My GCSE art

“lost memories”

Art Foundation

Hey guys so I’ve had a few asks about how to keep on top of art/dt coursework whilst revising for core subjects like science and english. Here are my top tips (this is more specifically for gcse level subjects but I guess it would be useful for other qualifications too):

Coursework first; I know this sounds kind of bad, especially since core subjects matter the most but at this time of year it’s really best to focus on your coursework. In the summer exam season, you don’t have to revise for art and the exam is one of the first ones you’ll do. Therefore there will be plenty of time to focus on other subjects once art is out of the way. 

Keep up to date!! I cannot stress this enough. Try your hardest to start your art/graphics homework the night you’ve been set it! Because they can be very time-consuming it’s difficult to get them done the night before. It’s also extremely easy to get behind on art-based subjects so please try to get artist studies, etc done! You can always finish a science homework sheet the night before or in the morning when it’s due- you can’t really do that for art.

Make art fun! It can take HOURS to do art homework so make it fun and relaxing! Listen to music, have a snack, watch tv or a movie (as long as what work you’re doing doesn’t require too much concentration).

Use school facilities! Many schools have ‘art catch up club’ at lunchtimes or after school specifically for gcse students to catch up on coursework in. Please use this time if you can- you’ll be surprised at how much you can get done as there aren’t the distractions you have at home (tv, etc).

^the same goes for other subjects- if a teacher is offering extra sessions (such as for english) please try to go! Use your school facilities and teachers as much as possible.

Use ‘dead time’- I refer to time when you’d normally be doing nothing as ‘dead time’; such as waiting for a bus, on the bus/in the car going to school, sitting around at lunchtime, etc. Please try to use this time to your studying advantage! Take a homework sheet with you when you go shopping or when you’re on the bus try to memorise key words and definitions (bus rides are also great for learning foreign language paragraphs for speaking/writing exams!). You’d be surprised at how much homework I’ve done in Morrisons car park whilst waiting for my mum to do the food shopping!

Plan ahead! Invest in a whiteboard or diary so you can write down all the homework you have (and the deadline and how long it will take you) as you get it. This way you will never loose track of assignment/coursework deadlines and you can easily see, for example, if you will be busy at the weekend or not as you can judge by how long everything will take you.

Make good notes! Especially for subjects like science you can feel like you’re constantly revising for a mock exam or test. To help yourself out, make good, concise notes once that you can use again. A large revision poster or flashcards are good. This can save a lot of time and effort as you’re not having to make new notes before every test. Also, if you’re like me and revise by copying out notes, you can use your good notes to make quick, messy bullet points close to when you have a test.

Accept that you may have no life this year. I spent countless training days, half terms and weekend just solidly doing art coursework. This will happen to you and if you accept it and at least try to make it more fun and bearable, then you’ll accomplish quite a lot and have time to revise other subjects.

Exam questions! Specifically for maths and science, try to do exam questions regularly, for example I used to do one science paper every Friday evening (and mark it myself) and half a maths one every Wednesday evening- this will help you to keep remembering facts so that you’ll have less revision to do and also improve your exam technique!

Don’t stress too much! I know I’ve just talked about how important it is to keep on top of work, but if you’re really struggling or need a break just take one. Give yourself a day off! Talk to your teachers if the workload is getting too much. Everyone in my gcse art class was behind on coursework at least once (myself included- I got an A* in the end). Your mental and physical health come first so always try to get a good amount of sleep and take plenty of breaks if needed.