Your Year 11 Timeline
A realistic revision schedule from September to exam day. What to focus on and when.
One of the biggest revision mistakes is leaving everything until the last minute. But the opposite mistake — trying to revise everything intensively from day one — leads to burnout.
This timeline gives you a realistic schedule for the whole of Year 11, breaking down what to focus on in each phase.
The Big Picture
| Phase | When | Focus | Daily Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | Sept – Dec | Keep up, build habits | 20-30 mins |
| Diagnostic | Jan – Feb | Find gaps, mock prep | 30-45 mins |
| Intensive | Mar – Apr | Systematic coverage | 45-60 mins |
| Final Push | May | Past papers, polish | 60-90 mins |
| Exam Week | May/June | Light review, rest | 30 mins max |
Let's break down each phase.
Phase 1: Foundation (September – December)
Goal: Keep up with classwork and build revision habits.
This isn't the time for intensive revision. You're still learning new content in lessons. The goal is to:
- Actually understand what you're being taught (don't let gaps build up)
- Start building the habit of regular, short revision sessions
- Begin creating revision resources (flashcards, notes)
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Review today's lesson | 15 mins |
| Tue | Review today's lesson | 15 mins |
| Wed | Quick quiz on the week so far | 20 mins |
| Thu | Review today's lesson | 15 mins |
| Fri | Mixed practice (this week + last week) | 25 mins |
| Weekend | One longer session OR catch up | 30-45 mins |
Total: ~2 hours per week
What to Do
After each lesson:
- Spend 10-15 minutes reviewing what you learned
- Add new formulas to your flashcard deck
- Try one or two practice problems without notes
- Note anything you didn't understand (ask your teacher!)
Each weekend:
- Do mixed practice including topics from previous weeks
- Review your flashcards using the Leitner system
- Update your "confidence tracker" (which topics are red/amber/green?)
If You're Already Behind
If you're reading this in September and already have gaps from Year 10:
- Identify the specific topics you're weak on
- Spend weekend sessions working through these
- Use MathsGuide topic pages to relearn the basics
- Don't panic — you have time to catch up
Phase 2: Diagnostic (January – February)
Goal: Identify gaps and prepare for mock exams.
Mock exams are coming. This is when revision gets more serious — but the focus should be on finding out what you don't know, not just practising what you do know.
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Topic revision (weak area) | 30 mins |
| Tue | Mixed practice | 25 mins |
| Wed | Topic revision (different weak area) | 30 mins |
| Thu | Past paper questions | 30 mins |
| Fri | Review + flashcards | 20 mins |
| Sat | Longer practice session OR past paper | 45-60 mins |
| Sun | Light review OR rest | 20 mins |
Total: ~3.5 hours per week
What to Do
Diagnostic assessment:
- Do a full past paper under timed conditions
- Mark it honestly against the mark scheme
- List every topic where you dropped marks
- Categorise: "didn't know method" vs "silly mistake" vs "ran out of time"
- Prioritise the "didn't know method" topics
Topic revision:
- Focus on your weak areas, not your strong ones
- Use the retrieval practice techniques
- Don't just read — actively test yourself
Mock exam prep:
- Do at least 2-3 full past papers before mocks
- Practice under timed conditions
- Review mark schemes to understand how marks are awarded
After Your Mocks
Your mock results are diagnostic gold. Use them:
- Go through every question you got wrong
- Understand why you got it wrong
- Add these topics to your priority list
- Don't just look at the grade — look at the patterns
Phase 3: Intensive (March – April)
Goal: Systematic coverage of all topics with focus on weak areas.
This is the main revision period. You should be covering all topics systematically while spending more time on weaker areas.
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Topic A (weak) + mixed starter | 45 mins |
| Tue | Topic B (medium) + mixed starter | 40 mins |
| Wed | Topic C (weak) + mixed starter | 45 mins |
| Thu | Topic D (medium) + mixed starter | 40 mins |
| Fri | Mixed practice (all week's topics) | 35 mins |
| Sat | Past paper (full or half) | 60-90 mins |
| Sun | Review mistakes + flashcards | 30 mins |
Total: ~5-6 hours per week
The Topic Rotation System
Create a schedule that cycles through all topics:
Week 1:
- Number: Fractions, Percentages, Ratio
- Algebra: Linear equations, Expanding brackets
Week 2:
- Geometry: Angles, Pythagoras, Trigonometry
- Statistics: Averages, Probability basics
Week 3:
- Number: Standard form, Surds, Indices
- Algebra: Quadratics, Simultaneous equations
Week 4:
- Geometry: Circle theorems, Vectors, Transformations
- Statistics: Cumulative frequency, Histograms
Then cycle back to Week 1 topics (with less time, since you've already covered them).
