. Every student has strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your weaknesses , but don’t neglect your strengths entirely. Balance is key. If you’re struggling with maths, allocate more study time to it. For subjects you excel in, you can devote less time but still include regular reviews to keep your knowledge fresh.

4. Break It Down: 

Divide your study sessions into manageable chunks. Short, focused periods are more effective than marathon sessions. Aim for 25-30 minute intervals with short breaks in between. This technique, known as the Pomodoro technique , maximises concentration and minimises burnout.

5. Include Breaks: 

Speaking of breaks, they are essential. They recharge your mind and prevent burnout . Plan short, rejuvenating breaks to keep your energy levels up. During these breaks, step away from your study area, stretch, or grab a snack. A 5-10 minute break every 25-30 minutes can work wonders for your productivity.

6. Stay Flexible: 

Life is unpredictable. Be open to adjusting your timetable as needed. Unexpected events may require shifting your study plan. Don’t be too rigid in your schedule . Adaptability is a valuable trait in successful studying. If you miss a study session, don’t stress. Make up for it on another day.

7. Track Progress: 

Regularly track your progress . Are you meeting your milestones? If you still need to, make adjustments to your schedule. Revise your timetable to accommodate what’s working and address what’s not. The key is to stay on top of your progress and make changes when necessary to stay on track.

8. Reward Yourself: 

Incorporate small rewards for achieving your study goals. It can be a short break, a treat, or even some leisure time. These incentives can motivate you and provide something to look forward to as you accomplish your tasks. Rewards can also make the studying process more enjoyable and less stressful.

How Do I Stick to My Revision Timetable?

Sticking to your revision timetable religiously can be challenging, but it’s crucial for success. Here’s a concise and practical section on how to maintain your commitment to your study plan:

1. Build a Routine: Consistency is key. Establish a daily routine that incorporates your study sessions simultaneously each day. That helps train your mind and body to expect and prepare for study time.

2. Set Reminders: Use alarms or digital calendar notifications to alert you when it’s time to study. These reminders can be invaluable for keeping you on track and minimising the chances of procrastination.

3. Minimise Distractions: Find a quiet and comfortable place to study, free from distractions like your phone, social media, or noisy environments. If you’re studying online, consider using website blockers to stay focused.

4. Break It Down: The Pomodoro technique, where you work for 25-30 minutes and then take a 5-10 minute break , can help you maintain focus and productivity. Knowing that a break is coming can make it easier to stick to your timetable.

5. Stay Accountable: Share your study goals and timetable with a friend or family member who can hold you accountable. Knowing that someone is aware of your commitments can be a powerful motivator.

6. Visual Aids: Create a visual representation of your timetable and hang it in your study area. Seeing your schedule every day reinforces your commitment and acts as a constant reminder of your goals.

7. Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small. When you complete a study session or achieve a milestone, give yourself a small reward or pat on the back. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in maintaining motivation.

In conclusion, a well-crafted revision timetable isn’t just a schedule; it’s your pathway to academic achievement . Consistency and personalisation are the keys to its success. Stick to your plan, stay adaptable, and keep a positive mindset. 

For further assistance, consider Study Mind’s A-Level Revision Notes . These can complement your timetable, aiding in a comprehensive study strategy. Get a tailored study plan and external resources to maximise your learning potential and ace your exams.

How many hours a day should I allocate to my revision timetable?

The ideal study hours can vary based on your circumstances. However, aiming for 3-4 hours of focused study time is a good starting point. The key is not the quantity but the quality of your study. Short, focused sessions are often more productive than long, exhausting ones. Tailor your study hours to your energy levels and the intensity of the subjects you’re covering.

What should I do if I miss a study session in my timetable?

Missing a study session is normal. Life can be unpredictable. When this happens, don’t get discouraged. Instead, adapt. Consider rescheduling that session to another available time slot or adjusting your timetable for the coming days. The key is to ensure that missed study time is made up for to maintain your progress.

Can I have too many breaks in my revision timetable?

While breaks are essential, having too many can disrupt your focus. Aim for a balanced approach. Following the Pomodoro technique (25-30 minutes of work followed by a 5-10 minute break) is a good guideline. Adjust your breaks as needed, but ensure they remain rejuvenating rather than distracting.

How can I stay motivated to follow my timetable long-term?

Motivation can wane over time. To combat this, regularly review your progress and celebrate your achievements. Also, consider studying with a friend or joining a group to stay motivated and accountable. Remember, motivation often follows action. Once you start studying and see progress, it can reignite your drive.

Is it necessary to allocate the same amount of time to each subject in my revision timetable?

Not necessarily. Prioritise subjects based on your strengths and weaknesses. Allocate more time to areas where you struggle while consistently reviewing subjects you excel in. The key is to ensure that you have a balanced approach that fits your needs.

How do I avoid burning out while following my revision timetable?

Burnout is a genuine concern. To prevent it, incorporate leisure time and physical activity into your schedule. These breaks are essential for recharging. Additionally, maintain a balanced diet and proper sleep to keep your energy levels up. Listen to your body, and if you feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to take a day off to recover and refocus.

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• 28 Aug, 2020

How To Make A Super Effective Revision Timetable

Despite popular belief creating a traditional revision timetable is not the most effective way to go about your studying before an exam.

This type of timetable is prospective where you allocate a time to revise certain topics in weeks leading up to an exam.

But there is a big problem with this method!

• How do you know how long it will take to revise each topic? 
• How do you know that you will be able to study at the time you have allocated for each topic? 

Unexpected stuff always comes up in our daily lives and not every topic needs the same amount of time and attention. That is why you need to create a study timetable that doesn’t require looking to the future and the answer is a retrospective revision timetable. 

To make an effective revision timetable one should not look forward and try to predict the future by allocating time blocks in a calendar for revision but instead make a list of topics in a table system with another two columns for date studied and a rating of understanding. This system encourages long term, spaced out learning and also organises studying according to areas that students are not as confident in and also by the amount of time that has elapsed since they last revised. 

What is a retrospective revision timetable?

I first heard of the retrospective study timetable from study youtuber Ali Abdaal who’s video you can watch here . As I outlined above a retrospective revision timetable is the opposite to the type of time table that you have probably been creating your whole academic career. Also known as the prospective timetable. Instead of making studying a function of time (as you would by making a traditional revision timetable with column headings as dates), you are rather making it a function of topics, going through a process of noting down dates that you studied the content and rating your understanding. 

This revision timetable style also encourages spaced repetition which is a scientifically researched method of studying based on how well you retain information in your brain over certain periods of time. If you are interested in learning about highly effective spaced repetition based study methods I suggest that you read my article called ‘ how to study flashcards with the leitner method’ here.  

How does a retrospective study timetable work?

To make an effective retrospective revision timetable you need to make a table with three columns. The one of the furthest right will be for your topics, the column in the middle is where you write your dates studied and the last column is where you rate your understanding. I suggest making the middle column the largest out of the three as you will hopefully study each topic on multiple occasions. Once you have set up your table you can fill out all the topic titles in the right hand column. Then I suggest that you hang up your timetable in a high visibility area e.g. above your desk, so you are constantly reminded to study. 

If you want a quick and even easier way to make a retrospective study timetable I suggest you check out the exam preparation tracker that is in my digital student planner for ipads/tablets .

Here is a screenshot of my exam preparation tracker template (a type of retrospective revision timetable) from my digital student planner: 

It is a digital template located within a hyperlinked pdf diary that can be used in applications such as goodnotes or notability. You can either digitally hand write on it with a stylus such as an apple pencil or you can add textboxes and type on it. This template uses the same retrospective revision timetable concept having a topics column, a middle column as a study tracker and a rate your understanding column. It’s great because you can duplicate it as many times as you like and insert it anywhere throughout the planner. The planner is organised by monthly dividers that have hyperlinked tabs and within it there are daily planning pages. You could put your exam preparation template at the beginning of each month section to act as a constant reminder to study as you use your digital diary to complete your daily planning. If you want to find out more about this planner I suggest you read my article that I wrote on it here .  

How many topics should I study a day?

Once you have created your revision timetable and filled out all of your topics in the correct columns you can start studying. Each day you should aim to study one or two topics. Your study sessions do not need to be super long. Doing 10-15 minutes of revision daily will add up to a lot more hours than what you could possibly cram before an exam!

What do I do after studying?

After every study session you can either tick off that you have studied or write the date that you studied in the revision tracker column. You should then rate your understanding of the topic after studying it in the last column out of ten. 

• 10 means that you have a really good understanding
•  5 means you have an average understanding
• 1 means to have little to no understanding.

If you have created a revision timetable like this on paper I suggest that you write your rating in pencil so you can erase it and change it each time you study the content. Or erase your rating mark using the digital eraser if you are using the digital exam preparation tracker. 

How do I apply this method if I have a short period of time to study?

I know that we do not all have the luxury of studying over a long period of time, however as spaced repetition is a really effective method of studying I highly suggest that you implement a retrospective revision timetable into your study routine in the future as it will reduce the stress of having to cram everything a few days before the exam. 

If you have a week or two before your exam I still suggest that you use a retrospective revision timetable however you will have to make goals of how many topics that are needed to be studied each day. So instead of studying a normal one or two topics per day you might be doing 4 or 5

Before You Go!

Are you interested in becoming a straight a student.

Try out a digital student planner with hyperlinked tabs for iPad/tablet to help you stay on track to achieving your academic goals!

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How to make a revision timetable and stick to it

When you make a revision timetable there are two vital things you must do:

• make a timetable that meets your revision needs
• stick to it once you've made it

Today, I'm going to show you how to make a revision timetable that works and some tried and tested techniques to help you stick to it.

How to make a revision timetable

I've got a really thorough step-by-step guide on how to make a revision timetable here. I also have a 5 day email course (it's free!) that takes you through the process step by step. It's called the revision planning kickstarter . Pick the one that's best for you. In this blog post, I'll give you a basic outline of what's involved. Then I'll explain how to stick to it!

A revision timetable is basically a project plan. People make project plans whenever they've got a big task to do over an extended period of time. So, civil engineers will have one when they're building a motorway junction and novelists will have one when they're writing a book.

Your plan should bring together two things:

• What you need to do (that's the subject content you need to revise)
• When you need to do it by (that's when your exams are)

What you need to do

You can find out what subject content you need to revise by downloading a copy of the specification. I show you how to find your exam specifications here.

Once you've got your exam specifications you need to decide which bits of knowledge you need to revise most urgently by analysing your strengths and weaknesses.

When you need to do it by

Your deadline for completion of your revision is the day of each of your exams. So, your first step is to find out when your exams are.

Then, you need to work out how long you've got until each exam and timetable when you're going to revise each piece of subject content so that it's all covered before the day of the exam.

Download a revision timetable outline here.

How to stick to your revision timetable

You're full of good intentions when you make your revision timetable. You think that just planning everything out is the key to your success.

Well, you're almost right. Planning is very important, but at the end of the day, it's just busy work. You need something else to stick to it.

Here are my vital tips on how to stick to your revision timetable.

Make your revision timetable one week at a time

Why do I say this? Because each week you'll find out more about what works and what doesn't work for you. You'll see whether you like to revise a wide variety of subjects each day, or stick to one subject. You'll find out if you can work for 20 minutes before a break or 60 minutes.

Knowing these things will allow you to tweak and adjust the way you plan out your revision according to your own personal quirks and needs.

A word of warning though: don't just make a revision timetable for one week. Keep making new ones and refining them as you go along.

Expect to tweak it and make it perfect

I talked about this a bit above. However, Iots of things will shift and change as you go through your revision period up until your exam.

The weaknesses you identified at the beginning may become your strengths, meaning you need to focus on other areas. Or, your weaknesses may stay weak and need more time as you go along to help you sort them out.

Things may change in your life. Life goes on, even while you're revising. If something happens e.g. your family gets a dog, you might have to find time to walk the dog. Other things change too.

Never expect to make an eight-week long revision timetable and expect things not to change. They will.

Make time for homework and coursework tasks as well as your revision

Especially when you first start to revise you'll still be receiving homework and coursework tasks. Make sure you allow time to do these tasks each week. If you don't you'll end up doing one of two things:

• Wearing yourself into the ground with too much work
• Failing with either your revision timetable or your homework/coursework

Neither you nor I want either of these things to happen. (This is also a good reason to make your revision timetable one week at a time).

Turn distractions into incentives

How familiar does this sound?

You come home from school knowing that you need to do some revision. However, it's been a long day at school and you're feeling a bit weary. You make yourself a cup of tea, lie back on the sofa and start playing on your phone.

Before you know it your tea has gone cold and an hour has gone by. No revision has been done.

There are two ways to deal with this.

• Set a timer for your down time. Everyone needs a break so acknowledge that. However, put limits on it by setting a timer. When the timer goes off, you get to work.
• Use your distractions as rewards for getting the work done. Promise them to yourself as a gift for doing good work if you focus well on a task and get it done.

Learn more about turning distractions into incentives.

Flex your willpower muscle

When all is said and done revision isn't a walk in the park. Neither is it a ride on a roller coaster or an evening watching your favourite band. It's work.

If you're really determined to meet your target grades you will have to flex your willpower muscle fairly often. The more often you flex it the stronger it will get. And, it will be easier to flex the more committed you are to your goals.

Use revision techniques that work for you

Everyone learns differently. Make sure you're using revision techniques that work for you.

How do you do this?

In your head you constantly need to be asking “Am I learning? Is this knowledge sinking in?” If it's not working something needs to change. You might just need a break, or you might need some new revision strategies.

Find out which revision techniques work best for you by downloading the free chapter of my book  The Ten Step Guide to Acing Every Exam You Ever Take.

Don't always use the same old boring revision techniques. There are loads of revision strategies out there that could work for you. Check out these 6 revision techniques to re-energise your exam preparation.

There are also 40 different ways to revise listed in my book  The Ten Step Guide to Acing Every Exam You Ever Take.

Yes, but it's not that easy!

I hear you. It's all very well for me to sit here telling you how it's done. It's different when you're trying to do it.

If you're struggling to make a revision timetable or stick to it (or both) check out how you can work with me more a member of my team of academic coaches.

Question: How do you make sure you stick to your revision timetable? Leave your answer in the comments below.

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How To Make A Revision Timetable (That Actually Works)

In General by Think Student Editor January 22, 2019 1 Comment

If you’re anything like me, you might struggle to revise when preparing for exams. That’s why having a handy revision timetable is so important for those unfortunate procrastinators.

But the real question is, how do you make the perfect revision timetable? Lucky for you, in this article I’ll be taking a look at how to construct the best revision timetable for your exams.

Revision timetables are extremely important to the success of your education (and career). To make the perfect revision timetable, you need to prioritise bad subjects, minimize revision for better ones, add breaks, and stay calm – follow this guide to make the perfect revision timetable.

1. Determine A Starting Date And Day For Your Revision Timetable

Personally, I recommend that you plan to start your revision around 2 months before your first exam. This should allow you enough time to revise, to make sure you cover all necessary content (no matter what exams you’re taking).

You could start earlier, but that might mean that you forget what you revise. This happens to me all the time – I start my revision, and then by the time the exam rolls around, I’ve forgotten what I learnt.

I also suggest starting your revision timetable on a Monday morning. It’s my opinion that the brain takes information in better on Mondays, as it’s a fresh start – and your brain thinks so too…

However, this might not always work for everybody. Everyone is different, and so everybody’s starting date/day will be different.

For the best time to start revising for GCSEs,  take a look at this article . It might help you out if you’re unsure of what to do.

Alternatively, if you’re in college studying A-Levels, you might want to  take a look at this article . It’s similar to that GCSE article, but is better for college students.

You can change your starting point, but I wouldn’t change it more than a couple of weeks.

Just make sure that you don’t leave it too late. If you’re not careful, you could find that your revision timetable doesn’t give you enough time to revise – and you may fail your exams.

2. Put Your Worst Subjects Into Your Revision Timetable

When you get your GCSE results, you’ll find that having a balanced set of GCSEs is better than having some subjects being amazing and some being… not so amazing. 

The same can be said for A-Levels, BTECs, pretty much any exams you take in your life. Employers (and pretty much everyone else) like to see balanced results, as it shows you can work hard at anything.

Therefore, you’ll want to revise the worse subjects more, and the better subjects less. Putting in the worse subjects into your revision timetable first, and giving them the most hours, will help you do this.

If you’re interested about how much employers actually care about either your GCSE or A-Level results, you should check out some of the articles below:

• How Important Are Your GCSEs?
• How Important Are Your A-Levels? 

You may want to add some time on to your revision timetable to account for the work you’ll have to do for your worst subjects. Adding on some time means that you’ll not only have time to improve on your bad subjects, but you’ll be able to work on the better ones too.

Some of you might already be in the position that all your subjects are equally as good. If that’s the case, then skip straight to the next subheading.

On the other hand, you might be in the position where all of your subjects are equally as  bad . If that sounds like you, it might pay you to take a look at  this article for if you fail all your GCSEs .

3. Put  The  Rest Of Your Subjects  Into Your Revision Timetable

Quite a straightforward answer really – just slot them in where you can . As long as you’re balancing out your subjects and giving more time to the bad ones, you can put them wherever you like. 

I’d suggest ranking them in order of importance. The most important ones (your worst ones) you put at the top with the most time, and work out all the rest of them from there. 

This is what I did when I made my revision timetable for my exams, and I can tell you from experience that it works a treat.

Hopefully, once you’ve done that, you’ll know how much revision you’ll need to do. The average student does 15-20 hours a week, which turns out to be 3-5 hours a day with weekends off, according to  Birmingham City University .

This is a great way to organise your revision timetable, but I’d suggest something a little different. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to revise every day leading up to your exam.

If that’s the case, you should revise 2-3 hours a day instead – every day. It will still come out to 15-20 hours a week, but you’ll be doing it less at a time and more often.

4. Add Plenty Of Breaks  To  Your Revision Timetable

If you’re a workaholic like me, the word ‘break’ will sound alien to you. As much as I hate to admit it, breaks are essential for the success of your revision. 

Taking a break every once in a while will allow your brain to soak up the information you’ve learnt. If you don’t absorb your revision, it’s effectively useless. 

Taking breaks is scientifically proven to increase productivity in students. If you don’t believe me, take a look at this study taken by  PsychCentral .

It shows us that taking breaks improves focus and concentration when working on a long task (2-3 hours of revision, for example).

Not only does it help your focus and concentration, but it will help you to relax, too. I always get stressed when I work for too long, and so breaks are of great importance to me.

Staying calm and relaxed will help your motivation, too. Staying motivated means that you’ll be more inclined to stick to your revision timetable, and have a higher chance of success. 

I recommend working for 50 minutes to an hour, taking a 20 minute break, and continuing. Following this pattern will ensure you get the best results in whatever exams you’re taking and feel good doing it, too.

5. Add Some Fun Activities To Your Revision Timetable

The answer is most definitely not. Just like taking breaks, having fun is essential to the success of your revision timetable.

If you don’t add some fun activities into your revision timetable, your motivation will divebomb. I’ve had that happen to me at some very inopportune moments in revision.

I find that a few fun activities every month helps me get through the intense stress of revision timetables.

Not too often, but just enough to keep you sane whilst your revision timetable is in practice. Just remember, you can do all the partying you want  after your exams are over .

I’m not talking fun activities like going to France for a week, so don’t let that fool you. I mean like meeting up with your friends every once in a while for a fun night out.

Any fun activities you choose to do  must not interfere  with your revision timetable. If this happens, you can end up prioritising fun instead of revision.

To help you achieve balance between fun and revision, I’d suggest adding all your subjects in before you add fun activities. 

This way, you do what’s necessary before what’s not. I know it might suck, but trust me –  you’ll benefit in the long run .

6. Work Out What Kind  Of  A Learner You Are

If you don’t know what kind of a learner you are, you won’t be able to successfully use your revision timetable.

There are 3 main types of learners: visual, aural, and physical. Everyone should fall into one of these 3 categories, and if not,  you may be an alien .

Visual learners are best suited to learning using pictures, images, and colours. If you’re a visual learner, you may want to use flashcards or similar methods to boost your learning. 

Aural learners benefit from hearing the facts and figures they need to know. They work best using podcasts, listening to teachers, or watching videos. 

Physical learners are better at learning through being hands on. I’m a physical learner, and I prefer to make my own methods to remember things and gain understanding through doing it myself.

If you think you’ve figured out what kind of a learner you are, then great – move straight on to step number 5. If not, you might want to take a look at  this website  for some help. 

However, if you don’t think you fit into any of these categories, don’t worry. If you like revising your own way, then that’s okay – everyone is different, so just do your thing.

7. Figure Out How You’re Going To  Revise

You’ve got the times you’re going to revise for your exams, and you know what subjects need some extra time. But, how do you make sure the time you spend revising is effective?

By now you should have figured out what type of learner you are. If you have, that’s great – you know what you need to be doing.

If you haven’t, then that’s fine too – there are loads of universal ways to revise that always help me.

One of my favourite ways to revise is to use flashcards. They’re helpful because they solidify important facts and figures in your head, and are easy to make.

In fact, you don’t even have to make them at all – if you use  Quizlet , there are millions of flashcards that have been made by other students for you.

Another great way to revise is use mindmaps. Emptying your brain out onto a piece of paper shows you what your strengths are, and what you need to work on.

If you want a more effortless way of revision, I’d suggest videos or podcasts. They’re an easy way to learn information, it’s like having a mini lesson in your head.

I used to listen to podcasts and watch videos all the time when I revised for my exams, and I did  extremely  well. (Just my secret tip for success there).

Again, if you don’t like any of these methods of revision, you don’t have to use them. It’s all about personal preference, and whatever works best for you. 

If you want an extensive list of the best revision techniques, check out this article.

8. Make Sure You Actually Stick  To  Your Revision Timetable

Revision timetables are amazing for keeping on top of what you should be doing to prepare for exams. However, they won’t work unless you stick at it.

I get it, it can be hard to find the motivation to study sometimes. In fact, most times. Okay maybe all the time…

But believe me when I say that it’s worth it. Sticking to your revision timetable will ensure the success of your exams, no matter how much you might not want to do it. 

And trust me, you want some good exam results. If you want to be employed after education, then qualifications are the way to go.

If you need some motivation to stick to your revision timetable, you could always talk to fellow student, or even your teachers.

Doing this and reminding yourself of that end goal is sure to help you motivate yourself to do revision.

As I’ve already said, taking breaks is sure to help your motivation. Doing something fun every now and again keeps you happy and healthy, two things that are essential for revision. 

9. Hopefully… Success!

If you do all of what I’ve said, and stick to the tips I’ve given you, you should end up with some successful results.

Just a warning though – making your revision timetable is the easy part. Adding in all of your subjects and breaks, anybody could do that.

The real challenge is sticking to it. If you can successfully stick to your revision timetable, persevere where many other students have failed, you’ll come out the other end with a great set of results. 

And from that point, many new doors are opened. Whether you’re in school, college, or university, after your exams you can go and do lots of new things.

Like get a job, for example. Employers nowadays are looking for more qualifications than ever before, and good ones at that.

Which is why revision timetables are so important to your success. Without a proper revision timetable, you won’t get the proper grades – and you won’t get a proper job. 

Thank you so much for your advice. Your advises are really helpful

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We’ve all been there – the workload seems to be piling up and you can’t decide where to begin with revision. Luckily, there is a simple solution –

if you plan your revision in advance, you will be able to maximise the efficiency of your work and prevent yourself from burning out.

The easiest way to do this is by creating a revision timetable. This will make sure that you’ve covered all the essential topics in plenty of time for your exams while ensuring you also have time to relax!

But how can you create the most effective revision timetable? In this article, we will cover some of our top tips to help you plan your revision and achieve your goals.

Additionally, if you’d like to know how to balance a-level prep and UCAT revision, have a look at this article!

1. Set specific, time-based goals

Firstly, it is important to have an understanding of the timeframe you have to complete your revision. For example, if you are preparing for the UCAT in the summer, you may already have your exam date to hand. Make a note in a diary of your exam dates and calculate how much time you have to prepare for the exams.

You may find it useful to make your timetable on an online calendar, such as a Google calendar, as this format will allow you to easily amend the timetable and make changes. You will also be able to access your revision timetable whenever you need it.

Next, set some clear deadlines so you have a goal to work towards. For example, if your UCAT exam is scheduled for the 15th of August, you may wish to have covered all the necessary content by the end of July.

Remember that your goals should always be realistic – don’t try to squeeze too much content into a short timeframe as you may end up feeling overwhelmed and overworked.

2. Make a list of the topics you have to cover

Next, make a list of topics for each of your subjects. For example, if you are revising for your A-levels, you may wish to make a list of subtopics within each subject. You may find that by writing everything down, the content suddenly appears much more manageable!

Use the exam board specification to come up with the list of topics. The specification is essentially a list of all the possible topics that could come up, and so it is in your best interest to use it as much as you can. You can find the specification for your particular subject and exam board online. For example, if you are revising for AQA A-level Biology, you can find the specification on the AQA website .

3. Choose your areas of priority

Once you have a list of all the subject areas you need to revise within a specific timeframe, try to rank them in terms of difficulty and familiarity. At the top of the list should be the topics you feel least confident in, either because you find them the most difficult or you haven’t covered the content in a long time.

Plan to start with the most difficult topics first. This will ensure you have plenty of time to improve your understanding and recall if needed.

It is also a good idea to consider which topics come up most frequently, especially if you are short on time. Look over past papers for the exams if you have them and identify the topics which account for the most marks or consistently appear every year. Prioritise these areas for revision.

4. Make your weekly timetable

First, decide how far in advance you’d like to make the timetable. Some people find that making a timetable further than a week in advance ends up being counterproductive, while others may prefer to schedule in revision for months in advance.

If you’re new to making revision timetables, start by planning a schedule for the upcoming week and see whether you need to make any changes after this time period.

Decide how long each revision session should take – revision blocks lasting between 30 and 60 minutes tend to be the most productive, although this will depend on the individual.

Think about when you tend to work best, and schedule in the most difficult topics for revision at these times. You may wish to save the easier topics for the end of the day.

You may also like to colour code your timetable by subject. This will allow you to visually assess the balance of the workload between the subjects across the week and ensure that you are not spending too much time on a particular subject or topic.

Make sure you also schedule in time for some full mocks. Regardless of which exam(s) you are preparing for, using past papers to practice is a very effective revision method. Space out the mocks accordingly – doing too many in one day will cause you to burn out! Aim to complete a practice paper every few days, and in the lead-up to the exam you may wish to increase this frequency. Ensure you write down your answers and use the relevant mark schemes to check your work.