Every Revision Session
Structure each session like this:
- Start (5 mins): Mixed retrieval questions from previous topics
- Main (25-35 mins): Focus topic — learn/practice/test
- End (5 mins): Quick self-test on today's topic
Track Your Progress
Use a simple tracker:
| Topic | First Pass | Second Pass | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pythagoras | ✓ (Week 1) | ✓ (Week 4) | 🟢 |
| Quadratics | ✓ (Week 2) | 🟡 | |
| Circle theorems | 🔴 |
This shows you what needs more work.
Phase 4: Final Push (May, pre-exams)
Goal: Past paper practice and polishing weak spots.
By now, you should have covered everything at least once. This phase is about:
- Lots of past paper practice
- Fixing remaining weak spots
- Building exam stamina and timing
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Past paper (Paper 1 style) | 60 mins |
| Tue | Review yesterday + weak topic | 45 mins |
| Wed | Past paper (Paper 2 style) | 60 mins |
| Thu | Review yesterday + weak topic | 45 mins |
| Fri | Past paper (Paper 3 style) | 60 mins |
| Sat | Full review + any remaining gaps | 60 mins |
| Sun | Light review + rest | 30 mins |
Total: ~6-7 hours per week
Past Paper Strategy
Don't just "do" past papers. Use them properly:
- Timed conditions — No notes, no phone, exact time limit
- Mark thoroughly — Use the mark scheme, be honest
- Analyse mistakes — Why did you lose each mark?
- Target weak spots — Add problem topics to tomorrow's session
- Track progress — Are your scores improving?
Aim to complete at least 6-8 full past papers before your exams.
The Final Week Before Exams
The week before your first maths exam:
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| 7 days before | Normal revision, final past paper |
| 6 days before | Review past paper mistakes |
| 5 days before | Focus on 2-3 weakest topics |
| 4 days before | Mixed practice, lighter session |
| 3 days before | Formula review, flashcards |
| 2 days before | Light practice, early night |
| 1 day before | See "Night Before" below |
Do not cram the night before. Seriously. Sleep is more important than last-minute revision.
The Night Before
The night before your maths exam:
Do ✅
- Light review of formulas and key facts (30 mins max)
- Look through your flashcards one last time
- Glance at one past paper you did well on (confidence boost)
- Pack your bag: calculator, ruler, protractor, compasses, pens
- Set multiple alarms
- Go to bed at a reasonable time
Don't ❌
- Try to learn new topics
- Do a full past paper
- Stay up late revising
- Panic about what you don't know
- Look at difficult questions that stress you out
The truth: Your performance tomorrow is already 95% determined by the revision you've done over the past months. One night won't change that. What will help is being rested, calm, and confident.
Exam Day
Morning Routine
- Eat breakfast (your brain needs fuel)
- Light formula review if it helps (or don't — some people prefer not to)
- Arrive with time to spare
- Have all equipment ready
In the Exam
- Read each question carefully
- Show all working (marks are in the method, not just the answer)
- If stuck, move on and come back
- Check your answers if you have time
- Don't panic if others finish early
Between Papers
- Don't obsess over the paper you just did
- Light review for the next paper (not intensive revision)
- Rest and eat properly
- The same night-before rules apply
Realistic Adjustments
"I Have Other Subjects Too"
This timeline assumes maths is one of several subjects. Adjust based on:
- How confident you are in maths vs other subjects
- Which exams come first
- Your school's mock/assessment schedule
A good rule: spend more time on subjects where improvement is most possible. If you're already at a Grade 8 in maths but struggling in another subject, your time might be better spent there.
"I'm Behind the Schedule"
If you're reading this in April and haven't done much revision:
- Don't panic, but don't pretend everything is fine either
- Skip the foundation phase — go straight to diagnostic
- Do a past paper immediately to find your weakest topics
- Focus ruthlessly on the topics worth most marks
- Prioritise breadth over depth (cover everything once before going deep)
"I'm Ahead of Schedule"
If you've been revising consistently and feel confident:
- Don't over-revise (burnout is real)
- Focus on higher-grade questions to push your grade up
- Help others (teaching is excellent revision)
- Maintain your routine without intensifying it
The Bottom Line
| If you start... | You have... | Focus on... |
|---|---|---|
| September | 8 months | Building habits, steady progress |
| January | 5 months | Diagnostic, fixing gaps |
| March | 3 months | Intensive but manageable |
| April | 2 months | Prioritise ruthlessly, past papers |
| May | Weeks | Past papers only, no new learning |
The earlier you start, the less intense each phase needs to be. But it's never too late to improve — even a few weeks of focused revision can make a significant difference.
Next: Now you know when to revise. Make sure you have the right tools:
- 🛠️ Revision Tools — Flashcards, past papers, and resources
- ❌ Common Mistakes — What to avoid