5. Schedule in breaks & relaxation!

It is really important that you schedule in regular breaks to prevent burning out. After each block of revision, take an appropriate length of study break. For example, if you have a 50-minute study block, ensure you schedule in a break of at least 10 minutes.

While creating the revision timetable, ensure you work around your regular commitments too, such as extracurricular activities or social events. These will help to break up your revision and enable you to carry out more focused work.

6. Techniques to maximise your efficiency

As you make your revision timetable, consider some revision techniques which have been proven to make your work more efficient.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a well-established revision technique which helps you to carry out revision in short, focused bursts. Typically, you will work for 25 minutes and have a short 5-minute break, called one ‘Pomodoro’. Once this cycle has repeated four times, you will get a ‘long’ 15-minute break.

Using the Pomodoro technique is also a good way of quantifying how much work you have completed in a single day. If you wish to use this technique, schedule in revision blocks of 30 minutes into your timetable.

Spaced repetition

Spaced repetition is a technique which dramatically improves the information you are able to retain over time. It can be particularly useful when revising for A-levels, for example, as there is so much content to cover.

Essentially, spaced repetition requires you to recall information at multiple time points in order to consolidate your learning. If one day you decide to revise a particular topic, plan to revisit that topic the following day, and then the following week, and so on. In the context of a revision timetable, you may wish to schedule in some time at the end of each day to briefly revisit the topics you have covered that day and refresh your memory.

Active recall

Active recall is a technique which involves retrieving information from your memory at every stage of the revision process. Therefore, rather than reading and re-reading information, once you have read a passage of text, try to close the book and recall what you have just read.

One way to implement this technique into a revision timetable is to schedule in some time for recall or flashcards after each revision block, dedicated specifically to testing the content you have just learnt.

7. Be flexible!

Above all, it is important to make sure your timetable is not too rigid, as this could lead to you ignoring it completely. If you are finding that you have scheduled in too much work for each day, make adjustments to the timetable accordingly. Remember that this is a really useful revision tool, but ultimately you should find that the level of work is efficient while being achievable.

You will need to continually reassess your timetable as the revision period goes on – inevitably you will find some topics easier than others and these will require less work than you think, and vice versa.

If you want help getting into your dream university then also be sure to check out our Elite Coaching Programme. As part of this programme, you will get in-depth help with the entire application process from whatever stage you join at till you get into the medical school of your choice. This is done through 1-on-1 mentoring and the founder of the course, Dr Ashley Hilton is always available for any questions. You can find out more about the Elite Programme here.

Written by Maria Skaria

How to make a revision timetable

Having a schedule while you revise will allow you to effectively cover all you need to study. Read about how to make a revision timetable.

There are many perks to making a revision timetable. Not only does it keep you organised, but it ensures that you're maintaining a healthy study-life balance while getting you ready for your exams. Here's how a revision timetable can help you. 

Prioritise topics

Before creating your revision timetable, decide which subjects you’re strongest at and which are your weakest. Outlining this before you start revising will give you oversight into what topics you need to spend a bit more time on.

Divide time appropriately

Once you’ve outlined which topics you’ll need to spend more time on, reflect this in your revision timetable. Allocate more time to any subjects you feel less confident about. Do remember to still make time to cover topics that you're feeling confident about. What’s important is revising each topic but being smart about the time allocated to each.

Chunk subjects

Split each subject you plan to study into separate chunks. This allows you to separate the subjects that you don’t need to spend as much time revising from those you do. You’ll also get an overview of how many topics you need to cover and how much time you should be allocating to each.

Colour-code subjects

Representing each subject in your revision timetable with a different colour will provide a better visual overview of your study. At a glance you can easily see what’s coming up. You can check that you’re spending the right amount of time per subject and pinpoint which topics you need to allocate more time to.

Schedule breaks

Divide your study time up with appropriate breaks. Short breaks every 30 to 35 minutes will allow you to vary what you study throughout the day. You’ll be able to approach each topic with a fresh mind and not feel burnt out after a few hours. Stepping away from your study and coming back with a clear head can also help with problem solving.

Fit around your daily life

Your daily life shouldn’t be put on hold because you’re revising. It’s important that you create a revision timetable that considers your usual daily activities. Scheduling these into your timetable will provide balance and give you the chance to take breaks when you need.

Be flexible

Studying a topic for less time than you intended or missing a study session isn’t the end of the world. Life happens and a revision timetable should account for that. Leave room in your timetable for flexibility in case you need to move some topics around. You might also find that on some days, you have more energy and motivation than others.

Try going digital

You might prefer crafting a hand drawn revision timetable, and that’s ok. But you may find a digital one more convenient. Using the calendar in your phone, your email or any timetable app will mean you always have your revision timetable with you. When you need to be flexible, it’s also a lot easier to make changes to a digital version of your timetable than a written one.

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How To Make An Effective Exam Revision Timetable - How To Study For Exams

Studying for exams can be super stressful and it can be difficult to know where to start. So in this article I dive into how I structured my revision around exam time to stay focused and organised using an exam revision timetable.

Alexander Young

When I studied for exams at school my revision or study periods in the run up to exams were fairly basic. I'd just work through the syllabus in the 6-weeks leading up to the exam and not really have very much structure. At medical school and when sitting postgraduate surgical exams I needed to update this to something that was more focused, time-efficient and just a better way to learn around a busy schedule where there was lots of information that needed to be covered.  

The Problem With Traditional Exam Revision Timetables

When I was at school you were usually given 4 or 6 weeks or sometimes longer to study for exams at the end of the term when lectures had covered all the content on the syllabus. What most people did was they then planned out this time to make sure they covered all of the topics on the syllabus that might come up in the exam. Now what most people do when making an exam revision timetable is that they use the traditional method of mapping out a calendar with dates down one column and then they just go through the course syllabus and say I'm going to revise cardiology in this week then respiratory and then anatomy. So they're just working through the syllabus as it's laid out in the course materials. For me when I was using this method I would read though the lecture notes for cardiology and then when I'd read that book chapter I'd tick it off and move onto the next and then do something like respiratory the next week.

When I was using this method I recognised that it was pretty inefficient and I found that there were five main problems that I used to have with this traditional exam timetable method:

So firstly the main problem I had with this method was that it was pretty passive and just optimised for time spent revising rather than any goal around my actual understanding of a topic. So for example if I had a week scheduled to revise heart disease I'd cram in as much as possible and then move on to respiratory. This gave me the fluency effect and bias of thinking that I knew the topic well as I'd "completed" that planned revision week but in actuality I hadn't done a set number of self-test questions and I hadn't really self-assessed my knowledge during that time as the timetable focused on time spent learning rather than my actual understanding of the topic or any real data on my performance when self-testing. By thinking of your revision as a function of time rather than as a function of your ability to recall and understand topics you are leaving yourself open to the fluency effect where you are inefficiently spending time revising but you feel like you are being productive and then at the exam you still struggle because even though you've spent the time revising you don't actually know the topic well enough.

The second issue I encountered was that when creating a standard revision timetable at the start of an exam revision period I found that I couldn't really predict what topics I would be struggling with in say 4-6 weeks time. It kind of required me to predict the future and I ended up just working my way through a generic list of topics in the order they appeared on the syllabus rather than anything personalised to what I found hardest or any focus on high-yield topics that might be tested regularly. Because the timetable wasn't personalised or focused on high-yield topics not only was it inefficient but it was also quite boring as I'd be spending the same time reading over topics that I knew well or weren't likely to be tested as I would on topics that I knew less and were more likely to be tested. The consequence of this is that I'd often get distracted as the volume of information was pretty huge for medicine and then I'd end up playing Tony Hawk's, Legend of Zelda or hanging out with my friends which then put more pressure and stress on getting a topic completed during that week or time period I'd assigned to it. So just sticking with the timetable was a big challenge.

The third issue with this method is a bit of a follow on from points one and two which is that when you have a standard revision timetable planned out and on an excel spreadsheet or in your calendar there is no real way to quickly see what topics you are weakest at and, unless you are doing past-papers and self-test questions and noting your results down somewhere, there is no way to quickly see from the timetable what your actual learning progress is. So for example yes you can tick off that you did a day of revision on a topic in biology but how are you noting down and tracking your actual ability and understanding of that topic. Did you test yourself and get 50% of the questions correct? Did you do a past-paper at the end of the week and score 75%? Where is that actual information on your ability in that topic being highlighted on the traditional revision timetable. Well this is important because for subjects like medicine where there are loads of things to remember you need to be able to come back quickly towards the end of the exam revision period and go back over topics and if it's not obvious what you're weakest at how will you know what to prioritise and focus on.

This leads me into the fourth problem with the traditional time-based revision timetable which is that by setting very basic deadlines like I'm going to learn these three topics tomorrow or I'm going to cover anatomy by the 14th January you're putting unnecessary pressure on yourself when you don't necessarily know how long it's going to take you to revise a topic. So for example you might start out slowly going through neurology only to find that some topics are a bit more complicated than you thought and you only have 2 days left to get through them on your timetable before you need to move on to gastroenterology. So what ended up happening for me was that I'd push back some topics and then end up either not revising them properly or just leaving them out altogether. This was really poor time management on my part and while it's good to set goals and deadlines these need to be SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely in regards to your learning a topic.

The fifth and final problem I had with using a traditional revision timetable is that the actual process of creating the timetable can itself be an exercise in procrastination. I would spend quite a bit of time planning things out, adding dates to a calendar and some of my friends who were a bit more artistic would use sticky notes, wall charts and colourful highlighters to plan out these really intricate revision timetables which meant they were slow to get started and for me these big, complicated revision timetables almost became overwhelming and made me not want to revise at all as there seemed to be so much to get through.

So these are some of the problems that I encountered with traditional revision timetables, traditional revision timetables aren't inherently bad and are definitely better than having no plan at all. But to quote boxer Mike Tyson "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" and when I was studying for postgraduate surgical exams around my day job as a surgeon I just didn't have time for creating anything that was complicated and I needed to be efficient and jump into revising around my day job and busy life when I might have an on-call shift or I might need to stay late operating. So I needed something that was much more flexible, efficient and which kept me motivated to revise even if I'd been up all night operating. So let's take a look at the method that I used and then I'll screen share how to do it yourself and then we'll check out some cool tools to help make your revision even more efficient.

Spacing, Interleaving and Testing Revision Timetable (SIT)

The revision timetable and planning system that I used incorporated the best evidence-based learning techniques we've already learned about in this evidence-based learning series namely spacing out your study sessions so that you regularly come back to topics as you begin to forget them which strengthens memory formation. You interleave topics by revising different concepts and topics together to build context and help your brain to better understand the principles behind them and make them more relatable to your existing knowledge. And then finally you revise topics using active recall and testing yourself rather than just passively re-reading or highlighting thing so that you can accurately see how well you know what you are revising.

So what does this look like? Well in contrast to the traditional revision timetable that optimises for time and puts dates down the left column the timetable that I used prioritised topics and my understanding of them and put these down the main left column.

As you'll know from my article on how to study for exams the first thing that I will do when planning my studying is to grab some past papers and the course syllabus and key textbooks and look at what topics are high-yield i.e. they come up frequently at exams. I'll then list these topic areas down in the left hand column with the high yield topics at the top. I'll then go over these and think about which of the topics I need to revise for the exam I know the least well and which terrifies me the most. I'll then move these to the top so that I'm prioritising commonly tested topics that I know the least well.

I'll use google sheets, excel, notion or some other tools to do this but I might also colour code these topics or do a quick self-assessment by jumping into a past paper at the start of my revision period and noting down my score and what topics just blew my mind. This give me a good baseline to work from and as we'll see will help to keep me motivated and my revision gamified as I'm competing with myself to better my score as I interleave and go back over topics at spaced intervals.

So in terms of time and actually adding this to a calendar how does this all fit together? Well the most important thing here is to bring in some data based on how quickly you like to spend learning topics. Everyone is different and provided you are using evidence-based study methods like active recall you'll likely do pretty well but you need to assess how long your own revision process takes for a topic. For example if you love using flashcards how big is your deck for that topic and how quickly do you usually go through them? For me I will use pre-made online question banks like Shiken and past-papers combined with my own self-created active-recall questions. Having sat loads of exams in medicine and surgery and science-subjects I know that if I usually test myself using around 2000-3000 questions or about 100-200 questions per topic area and then go over these and read around them to build context I'll usually get top grades. I also know that it takes me 30 minutes to get through around 20 questions depending on how much consolidation and overlearning I'm doing. I'm starting from the end and working backwards which is one of the key principles of effective exam revision and preparation and, well, pretty much anything in life. I know that to do well at the exam I need to learn everything well, I know to do that what work best for me is doing a set number of questions so I can now break this down into manageable goals for each topic and set SMART goals and dates in my timetable to plan to complete these by.

So back to the timetable. With my topics down a column and the high-yield and weakest topics at the top I'll set a rough weekly and daily plan around my day job and life that takes into account breaks, exercise and socialising to keep me sane and prevent me from burning out and in these blocks of time I'll set goals for completing a number of questions. This is my goal and if I don't hit my question goal by a date I know I'll need to pick it up and do more next time. Rather than aligning to just time spent revising I'm focusing on doing the questions that give me a better idea of how well I know a topic. In this way the timetable is flexible and simple and not overwhelming or creating more work for me.

When revising I'll jump into questions and then note down the date I do them on and use spacing to remind me to go back over topics so that I don't forget them. I'll also note down how well I know something by keeping track of my score when doing questions or just by highlighting topics using a traffic light colouring system based on how well I feel I know a topic after completing a revision session. I'll use some tech like question banks to hack this and save which we'll touch on shortly. So I'll jot down the date that I did a session and add in the score of highlight by colour how well I know that topic. This then helps me to quickly visualise what I need to prioritise next compared to the traditional revision timetable that isn't personalised and where I'd just keep plodding through topics. So now if I come back the next week I can see that I revised anatomy a while ago and am due a spaced revision session but I can also see that I got a good score in anatomy while neurology is red even though I did this more recently so I can immediately see that, for me personally, I need to double down on neurology and do more questions and consolidation so I'm not leaving this till the end and I'm attacking the topics I'm weakest at which should then have most effect on improving my exam score rather than just going back over the things that are easy and that I'm good at. This is a much more focused and efficient way to learn where you are constantly testing and targeting what you are weakest at that is also high-yield to have the most impact on your exam score within your revision time. This also allows you to easily incorporate interleaving since you are moving between topics instinctively when reviewing and coming back to areas you are weakest at which helps to build context and makes it easier for your brain to recall information.

To help with this and make reviewing a habit I will regularly factor in spaced reviews at the end of a revision session or the end of the day or the following morning to go back over what I learned in that session as there is evidence that shows that using a spacing interval of less than 24hrs will prevent the exponential effect of the forgetting curve and help you to learn more effectively.

By the end of my revision period I'm aiming to get through all the questions and go over the questions I got incorrect to master them so that my questions goal is complete and my topics are all green and the majority of questions I've been back over I've gotten correct so that I know I've actually mastered the subject.

The other cool thing about this method is that it doesn't take a huge amount of effort to get started other than mapping topics and jumping into some questions to get a baseline for what is high-yield and what you are weakest at. It's also flexible and goals-based and allowed me to jump in and do maybe 10-20 questions in the library while at work or while waiting between operations in the theatre coffee room. Breaking down large subjects into question goals and topics reduces any stress and the seemingly large volume of work.

Apps and Hacks For Planning Your Revision

As I've touched on already I'll use a few things to help build habits during revision periods.

The first hack here is that while I like google sheets and excel as they are quick and simple there are quite a few helpful automation tools that can save you some time when mapping out a revision timetable. Apps like Notion and Airtable have lighter-weight formulae and templates you can use to help track your study progress and if you like using these they are great tools, just don't go down a rabbit hole of trying to create the "perfect" notion revision habit-tracker as that might be just another way to procrastinate rather than getting down to studying.

My second hack, especially if you are studying for exams at school, is to check out apps like Exam Countdown or Smart Timetable which are designed to remind you of upcoming exams if you are doing lots of exams at the end of a school or college year and which can help you to plan things out further. Again my best advice is to keep things simple and if any tools need loads of setup time they might just be a distraction so have a play and see if they are for you or whether an excel sheet is just as good and a bit easier and quicker.

My third and most important hack is to use question banks which will show you how many questions you've done and your progress and score. If you like flashcards Anki and others can track your progress too. Most subjects will have specific online question banks where you can jump into a ton of questions, select your question type, filter by exactly what questions you want to do and then play through them in a gamified way where you just focus on getting through as many questions as possible. The best ones also have mobile apps and will track your progress in the cloud and show you how you are doing against your peers and people who have done well at the exam you're studying for to keep you on track. While most are paid they are in my opinion as important as buying books and some like Shiken which I'm playing with here also allow you to set daily question goals and exam dates and personalise your learning.

My fourth and final hack is to then make sure you have a good daily or weekly diary planner or calendar system which complements your revision timetable. I use Evernote and my diary to plan out my day and week to ensure I time-block out time for studying around my life, exercise, eating and socialising. This is really important when you're working and studying and I'll dive into a video on my morning routine and how I use my diary for everything from self-development and reflection to gratitude and organising my day in later videos so be sure to hit subscribe to hear about those first.

So to summarize when planning and constructing a revision timetable the method that worked best for me was flexible, focused on measuring and tracking my actual understanding and performance at a specific topic and prioritised high-yield topics that I was weakest at. It didn't need ages to create and avoided the fluency effect where you think you have mastered a topic just because you've spent time going over it passively. The method also naturally incorporated spacing, interleaving and active recall as evidence-based study methods to keep me efficient when learning.

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How to revise – Reviewing Your Revision Techniques

How to revise - understand your learning style

Developing your study skills, and understanding how to revise for exams , is essential to ensure you meet your full potential through school and university. Learning how to revise effectively involves understanding your learning style, producing a good revision timetable and a number of revision techniques.

There are different questionnaires you can find on the internet to help you understand how you learn in the most efficient manner. As an example, Honey and Mumford adapted Kolb’s experiential learning model. Maintaining four broad categories of learning style. Below we have outlined revision techniques and how to revise for each category:

• Activists – who like to ‘do’ to learn (how to revise: write practice essays, do past papers, make notes and use diagrams)
• Reflectors – who like to reflect on learning experiences (how to revise: read notes and textbooks and summarise notes)
• Theorists – who like to understand theories (how to revise: research theories and write down case studies)
• Pragmatists – who like to be prepared and find out what works (how to revise: practice questions with a friend/parent/discussion group and review past papers to prepare answers)

Revision techniques

Create a revision timetable and revision strategy

• Plan in advance how you intend to learn and the best way to revise. Undertake a learning style questionnaire to help you understand how you learn best
• Practice past exam papers as part of your main revision idea and strategy
• Eat well, take regular breaks and exercise to help you relax
• Practice revising with a classmate who can help you concentrate. Make a revision timetable together. Share different revision techniques
• Use mind maps, diagrams and write notes and rhymes to help you connect your ideas together

How to create a revision timetable

Revision techniques are learnt over time. Learning how to revise and prepare for an exam. As well as ensuring you are well-prepared, takes time and thought. Looking at how to create a revision timetable is essential, helping you manage your workload for each subject. It will also help you plan when you can take breaks, which are essential to help you learn in an effective manner.

Remember, no one can sit down and revise efficiently for hours on end. You learn best if you take breaks and create a revision timetable that integrates a variety of different subject areas that you are revising. Your revision timetable should also reflect the amount of time you feel you need to spend in a certain subject area. This will be dependent on your strengths and weaknesses in different subject areas.

To start with, when making a revision timetable, we suggest you write down the number of subjects and topics you have got to study. Work out the number of weeks and days you have left and make a rough calculation. Dividing the number of subject areas into the amount of time you have left.

Split the time into blocks for different topics incorporating different revision techniques. When making a revision timetable, if you try and overload too much in one subject area, you won’t absorb the information effectively.

We suggest you split your revision sessions into sensible amounts of time and take regular breaks to allow you to concentrate more effectively. We suggest you timetable sessions of one hour, integrating a ten or fifteen minute break within each session. During that break, go outside for a walk or sit in a different room to give yourself a change of environment.

You need to revisit notes you have made from each revision session to refresh your memory and to absorb the information. Use revision techniques that work for you and are appropriate to helping you learn a particular subject area. This may involve developing your own flashcards for subjects like history, or creating rhymes for language examinations, to help your brain retain the information. Factor all these techniques in when you make a revision timetable.

As a part of our support during your studies our specialist mentors will support you in both making a revision timetable and understanding how to revise effectively. If you would like to find out more please contact us to speak to one of our advisers.

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The revision timetable you’ll actually stick to

Get the most out of your time with a study planner that helps you build homework and revision around the rest of your life

There's no one-size-fits-all to revision timetables. You might want to write in the pages of your diary, make a checklist, create a beautiful hand-made timetable for your wall or use an online app.  However you choose to do it, you should begin to feel organised and see the task ahead of you much more clearly once you've made one. 

Here's how to whip up a decent study plan to help you get going with your revision, with tips from members of The Student Room.

Why make a study planner?

A study planner, or revision timetable, is a calendar or diary that includes all your activities, lessons and other commitments.

Having a good plan will help you stay motivated and balance your time across different subjects.

"For me, having it written down in a way that shows that I  have  to do certain subjects on certain days in order to get everything done motivates me to do stuff rather than procrastinate," says The Student Room member marymcmess.

It'll also mean you won’t run out of time when the revision pressure is on.

"Make a timetable, checklist or schedule to help you stay on track. If you plan when you'll revise and what you'll focus on, you'll make sure you have enough time to work on everything you need to. There'll be no need for last minute cramming," comments DrawTheLine.

It shouldn't take you too long to make a revision timetable either.

VoxNihili says, "don't spend ages on this – it doesn't directly affect your exam grades, so the less time you spend on it the better – but at the same time, you can know where you need to get to, and then take guilt free time off your work once everything is done."

Read more: ace your exams with these revision resources

Five steps to making your revision timetable

1. Make a list of all your exams

"First write down a list of all your subjects and write how many hours you would like to spend on them each week (e.g. you might decide you're better at one subject so you will only spend one hour a week on it and a subject you struggle with you might want to spend three hours on broken up in the week)."

– Bluepanda1234

2. Prioritise them – how much revision do you want to do for each one?

"You're going to need to plan more time on your core subjects and those you need for A-levels. I personally attended every revision session going so that I knew even if I didn't get to revise a subject one week I kept it ticking over."

– doodles365

3. Break each exam up into a series of topics to learn/practise

"Download your specific specification, print it out if you need to, and go through it, checking whether you have learnt everything in there. Tick all the stuff you have learnt and make sure you do learn the stuff you haven't."

– _pxmudi_

4. Decide how much time you realistically want to devote to revision each week, making sure to leave enough time to take breaks from studying

"Realistically think of how many hours you can do – I do around six to eight hours everyday during the holidays and the weekend and three to four hours after school."

– simran_x

5. Allocate topics into each week (allocating more time to tough topics and leaving some spare time at the end for going through topics again)

"Fill in or cross out the times in the day when you definitely can't revise. Put in slots for dinner, sport, free time, relaxing time and sleep. Then see what time you are left with and slot in what work you would like to do on what day."

What can you use to make your revision timetable?

There are plenty of apps and websites out there that will build a revision timetable for you. Here are a few to get you started:

• My Study Life : as well as organising your daily and weekly schedule, you can use this app to track homework and assignments. 
• School Planner : Android users can get this app to create timetables for lessons and exams. You can set it to send notifications as useful reminders.
• Smart Girl : if you'd rather have a physical copy of your study planner, you can download and print all sorts of free planners here. 

How can you make yourself stick to your revision timetable?

There's no point making the perfect study planner if you don't try to stick to it as much as possible. Here are some tips from The Student Room community to help keep you on track. 

Check it every day

"I did 10 hours a week, and varied the hours every day depending on my mood."

– justn1c2

Remember it’s flexible – change it when needed

"I really dislike rigid timetables as they do not tailor learning to how you're currently performing so I will change my timetable the day before to suit what I most need to study."

– aranlong

Share it with friends and family

"Keep yourself accountable, write out what you aimed to have gotten done at the end of the day in the morning, in the evening review what you have done and if you've fallen short, critique yourself and address where you've fallen short. This is a lot easier when a friend or family member is holding you to your word."

– Trapmoneybenny

Reward yourself after each revision session

"Every time you finish a page/chapter/revision resource,  reward yourself  (but not too much). This is the way habits are formed: cue, reward, repeat. If you make this into a habit you'll have no trouble at uni."

– Nutellla

Tick off topics when they’re done

"I find it helpful to just have a list of topics, homework and other stuff and just ticking them off when you're done."

– Cosmocos

Finally, some tips for making a great study planner

• Be realistic – there's no point setting a plan that you won't be able to stick to.
• Make it detailed –  break your revision into chunks, specify times for studying and assign each time to a particular subject.
• Be prepared to change your study planner – life always throws up surprises, and some topics may take you longer than you planned for.
• Give yourself little rewards after a study session to stay motivated.
• Build in breaks – you don't want to get burned out.
• Look at your study plan as a set of guidelines rather than something that should be followed without thinking.
• Give yourself time before an exam to review all the content you need to learn.
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13 Ways To Plan A Revision Timetable You Can Be Proud Of

Stop! Before you plan a revision timetable, read these tips on what to include (and what not to include). Make your study schedule really work for you.

Google ‘revision timetable’ and you’ll be hit by over 204 billion results and a screenful of pretty printable timetables, but exactly which is the best way to plan a revision schedule?

The answer is simple: find a way that works for you. It IS possible to revise without getting bored and even revise without getting distracted, even though it’s not something you’d add to your bucket list.

Spend some time reading through our exam revision tips and carefully plan a revision timetable. That way you’ll find revision easier than you think.

How To Prepare Your Revision Timetable

Know what you’re up against.

There are plenty of past SATs and Eleven Plus papers out there to show you the kinds of questions you should be aiming to answer. Don’t get too hung up on remembering the answer to each question – they change every year. Get a feel for the question subjects, level and the knowledge you need to answer that kind of question. If you find something tricky make a note of the topic and consider what you’d need to learn to make it easier.

Set Goals and Desired Outcomes

Setting achievable goals is not just important for exam revision. It’s an essential life skill too. If you have a really large goal, for example, to use a range of punctuation appropriately, break it down into a smaller set of mini-goals: using capital letters and full stops, using commas, using speech marks, using parentheses… Practise each of these skills as its own challenge.

Be Realistic About Your Timetable

If you are used to Scouts on a Tuesday night and footie with your mates on a Thursday after school then don’t think that you should stop doing these to squeeze in more revision. Everyone needs downtime too. It’s scientifically proven to support our learning!

Reward Yourself For Learning

Be reflective about your own learning and progress and make sure that you factor in rewards for your effort and achievements. Rewards don’t have to be huge. It could be something as simple as a favourite snack, a new comic or some special family time.

Use Google Calendar To Set Reminders

I am not sure I’d make it to the end of the day without Google Calendars and Trello to organise me these days. There’s lots of free tech around to help you set a regular schedule and give you timely reminders; more useful than a paper timetable that ends up as a forgotten scrap under a pile of books. Once you’ve organised your revision, use one of these resources to set a schedule and set up a daily email reminding you of your schedule each morning.

Study Your Hardest Subjects Too

It can be tempting to study your favourite or easier subjects more than those trickier topics, but remember, they will still be there on the exam paper waiting for you! Try to study the harder subjects earlier when your mind is still fresh and able to absorb new information more easily.

Start Early

Starting your revision schedule with plenty of time ahead of you means that you have much more time to revise. Pacing revision across a number of months can also give you extra time to think about the topics you’re finding hard and work out a strategy to overcome them. No last minute cramming here! Not sure about the topics? You can download our Year 6 Maths Topics and Year 6 Writing Expectations documents completely free to get you on your way.

Use Short, Sharp Bursts Of Revision

Our brains are stack-full of neural pathways and each time we learn something new, we store it away along one of them. The more we recall the information, the wider that neural pathway becomes and the easier it becomes to rapidly recall our new knowledge and skills. Revising the same topic for 20 minutes each day over 5 days will improve your memory much more than one 100 minute session.

Ask Your Family And Friends To Support Your Study

Having people around you who know your goals and can encourage and congratulate you as you work towards them is great for motivation. Make sure your family and friends know what you are hoping to achieve so they can support you on your journey.

Don’t Worry About Others

The world is full of people who are faster, brighter, taller, stronger… but really they are just DIFFERENT! Set your own agenda and goals and don’t be swayed by others who seem to know more about a topic you’re struggling with. More likely than not, they’ll be struggling with something you find easy. Comparing yourself to others can lead to negative thinking, so just stick to your schedule built for your individual goals.

Create A Distraction Free Revision Zone

Find a quiet place to revise. Try to make it a space where everything that you need is within reach and distractions such as other family members, TV or busy goings on can’t put you off your work. If you do find yourself getting distracted then walk away for a five minute breather and come back with a fresh head.

Not many of us are excellent at something the first few times we do it. Getting really good at anything takes perseverance and determination. Look at any sports personality or person at the top of their game and you’ll find hours of hard graft and practice behind the scenes. So why would spellings, long division or punctuation be any different? Keep going and every now and then, look back at the progress that you’ve made. You’ll see incredible progress just from working hard.

Believe In Yourself

This is my top tip! As Dr Seuss would say, there is no one more ‘You-er’ than You. And you (just like anyone else) really can achieve marvellous things in your life with a little hard work and dedication. It can sometimes feel like this exam you’re revising for will define the rest of your life, but in my experience that’s rarely true. People with the right attitude get where they want to in the end. Thomas Edison, Richard Branson, Walt Disney and even Albert Einstein all did well enough without exam success and what more proof do you need than that!

Whichever template you choose to plan your revision timetable, stick to these ideas and you’ll find studying can be empowering, enjoyable and help you to reach the goals you set yourself.

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Using Retrospective Revision Timetables

At a g lance.

• Based on the reader question: What's the best way to track and prioritise my revision when learning a new topic? - Edith, UK
• Avoid the pitfall of being ‘All plan and no action’ by measuring what you have done rather than what you aspire to get done.
• Refocus your revision to prioritise understanding the answers rather than just recognising them. Taking this approach will make your revision more efficient by giving you an honest view of how you're progressing.

What is a Retrospective Revision Timetable?

True to its name, a Retrospective Revision Timetable looks backwards instead of forwards.

Its power comes from forcing you to focus on how to build upon your existing strengths and weaknesses.

With a glance, you can see where you’ve applied effort and whether your mastery is high, medium, or low. You can then prioritise your day by focusing on what matters.

Despite having little context about Retrospective Revision Timetables, you’ve probably intuited the following from the one above:

• The traffic light colouring told you which topics are strengths or weaknesses;
• The blank rows showed you the topics that need more attention;
• The well-populated rows signalled that these topics have been revised extensively.

Based on that, you’ve probably thought:

• This person should revise Trigonometry some more, and;
• This person should pause revising Numerical Methods and Vectors.

That’s the magic. You don’t have to waste time thinking about what to do.

Instead, you can glance at your table and focus on doing what matters.

How Do I Create a Retrospective Revision Timetable?

• Choose a subject you want to revise
• Create a sheet or page dedicated to that subject
• List all the sub-topics for that subject, e.g. for Chemistry you could add Atomic Structure, Thermodynamics, Acids and Bases, etc.

That is the skeleton of your Retrospective Revision Timetable.

Now you’re ready to start using it.

Note: I would recommend you pick one subject to begin with. That way, if you like this approach, you’ll have ironed out any kinks before applying it to all your subjects.

How Do I Use the Retrospective Revision Timetable?

When you revise one of your topics, you should mark it on your timetable in two ways:

• Add the date you revised the topic
• Add whether your understanding of the topic was high, medium, or low using green, yellow, and red, respectively. These colours are a quick visual breakdown of your comprehension and confidence

What Counts as “Revision”?

Reading your notes does not count as revision. It’s too casual.

You must be applying your knowledge in some way, as that application will strengthen your understanding. It’s akin to the phrase, ‘Use it or lose it”.

This application-centric style of revising is far more effective, and is called Active Recall.

Active Recall Revision Exercises to Embrace

A few examples of active recall revision activities that would merit marking a revision session in your Retrospective Revision Timetable are:

• Writing an essay or essay plan
• Completing a past paper
• Mind mapping the connections between topics
• Solving a problem sheet
• Reviewing question and answer flashcards on the topic
• Teaching someone else the topic

Each of these examples requires you to recall and apply facts, information, and arguments.

Doing this moves you from recognising the answer to understanding the answer.

Passive Recall Revision Exercises to Avoid

These exercises make you feel good, in that, you think ‘Oh, of course, that’s the answer’.

However, when it comes to testing your understanding, you’ll realise that you’ve been cheated.

A few examples of these sort of exercises would be:

• Reading over notes
• Reviewing an old essay
• Copying out of a textbook
• Watching a lecture on the topic

Inspirational Examples

When you peek below, you’ll notice that I tweaked my Retrospective Revision Timetables in two ways.

Both include the date of the exam, which helped me make sure I was using my time mindfully.

I’ve also added Active Recall examples to keep myself honest by only logging revision sessions that prioritised applying and understanding the material. Feel free to use these as a starting point, and recast them in your own voice.

This article is part of the Redraft newsletter, where we answer reader questions. Submit your question here or subscribe for free.

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Jamie Miles

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How to Make a Revision Timetable

Last Updated: March 6, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Josh Jones . Josh Jones is the CEO and Founder of Test Prep Unlimited, a GMAT prep tutoring service. Josh built the world's first and only score guarantee program for private GMAT tutoring. He has presented at the QS World MBA Tour and designed math curricula for Chicago Public Schools. He has over 15 years of private tutoring and classroom teaching experience and a BA in Math from the University of Chicago. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 267,110 times.

A revision timetable will help you focus and make the most of the time you have available to study for your exams. You can make a paper revisions timetable using letter or legal size paper and a pen, or you could make your revisions timetable on Google calendar or in your weekly planner. There are also mobile applications that can help with your revisions timetable. Whatever media you use, be sure to prioritize your subjects, make time for study breaks and get plenty of rest. [1] X Research source

Reviewing Your Calendar

• If you have a lot of upcoming shifts, consider working less so that you have more time for revisions.

Filling in the Timetable

• You can also download revision timetables and then insert your own subjects and times.

• If you use an Android device, you may find Timetable helpful. It will mute your phone during your study sessions and allow you to block your time effectively.
• You can make a personalized study plan with the SQA My Study Plan application.
• You can store your timetable on the cloud and access it across a range of devices with the My Study Life application.

• Remember to integrate some flexibility in your schedule. You may need to go back to the big subjects later in your revision timetable, depending on how it goes the first time around.

• If you are memorizing new words for an upcoming Spanish language test, you might want to allocate more frequent, smaller blocks of time.

Optimizing Your Time

• If you are memorizing dates or events for a history exam, write down a goal to memorize a particular number of facts for the exam.

• If you need to identify parts of the human body, you may want to use biological illustrations or pictures.
• If you need to perform in an algebra exam, you should practice doing equations.

• For instance, you should try to get between eight and ten hours of sleep per night. [18] X Research source
• Unfortunately, not getting sufficient sleep will limit your concentration and learning. If you are prioritizing study time over getting adequate sleep (i.e., 8-10 hours), it could negatively impact your ability to concentrate and learn during your study sessions. [19] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Be realistic about what you can achieve but remember it is all about trial and error. Even if it goes wrong, you can always adjust your timetable. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Studying with a friend can be productive and fun. You can revise subjects you both do and test each other on things you've learned. If you don't do the same subjects, you can motivate one another to work and stick to your revision plans. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Make yourself a detailed ‘to do list’ the night before. For instance, your weekend ‘to do list’ might look like the following: 9:30-1030am, shower and eat breakfast; 10:30am, revise for Russian history exam; 11:30am, revise for algebra exam; 1230pm, eat lunch. You'll be surprised at how much more likely you are to get work done if you have everything planned out exactly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

• Paper or a diary
• Coloured pens

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/student/student-life/Studies/how-to-make-a-bulletproof-revision-timetable-in-the-run-up-to-exam-season-a6722751.html
• ↑ http://university.which.co.uk/advice/student-life/creating-a-revision-timetable-that-actually-works
• ↑ https://www.dayjob.com/content/revision-timetable-771.htm
• ↑ https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04416.x
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep

About This Article

To create a revision timetable, download an app like SQA My Study Plan and insert your subjects and times for each day. Schedule big projects first, then allocate smaller, more frequent blocks of time for easier subjects. Next, set goals for each study session, such as reading up to a certain page. Keep study sessions at 30 to 40 minutes, and take regular breaks, like a short walk or a cup of coffee. To learn more about making a revision timetable, including how to optimize your time to accomplish your study goals , keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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3 Steps for Creating an Effective Revision Plan

The most effective first step for revision is to get organised with a solid plan of action. But, how do we go about planning our revision? In this article, we’ll look at three tips for creating an effective yet flexible revision plan such as, scoping your subject, understanding exam requirements, and implementing retrospective revision timetables.

Planning your revision can be an overwhelming task. You might feel the need to delay revision until you have created a timetable, or spend more time carefully crafting the perfect plan rather than starting your revision. Naturally, when planning out your timetable, you might worry about how much time is enough for revision, or how you can cover all your subjects and balance them well. It’s hard to predict what topics we may struggle with and how much time we will have available. In this article, we’ll look at three steps for planning your revision in a way that is both flexible and effective, focusing on the quality of your knowledge, in contrast to the amount of time you spend revising. 

Scope Your Subject

This is the first and most important step of the process! To grasp both the bigger picture and the finer details of your subject, you need to understand the outline by scoping your subject . By identifying the core topics, you can begin to draw connections between the material you’re learning. This is particularly useful when studying a wide variety of modules that may link together, or a large subject that has many interlinked sub-topics. 

A good way to assess your current understanding of the subject outline is to draw up a mindmap, or list from memory - this engages your ability to actively recall information. You can start with the core subject and break it down into subtopics. After, you can use your specification or textbook to flesh out your outline, adding in missed out topics, sub-topics or correcting any mislabelled information. 

This might sound simple but by actively working through your specification, you will begin to understand which topics have the most content, or hold the most importance. You’ll also start to understand how confident you are with the subject’s content; certain topics might have interested you during lectures, while others made no sense. This outline of content can guide your revision process and as we’ll discuss later, this scope of your subject can essentially become your revision timetable. 

A few practical ways to implement scoping your subject include creating a simple bullet pointed list, with indents for subtopics. You can do this in Notion, Word, Google Docs or a spreadsheet and add tick boxes to track your progress. Similarly, you can use this structure to begin organising revision materials. You can create pages or folders in note-taking apps based on each topic and store any resources you’ll need access to. This gives you easy and organised access to material during the revision process, and will help you identify if you need better resources, or will need to create some active recall based revision material, such as question lists or flashcards.

Understand Exam Requirements

For our exam revision to be the most effective, we need to have a good understanding of the assessment method and criteria. How will your knowledge be tested? This can guide the revision techniques you use, and how you make sense of the information. For example:

• For an essay-based exam, your ability to craft a well-written and critical argument under a time constraint, is just as important as understanding and memorising the theoretical concepts.
• Alternatively, for technical subjects, you might find it’s better to spend revision time engaged in problem solving. This would test your ability to apply formulae or concepts from memory, and help you to fill in the gaps when you struggle. 

Likewise, by understanding your assessment method and criteria, you’ll be able to pinpoint what is testable knowledge. Some content might have been given for context, and research examples that were given might need to be replaced with your own examples, to show the breadth of your learning. This way, you can avoid wasting time revising material that is not directly beneficial to your exam method. 

Ideally, the best way to understand your assessment method is to use past papers, and if this is unavailable, perhaps exam feedback from the last examination period. Alternatively, improve your general skills, for example, you might not have any example questions, but you can practise your essay writing skills, or use previous assignments as a guide for effective essay writing. 

The Retrospective Revision Timetable

As we mentioned earlier, one of the most difficult aspects of planning your revision can be organising your time. A fixed timetable can easily start to go off track, and leave you feeling demotivated or overwhelmed. An unexpected event might pop up. You might realise one topic needs more attention than another. This is why a retrospective revision timetable is ideal for getting started with minimal planning, and allows you to revise with flexibility. After scoping your subject, this outline can now become your retrospective revision timetable. This method of planning focuses on what you have achieved, rather than focusing on the future goals of what you hope to achieve. 

For this timetable, you have a list of topics for one particular subject. Each time you revise the topic, you write the date of revision and use colour coding to indicate how well this session went. Preferably, revision sessions should involve some guide of ‘active’ study methods that require you to recall information from memory. This creates a visual representation of how well you understand and remember the topics, making it easier to identify areas of weakness. Ideally, when you start this process, input your list of topics, and identify how confident you currently are, this will highlight areas of importance and provide a starting point.

This method focuses on the quality of your revision, and allows you to work backwards, focusing on what you don’t know. By having a complete overview of your progress, you can switch between topics with ease. For example, if you mark a topic ‘red’, leave some time before going back. Instead, take a break and come back to study a topic that is marked ‘amber’ or ‘green’. This is known as interleaving , and is known for improving your ability to retain information. Be intentional when switching subjects, and careful not to confuse this with multitasking. 

A retrospective timetable can also make it easier to implement spaced repetition . This method is about leaving ‘spaces’ between your revision, and recalling information at various intervals. You aim to recall information just as your brain begins to forget it. These intervals are based on the forgetting curve that highlights how we forget information overtime. As you’re already noting the dates of revision, you can then use the concept of spaced repetition to guide when you should next revise the topic. You can automate this in some way using a spreadsheet or tools like Notion. Alternatively, you can set reminders in your phone once you have revised a topic. 

Finally, while we don’t want to make use of rigid timetables, we can still use time management techniques to implement our retrospective revision timetables. Time blocking can be a good way to ensure you always have time set aside for studying, and these sessions can be guided simply by the colour coded topics on your timetable. Similarly, you can use pomodoro timers, or focus apps to ensure you’re able to have a quality revision session and are engaged in deep work. 

• Scope your subject to understand the structure of the content you’ll be learning, and how familiar you are with it.
• Check your exam methods and assessment criteria to guide your revision, and ensure you’re able to convey your knowledge in an effective and relevant way. 
• Implement a retrospective revision timetable paired with time management techniques, which makes it easier to engage in other study techniques, such as interleaving, spaced repetition and active recall.

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International Standard-Setting Activities

A Notice by the U.S. Codex Office on 07/01/2024

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Supplementary information:, additional public notification, attachment 1: sanitary and phytosanitary activities of codex, codex alimentarius commission and executive committee, codex committee on contaminants in foods, codex committee on fats and oils, codex committee on fish and fishery products, codex committee on food additives, codex committee on food hygiene, codex committee on food import and export inspection and certification systems, codex committee on food labelling, codex committee on general principles, codex committee on methods of analysis and sampling, codex committee on nutrition and foods for special dietary uses, codex committee on pesticide residues, codex committee on residues of veterinary drugs in foods, codex committee on spices and culinary herbs, adjourned codex commodity committees, cereals, pulses and legumes—adjourned sine die 2020, cocoa products and chocolate—adjourned sine die 2001, meat hygiene—adjourned sine die 2003, milk and milk products—aadjourned sine die 2017, natural mineral waters—adjourned sine die 2008, processed fruits and vegetables—adjourned sine die 2020, sugars—adjourned sine die 2019, vegetable proteins—adjourned sine die 1989, fao/who regional coordinating committees, coordinating committee for africa, coordinating committee for asia, coordinating committee for europe, coordinating committee for latin america and the caribbean, coordinating committee for north america and the south west pacific, coordinating committee for the near east, enhanced content - submit public comment.

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Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA), USDA.

This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius (Codex), in accordance with section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. This notice also provides a list of other standard-setting activities of Codex, including commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts. This notice, which covers Codex activities during the time periods of June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards.

The U.S. Codex Office (USCO) invites interested persons to submit their comments on this notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: This website provides the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the on-line instructions at the website for submitting comments.
• Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop S4861, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
• Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Instructions: All items submitted by mail or email are to include the Agency name ( i.e., USCO) and docket number USDA-2024-0004. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information to http://www.regulations.gov . Please state that your comments refer to Codex. If your comments relate to specific Codex committees, please identify the committee(s) in your comments and submit a copy of your comments to the U.S. delegate to the committee.

Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

Ms. Mary Frances Lowe, United States Manager for Codex Alimentarius, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, Washington, DC 20250-3700, Email: [email protected] .

For information pertaining to committees, contact the U.S. delegate for that committee. A complete list of delegates and alternate delegates is accessible via the internet at: https://www.usda.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​documents/​us-codex-program-officials.pdf . Documents pertaining to Codex and specific committee agendas are accessible via the internet at http://www.fao.org/​fao-who-codexalimentarius/​meetings/​en/​ . The U.S. Codex Office also maintains a website at http://www.usda.gov/​codex , a link that also offers an email subscription service providing access to information related to Codex. Customers can add or delete their subscription themselves and have the option to password protect their accounts.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995, as the common international institutional framework for the conduct of trade relations among its members in matters related to the Uruguay Round Trade Agreements. The WTO is the successor organization to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). United States membership in the WTO was approved and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Uruguay Round Agreements) was signed into law by the President on December 8, 1994, Public Law 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809. The Uruguay Round Agreements became effective with respect to the United States on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round Agreements amended the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. Pursuant to section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, the President is required to designate an agency to be “responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting organization” ( 19 U.S.C. 2578 ). The main international standard-setting organizations are the Codex Alimentarius (Codex), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995, ( 60 FR 15845 ), designated the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the agency responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting organization. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated to the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Mission Area the responsibility to inform the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex. The Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Mission Area has, in turn, assigned the responsibility for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex to the U.S. Codex Office (USCO).

Codex was created in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Codex is the principal international organization for establishing standards for food. Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers, ensure fair practices in the food trade, and promote coordination of food standards work undertaken by international governmental and nongovernmental organizations. In the United States, U.S. Codex activities are Start Printed Page 54405 managed and carried out by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC); and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As the agency responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex, the USCO publishes this notice in the Federal Register annually. Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex sets forth the following information:

1. The SPS standards under consideration or planned for consideration; and

2. For each SPS standard specified:

a. A description of the consideration or planned consideration of the standard

b. Whether the United States is participating or plans to participate in the consideration of the standard

c. The agenda for United States participation, if any; and

d. The agency responsible for representing the United States with respect to the standard.

To obtain copies of the standards listed in Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex, please contact the U.S. delegate or the U.S. Codex Office.

This notice also solicits public comment on standards that are currently under consideration or planned for consideration and recommendations for new standards. The U.S. delegate, in conjunction with the responsible agency, will take the comments received into account in participating in the consideration of the standards and in proposing matters to be considered by Codex.

The U.S. delegate will facilitate public participation in the United States Government's activities relating to Codex. The U.S. delegate will maintain a list of individuals, groups, and organizations that have expressed an interest in the activities of the Codex committees and will disseminate information regarding U.S. delegation activities to interested parties. This information will include the status of each agenda item; the U.S. Government's position or preliminary position on each agenda item; and the time and place of planning meetings and debriefing meetings following the Codex committee sessions. In addition, the USCO makes much of the same information available through its web page at http://www.usda.gov/​codex . If you would like to access or receive information about specific committees, please visit the web page or notify the appropriate U.S. delegate or the U.S. Codex Office, Room 4861, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, Email: [email protected] .

The information provided in Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex describes the status of Codex standard-setting activities by the Codex committees for the time periods from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025. A list of forthcoming Codex sessions may be found at: https://www.fao.org/​fao-who-codexalimentarius/​meetings/​en/​ .

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, the USCO will announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the U.S. Codex web page located at https://www.usda.gov/​codex .

Done at Washington, DC.

Mary Frances Lowe,

U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Commission or CAC) convened its 46th Session (CAC46) from November 27 to December 2, 2023, in Rome, Italy, with report adoption taking place on December 2, 2023. The relevant document is REP23/CAC. The actions taken by the Commission at CAC46 ( e.g., adoption, revocation, approval of new work, discontinuation of work, amendments, etc.) are described below under the respective Codex Committees.

The Commission is scheduled to convene its 47th Session (CAC47) from November 25-30, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland. At its 47th Session, the Commission will consider adopting standards recommended by committees at Step 8 or 5/8 (final adoption) and advance the work of committees by adopting draft standards at Step 5 (for further comment and consideration by the relevant committee). The Commission will also consider revocation of Codex texts; proposals for new work; discontinuation of work; amendments to Codex standards and related texts; and matters arising from the Reports of the Commission, the Executive Committee, and subsidiary bodies. Although the agenda for the 47th Session is not yet available, it is expected that the Commission will also consider Codex budgetary and financial matters; FAO/WHO scientific support to Codex (activities, budgetary and financial matters); matters arising from FAO/WHO; reports of side events; any other business; and adoption of the report.

The Executive Committee (CCEXEC) is composed of the Commission chairperson; vice-chairpersons; seven members elected by the Commission from each of the following geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East, North America and South West Pacific; and regional coordinators from the six regional coordinating committees. The United States currently participates as an advisor to Canada, the member elected on a geographical basis for North America.

CCEXEC convened its 84th Session (CCEXEC84) from July 10-14, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. The relevant document is REP23/EXEC1. In addition to critical review of standards development ( i.e., discussion of recommendations to CAC46 on the work of Codex Committees), CCEXEC84 discussed the Blueprint on the Future of Codex; a revised monitoring framework for the Codex Strategic Plan 2020-2025; timetable and process for development of the Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031; review of international non-governmental organizations with observer status in Codex; application of the criteria for regional Codex standards; plans outlined by the CAC chair and vice-chairs for additional consultations related to the consideration of maximum residue limits for the veterinary drug zilpaterol hydrochloride (adopted at Step 5, interim adoption, by CAC45 in 2022); and other business, including a brief exchange of views regarding the importance of the joint WHO/FAO scientific advice program and independent expert risk assessments in supporting Codex standards and the need to avoid potential duplication and inconsistent communications due to the undertaking of hazard identification reviews by another WHO-affiliated body.

CCEXEC convened its 85th Session (CCEXEC85) from November 20-24, 2023, in Rome, Italy. The relevant document is REP23/EXEC2. In addition to critical review ( i.e., discussion of recommendations to CAC46 on the work of additional Codex Committees that had met since CCEXEC84), CCEXEC85 discussed the Blueprint on the Future of Codex; intersessional work on the draft of initial sections of the Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031; Codex budgetary and financial matters; matters arising from FAO and WHO; review of international non-governmental organizations with observer status in Codex; application of the criteria for regional Codex standards; and other business including a report from the CAC chair and vice-chairs on consultations related to the consideration of maximum residue limits for zilpaterol hydrochloride, and a proposal from the United States to consider the development of Codex guidance on food safety considerations related to the use of recycled material in food packaging. CCEXEC85 also had further discussion on the need to avoid duplication of scientific reviews by WHO-affiliated bodies and noted the commitment of WHO to address the matter and enhance coordination in the future.

CCEXEC will convene its 86th Session (CCEXEC86) from July 1-5, 2024, in Rome, Italy. CCEXEC86 is expected to discuss critical review ( i.e., recommendations to Start Printed Page 54406 CAC47 on the work of Codex Committees); key elements of the Model for Future Codex Work; the Codex Strategic Plan for 2026-2031; Codex budgetary and financial matters; applications from international non-governmental organizations for observer status in Codex; and other business.

Responsible Agency: USDA/TFAA/USCO.

U.S. Participation: Yes.

The Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) establishes or endorses permitted maximum levels (MLs) or guideline levels (GLs) for contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed; prepares priority lists of contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants for risk assessment by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA); considers and elaborates methods of analysis and sampling for the determination of contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed; considers and elaborates standards or codes of practice for related subjects; and considers other matters assigned to it by the Commission in relation to contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed.

The Committee had the following items which were considered by the 46th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC46) in November 2023:

Final adoption at Step 8 or Step 5/8:

• Code of Practice for Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cassava and cassava-based products
• ML for lead in ready-to eat meals for infants and young children
• ML for lead in soft brown, raw and non-centrifugal sugars
• ML for total aflatoxins in dried chilli and nutmeg, and ML for ochratoxin A in dried chilli, paprika, and nutmeg

Approval as new work:

• Code of Practice/Guidelines for the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning

CCCF convened its 17th Session (CCCF17) from April 15-19, 2024, in Panama City, Panama, with report adoption taking place on April 19, 2024. The relevant document is REP24/CF17. CCCF17 advanced the following items for consideration by the 47th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47) in November 2024:

For final adoption at Step 8 and Step 5/8:

• MLs for lead in spices, dried aril; dried seeds (including a separate ML for celery seeds); dried rhizomes and roots, dried floral parts; and spices, dried fruit, and berries (including separate MLs for Sichuan pepper, star anise, paprika, and sumac)
• Sampling plans for methylmercury in fish
• Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ciguatera Poisoning
• MLs for cadmium and lead in quinoa

For approval as new work:

A revision of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts (CXC 55-2004)

• A code of practice for the prevention and reduction of cadmium contamination in foods

The 18th Session of CCCF (CCCF18) is scheduled to convene again from June 23-27, 2025. The Committee is expected to continue working on:

• ML for total aflatoxins in ready to-eat peanuts and associated sampling plan
• MLs for lead in dried bark and dried culinary herbs
• Sampling plans for total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in certain spices

New work on the revision of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts (CXC 55-2004)

• New work on a code of practice for the prevention and reduction of cadmium contamination in foods

Discussion paper on the revision of the Code of Practice to Prevent and Reduce Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Contamination in Food and Feed

• Discussion paper on tropane alkaloids

Discussion paper on the revision of the Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods

Discussion paper on the revision of the Code of Practice for the Reduction of Aflatoxin B1 in Raw Materials and Supplemental Feedingstuffs for Milk-Producing Animals

• Numeric Performance Criteria for methods for Total Aflatoxins utilizing the sum of components concept (in relevant sampling plans)
• Guidance on data analysis for ML development and improved data collection
• Review of Codex standards for contaminants
• Priority list of contaminants for evaluation by JECFA and follow-up work to the outcomes of JECFA evaluations and FAO/WHO expert consultations
• Comments in response to a Circular Letter requesting information on the application of MLs to multi-ingredient products, new risk management measures for the reduction of acrylamide in food, and emerging issues relevant to CCCF

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN); USDA/Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) is responsible for elaborating worldwide standards for fats and oils of animal, vegetable, and marine origin, including margarine and olive oil.

CCFO convened its 28th Session (CCFO28) from February 19-23, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with report adoption taking place on February 23, 2024. The relevant document is REP24/FO. CCFO28 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

Amendment/Revision of the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999): inclusion of avocado oil, camellia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, and high oleic acid soya bean oil

Revision of the Standard for Olive Oils and Pomace Olive Oils (CXS 33-1981)

Amendment/Revision of the Standard for Fish Oils (CXS 329-2017): inclusion of Calanus oil

• A standard for microbial omega-3 oils
• Proposed revisions to the Codex standards on fats and oils to reduce Trans-Fatty Acid intake

CCFO is tentatively scheduled to convene its 29th Session (CCFO24) from February 9-13, 2026. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• Collection and assessment for suitability of global scientific data and information on individual samples of olive oil, in order to make recommendations on the need and process for further analysis of the data and establishment of methods of analysis and sampling
• Consideration of proposals on new substances to be added to the List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN); USDA/Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

The Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP) is responsible for elaborating standards for fresh, frozen, and otherwise processed fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

CCFFP is working by correspondence and will meet virtually from October 7-17, 2024 on the Electronic Working Group (EWG) platform to complete its current work. The Committee is working on:

The Standard for Canned Sardines and Sardine-Type Products (CXS 94-1981), inclusion of the fish species S. lemuru (Bali Sardinella) in the list of Sardinella species under section 2.1.

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/CFSAN; DOC/NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

The Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) establishes or endorses acceptable MLs for individual food additives; prepares a priority list of food additives for risk assessment by the JECFA; assigns functional classes to individual food additives; recommends specifications of identity and purity for food additives for adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission; considers methods of analysis for the determination of additives in food; and considers and elaborates standards or codes of practice for related subjects such as the labeling of food additives when sold as such.

The Committee had the following items which were considered by CAC46 in November 2023:

Final adoption at Step 8 and Step 5/8:

Draft and proposed draft food additive provisions of the General Standard for Start Printed Page 54407 Food Additives (GSFA, CXS 192-1995) and revisions to adopted provisions

Proposed draft revision of the Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives (CXG 36-1989)

Proposed draft Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives (CXA 6-2021)

• Proposals for new food additive provisions of the GSFA
• Priority List of substances proposed for evaluation by JECFA

The 54th Session of CCFA (CCFA54) convened from April 22-26, 2024 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The relevant document is REP24/FA. CCFA54 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

• Draft and proposed draft food additive provisions of the GSFA (CXS 192-1995) and revisions to adopted provisions

Proposed draft Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives (CXM 6-2021)

• Revised food additive provisions of the GSFA in relation to the alignment of standards from the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP); the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV); the Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE); the Coordinating Committee for Asia (CCASIA); and the Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC)
• Discontinuation of draft and proposed food additive provisions and revocation of existing food additive provisions as recommended by CCFA54
• Proposed new work on the development of a standard for baker's yeast

CCFA is scheduled to convene its 55th Session (CCFA55) from March 24-28, 2025. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• New or revised provisions of the GSFA
• The alignment and the endorsement of food-additive provisions referred by Commodity Committees

Revision of the Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives (CXG 36-1989)

• Proposal for additions and changes to the Priority List of Substances proposed for evaluation by JECFA

Responsible Agency: HHS/FDA/CFSAN.

The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) is responsible for developing basic provisions on food hygiene, applicable to all food; considering and amending or endorsing provisions on food hygiene contained in Codex commodity standards and Codex codes of practice developed by other committees; considering specific food hygiene problems assigned to it by the Commission; suggesting and prioritizing areas where there is a need for microbiological risk assessment at the international level and developing questions to be addressed by the risk assessors; and considering microbiological risk management matters in relation to food hygiene and in relation to the FAO/WHO risk assessments.

Final adoption at Step 8:

• Guidelines for the Control of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Raw Beef, Fresh Leafy Vegetables, Raw Milk and Raw Milk Cheeses, and Sprouts (General Section, Annex I on raw beef, and Annex III on raw milk and raw milk cheeses)
• Guidelines for the Safe Use and Reuse of Water in Food Production and Processing (General Section and Annex I on Fresh Produce)
• Guidelines for food hygiene control measures in traditional markets for food

Revision of the Guidelines on the Application of the General Principles of Food Hygiene to the Control of Pathogenic Vibrio Species in Seafood (CXG 73-2010)

The 54th Session of CCFH (CCFH54) convened from March 11-15, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya. The relevant document is REP 24/FH. CCFH54 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

For final adoption at Step 5/8:

Guidelines for the Control of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Raw Beef, Fresh Leafy Vegetables, Raw Milk and Raw Milk Cheeses, and Sprouts (CXG 99-2023) (Annexes on Fresh Leafy Vegetables and Sprouts)

Guidelines for the Safe Use and Reuse of Water in Food Production and Processing (CXG 100-2023) (Annex on Milk and Milk Products)

Guidelines for Food Hygiene Control Measures in Traditional Markets for Food

Revision of the Guidelines on the Application of General Principles of Food Hygiene to the Control of Viruses in Food (CXG 79-2012)

Revision of the Guidelines for the Control of Campylobacter and Salmonella in Chicken Meat (CXG 78-2011)

Revision of the Guidelines on the Application of General Principles of Food Hygiene to the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Foods (CXG 61-2007)

CCFH is scheduled to convene its 55th Session (CCFH55) from December 8-11, 2025, in the United States. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

Guidelines for the Safe Use and Re-Use of Water in Food Production (CXG 100-2023) (Revision on Annex on Fish and Fishery Products and Drafting of Annex related to water-fit-for-purpose assessment, safety management, and technologies for recovery and treatment of water for reuse)

Alignment of CCFH documents with the revised General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969)

• New work proposals/forward workplan

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/CFSAN; USDA/FSIS.

The Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) is responsible for developing principles and guidelines for food import and export inspection and certification systems, with a view to harmonizing methods and procedures that protect the health of consumers, ensure fair trading practices, and facilitate international trade in foodstuffs; developing principles and guidelines for the application of measures by the competent authorities of exporting and importing countries to provide assurance, where necessary, that foodstuffs comply with requirements, especially statutory health requirements; developing guidelines for the utilization, as and when appropriate, of quality assurance systems to ensure that foodstuffs conform with requirements and promote the recognition of these systems in facilitating trade in food products under bilateral/multilateral arrangements by countries; developing guidelines and criteria with respect to format, declarations, and language of such official certificates as countries may require with a view towards international harmonization; making recommendations for information exchange in relation to food import/export control; consulting as necessary with other international groups working on matters related to food inspection and certification systems; and considering other matters assigned to it by the Commission in relation to food inspection and certification systems.

Final adoption at Step 5/8:

• Guidelines on recognition and maintenance of equivalence of national food control systems (NFCS)
• Principles and guidelines on the use of remote audit and inspection in regulatory frameworks

Reviewing and updating the Principles for Traceability/Product Tracing as a Tool within a Food Inspection and Certification System (CXG 60-2006)

The 27th Session of CCFICS (CCFICS27) is scheduled to convene from September 16-20, 2024, in Cairns, Australia. We are unable to determine if CCFICS27 will recommend adoptions or approvals at CAC47.

The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• Draft Consolidated Codex Guidelines related to Equivalence;
• Draft Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Food Fraud;

Draft revision and updating of the Principles for Traceability/Product Tracing as a Tool Within a Food Inspection and Certification System (CXG 60-2006); Start Printed Page 54408

• Discussion paper on guidance on appeals mechanism in the context of rejection of imported food; and
• Review and update of Appendix A—the list of emerging global issues.

Responsible Agencies: USDA/FSIS; HHS/FDA/CFSAN.

The Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) drafts provisions on labeling applicable to all foods; considers, amends, and endorses draft specific provisions on labeling prepared by the Codex Committees drafting standards, codes of practice, and guidelines; and studies specific labeling problems assigned to it by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Committee also studies problems associated with the advertisement of food with particular reference to claims and misleading descriptions.

The Committee advanced the following items for consideration by CAC46 in November 2023:

Interim adoption at Step 5:

Revision to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (CXS 1-1985): provisions relevant to allergen labelling

• Guidelines on the Provision of Food Information for Pre-packaged Foods to be Offered Via E-Commerce
• Guidelines on the Use of Technology to Provide Food Information

Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (CXS 1-1985): Labelling of pre-packaged foods in joint presentation and multipack formats

The 48th Session of CCFL (CCFL48) will convene from October 27-November 1, 2024, in Quebec City, Canada. We are unable to determine if CCFL48 will recommend adoptions or approvals at CAC47.

• Proposed draft guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce

Proposed draft revision to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985): provisions relevant to allergen labeling and guidelines on precautionary allergen labeling

• Proposed draft guidelines on the use of technology to provide food information
• Discussion paper on the labelling of alcoholic beverages
• Discussion paper on the application of food labelling provisions in emergencies
• Discussion paper on trans fatty acids (TFA)

Discussion paper on sustainability-related labelling: revision to the General Guidelines on Claims (CXG 1-1979)

• Discussion paper on future work and direction of CCFL: criteria for the evaluation and prioritization of work of CCFL

The Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) is responsible for procedural and general matters referred to it by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including: (a) The review or endorsement of procedural provisions/texts forwarded by other subsidiary bodies for inclusion in the Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; and (b) The consideration and recommendation of other amendments to the Procedural Manual.

The 33rd Session of CCGP (CCGP33) met in October 2-6, 2023, in Bordeaux, France. The relevant document is REP 24/GP. CCGP33 recommended minor updating and editorial amendments to the Procedural Manual, which were adopted by CAC46. The Committee is expected to continue discussions on:

• Revisions/amendments to Codex texts

Format and structure of the Codex Procedural Manual (PM)

○ Proposed changes to Section 2 of the PM, Elaboration of Codex standards and related texts, Procedures for the elaboration of Codex standards and related texts, Part 7 Guide to the procedure for the amendment and revision of Codex standards and related texts, and related paragraphs

○ Procedures in section 3 of the PM, Guidelines for subsidiary bodies, to identify text to be updated, in line with current practices; and

○ Inconsistencies in language and superseded content of the PM, apart from section 3.

The 34th Session of CCGP (CCGP34) is expected to convene sometime in the spring of 2025 in France.

Responsible Agencies: USDA/TFAA/USCO.

The Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) defines the criteria appropriate to Codex Methods of Analysis and Sampling; serves as a coordinating body for Codex with other international groups working on methods of analysis and sampling and quality assurance systems for laboratories; specifies, on the basis of final recommendations submitted to it by the bodies referred to above, reference methods of analysis and sampling appropriate to Codex standards which are generally applicable to a number of foods; considers, amends if necessary, and endorses as appropriate, methods of analysis and sampling proposed by Codex (commodity) committees, except for those methods of analysis and sampling for residues of pesticides or veterinary drugs in food, the assessment of microbiological quality and safety in food, and the assessment of specifications for food additives; elaborates sampling plans and procedures, as may be required; considers specific sampling and analysis problems submitted to it by the Commission or any of its committees; and defines procedures, protocols, guidelines or related texts for the assessment of food laboratory proficiency, as well as quality assurance systems for laboratories.

CCMAS convened its 42nd Session (CCMAS42) from June 12-16, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary, with virtual report adoption on June 20, 2023. The relevant document is REP23/MAS. The Committee advanced the following items for consideration at CAC46 in November 2023:

Final adoption at Step 8 and 5/8:

Revised General Guidelines on Sampling (CXG 50-2004)

• Methods of analysis/performance criteria for provisions in Codex commodity standards for fats and oils; cereals, pulses and legumes; and processed fruits and vegetables for inclusion in CXS 234-1999, and the sampling plans for total aflatoxins in certain cereals and cereal-based products including foods for infants and young children for inclusion in CXS 193-1995 (CXS 234-1999, CXS 193-1995)

CCMAS convened its 43rd Session (CCMAS43) from May 13-18, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary, with report adoption taking place on May 18, 2024. The relevant document is Draft REP24/MAS. CCMAS43 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

• Methods of analysis and numeric performance criteria for sorbates, benzoic acid, and calcium for selected processed fruits and vegetables for adoption/revocation

Sampling plan for methylmercury in fish for inclusion in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CXS 193-1995)

Revocation of the General Methods for the Detection of Irradiated Foods (CXS 231-2001)

Methods of analysis for cereals, pulses, and legumes for adoption/revocation as part of the update to Recommended Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CXS 234-1999)

• Methods of analysis for fish and fishery products and new or amended performance criteria for adoption/revocation as part of the update to CXS 234-1999
• Methods of analysis for spices and culinary herbs for adoption
• Methods of analysis for olive and olive pomace oils and fish oil for adoption/revocation
• Document titled “Nitrogen to protein conversion factors” for adoption and inclusion as an Appendix to the CXS 234-1999

The 44th Session of CCMAS (CCMAS44) will convene from May 5-9, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• Amendments to certain provisions in CXS 234-1999
• Review the methods for fruit juices and cocoa products and chocolate
• Methods of analysis for precautionary allergen labeling

Information document for the General Guidelines on Sampling (CXG 50-2004) e-book with sampling plans applications

• Numeric performance criteria for the determination of nitrate and nitrite ions in certain food matrices
• Harmonization of names and format for principles identified in CXS 234-1999

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/CFSAN; USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) is responsible for studying nutrition issues referred to it by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Committee also drafts general provisions, as appropriate, on nutritional aspects of all foods and develops standards, guidelines, or related texts for foods for special dietary uses in cooperation with other committees where necessary; considers, amends if necessary, and endorses provisions on nutritional aspects proposed for inclusion in Codex standards, guidelines, and related texts.

Revised Standard for Follow-up Formula (CXS 156-1987), renamed as the Standard for Follow-up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children

General Principles for establishing Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs-R) for persons aged 6 to 36 month s

CCNFSDU will convene its 44th Session (CCNFSDU44) from October 2-6, 2024 in Dresden, Germany. We are unable to determine if CCNFSDU44 will recommend adoptions or approvals at CAC47.

• General Principles for the Establishment of Nutrient Reference Values—Requirements (NRVs-R) for persons aged 6-36 months
• Collection and review of information on the use, and use levels for five identified additives and their technological justification

Methods of analysis for optional ingredients in the Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (CXS 72-1981)

• Redrafting of the prioritization mechanism/emerging issues for new work proposals
• Redrafting of the discussion paper for harmonized probiotic guidelines
• Redrafting the discussion paper on guidelines for the nutritional composition of foods and beverages made from non-animal and insect protein sources

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/CFSAN; USDA/ARS.

The Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) is responsible for establishing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticide residues in specific food items or in groups of food; establishing MRLs for pesticide residues in certain animal feeding stuffs moving in international trade where this is justified for reasons of protection of human health; preparing priority lists of pesticides for evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR); considering methods of sampling and analysis for the determination of pesticide residues in food and feed; considering other matters in relation to the safety of food and feed containing pesticide residues; and establishing maximum limits for environmental and industrial contaminants showing chemical or other similarity to pesticides in specific food items or groups of food.

The 54th Session of CCPR (CCPR54) convened in Beijing, China from June 26-July 1, 2023. The relevant document is REP23/PR. CCPR54 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC46 in November 2023:

• Over 400 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for different combinations of pesticides/commodities

Revision of the Codex Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds (CXA 4-1989):

○ the revised Class B- Primary food commodities of animal origin and Class E -Processed Foods of Animal Origin (All Types) and their respective table of representative commodities;

○ the consequential amendment to Table 2, Subgroup 12C Eggplant and eggplant-like commodities to the Principles and Guidance on the Selection of Representative Commodities for the Extrapolation of MRLs for Pesticides to Commodity Groups (CXG 84-2012);

○ the consequential amendment to the revised definition for the portion of the commodity to which MRLs apply and which is analyzed for Group 006—Tropical Fruits of Inedible Peel and 023—Oil fruits; and

○ the consequential amendments to the inclusion of new commodities/commodity codes in Class A—Primary food commodities of plant origin and Class D—Processed commodities of plant origin

CAC46 also discontinued work, approved new work, and revoked existing MRLs as recommended by CCPR54.

Revocation:

The Guidelines on Portion of Commodities to which MRLs Apply and which is Analyzed (CXG 41-1993); this document was replaced by the revised Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds (CXA 4-1989) as the single, authoritative reference for the establishment of MRLs for pesticides

• Guidance for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials of multi-class pesticides during prolonged storage

The 55th Session of CCPR (CCPR55) convened in Chengdu, China from June 3-8, 2024, in Chengdu, China. The relevant document is Draft REP24/PR. CCPR55 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

For final adoption at Step 8 and 5/8:

• Over 275 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for different combinations of pesticides/commodities

For interim adoption at Step 5:

• Guidelines for Monitoring the Stability and Purity of Reference Materials and Related Stock Solutions of Pesticides during Prolonged Storage
• Consequential amendments to CXLs for peppers groups and subgroups to implement the decision taken by CCPR on MRLs for okra
• Discontinuation/withdrawal of work and revocation of existing MRLs as recommended by CCPR55

The 56th Session of CCPR (CCPR56) will convene from May 19-24, 2025 in China. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• Coordination of work between CCPR and the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF): Joint CCPR/CCRVDF Working Group on Compounds for Dual Use as both pesticides and veterinary drugs
• Management of unsupported compounds without public health concern scheduled for periodic review
• Establishment of Codex schedules and priority lists of pesticides for evaluation/re-evaluation by JMPR
• Enhancement of the operational procedures of CCPR and JMPR

Responsible Agencies: EPA/Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)/Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP); USDA/FSIS.

The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) determines priorities for the consideration of residues of veterinary drugs in foods and recommends MRLs for veterinary drugs. The Committee also develops codes of practice, as may be required, and considers methods of sampling and analysis for the determination of veterinary drug residues in food.

• MRLs for ivermectin (sheep, pigs, and goats—fat, kidney, liver, and muscle)
• MRLs for nicarbazin (chicken)
• MRLs extrapolated to ruminants and finfish
• MRLs for zilpaterol hydrochloride (cattle kidney, liver, muscle)

The 27th Session of CCRVDF (CCRVDF27) is scheduled to convene from October 21-25, 2024. The CCRVDF27 location and agenda are currently unavailable, and we are unable to determine if CCRVDF27 will recommend adoptions or approvals at CAC47. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• Extrapolation of MRLs between species and to edible offal tissues
• Establishment of action levels for residues of veterinary drugs in edible tissues caused by unavoidable and unintended carryover of veterinary drug residues in animal feed

Coordination between CCRVDF and CCPR on issues affecting both committees ( e.g., harmonization of MRLs for similar edible commodities of animal origin; harmonization of risk assessment methodologies; data-sharing for dual-use compounds)

• Priority List of veterinary drugs requiring evaluation or re-evaluation by JECFA

Responsible Agencies: HHS/FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM); USDA/FSIS.

The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) is responsible for elaborating worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs in their dried and dehydrated state in whole, ground, and cracked or crushed form. CCSCH also consults, as necessary, with other international organizations in the standards development process to avoid duplication.

The 7th Session of CCSCH (CCSCH7) convened from January 29 to February 2, 2024, in Kochi, Kerala, India. The relevant document is REP24/SCH. CCSCH7 advanced the following items for consideration by CAC47 in November 2024:

For adoption at Step 8 and/or Step 5/8:

• draft standard for dried or dehydrated small cardamom
• draft standard for spices derived from dried or dehydrated fruits and berries—allspice, juniper berry and star anise
• draft standard for dried or dehydrated roots, rhizomes and bulbs—turmeric
• draft standard for spices derived from dried or dehydrated fruits and berries—vanilla
• development of a standard for sweet marjoram
• development of a standard for dried seeds—coriander
• development of a standard for large cardamom
• development of a standard for cinnamon

The 8th Session of the CCSCH (CCSCH8) is expected to convene approximately 18 months following CCSCH7. The Committee is expected to continue work on:

• a standard for spices derived from dried or dehydrated fruits and berries—vanilla
• a standard for sweet marjoram
• a standard for dried seeds—coriander
• a standard for large cardamon
• a standard for cinnamon
• a potential update to the template for spices and culinary herbs standards

Responsible Agencies: USDA/AMS; HHS/FDA/CFSAN.

Several Codex Alimentarius Commodity Committees have adjourned sine die. The following Committees fall into this category:

Responsible Agency: USDA/FSIS.

Responsible Agency: USDA/AMS; HHS/FDA/CFSAN.

Responsible Agency: USDA/ARS.

The FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees define the problems and needs of the regions concerning food standards and food control; promote within the Committee contacts for the mutual exchange of information on proposed regulatory initiatives and problems arising from food control and stimulate the strengthening of food control infrastructures; recommend to the Commission the development of worldwide standards for products of interest to the region, including products considered by the Committees to have an international market potential in the future; develop regional standards for food products moving exclusively or almost exclusively in intra-regional trade; draw the attention of the Commission to any aspects of the Commission's work of particular significance to the region; promote coordination of all regional food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations within each region; exercise a general coordinating role for the region and such other functions as may be entrusted to them by the Commission; and promote the use of Codex standards and related texts by members.

There are six regional coordinating committees:

The Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA) convened its 24th Session (CCAFRICA24) virtually from September 5-9, 2022, and expected to convene its 25th Session (CCAFRICA25) in approximately two years' time following CCAFRICA24. The CCAFRICA25 date, location, and agenda are currently unavailable. CAC47 is not expected to consider any agenda items from CCAFRICA.

Responsible Party: USDA/TFAA/USCO.

U.S. Participation: Yes (as an observer).

The Coordinating Committee for Asia (CCASIA) convened its 22nd Session (CCASIA22) virtually from October 12-18, 2022, with report adoption taking place on October 21, 2022. The relevant document is REP23/ASIA. CCASIA22 agreed to advance the following items for consideration at CAC46 in November 2023:

For final adoption at Step 8 or Step 5/8:

Proposed draft regional standard for soybean products fermented with Bacillus species;

• Proposed draft regional standard for cooked rice wrapped in plant leaves;
• Amendment to the labelling provisions for non-retail containers in relevant CCASIA regional standards.
• Proposed draft regional standard for quick frozen dumpling.

CCASIA planned to convene its 23rd Session (CCASIA23) in approximately two years' time following CCASIA22. The date, location, and agenda for CCASIA23 are currently unavailable. CAC47 is not expected to consider any agenda items from CCASIA.

The Coordinating Committee for Europe (CCEURO) convened its 33rd Session (CCEURO33) from May 27-31, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. The relevant document is REP24/EURO. CCEURO33 agreed to advance the following items for consideration at CAC46 in November 2023:

• Reappointment of Germany as the Coordinator for Europe for a second term
• To request that the CAC address inclusion of the One Health approach, digitalization and loss of biodiversity, and collaboration with other international organizations in the Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031

CCEURO plans to convene its 34th Session (CCEURO34) in approximately two and half years' time following CCEURO33.

The Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC) will convene its 23rd Session (CCLAC23) virtually from July 22-26, 2024. CCLAC23 is expected to consider work relevant to the region; current and emerging food safety and quality in the region; a draft regional standard for Castilla lulo; implementation of the Codex Strategic Plan in the LAC region; use and impact of Codex standards in the region; nomination of the Coordinator for LAC; and other business. We are unable to determine if CCLAC23 will recommend adoptions or approvals at CAC47.

U.S. Participation: Yes (as an observer). Start Printed Page 54411

The Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific (CCNASWP) convened its 16th Session (CCNASWP16) in Nadi, Fiji, from January 30 to February 3, 2023. CCNASWP16 advanced the following item for consideration by CAC46 in November 2023:

For final adoption at Step 8:

• Draft regional standard for fermented noni fruit juice

CCNASWP is expected to convene its 17th Session (CCNASWP17) sometime in early 2025 in Fiji. The CCNASWP17 date, location, and agenda are currently unavailable.

The Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE) convened its 11th Session (CCNE11) in 2023 in Rome, Italy from September 18-22, 2023. CCNE advanced the following items for consideration by CAC46 in November 2023:

• Regional Standard for Maamoul

CCNE is expected to convene its 12th session (CCNE12) in approximately two years' time following CCNE11. The CCNE12 date, location, and agenda are currently unavailable. CAC47 is not expected to consider any agenda items from CCNE.

[ FR Doc. 2024-14399 Filed 6-28-24; 8:45 am]

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