In study tips

A Levels - What You'll Need

A sixth form cafe/study area



So I've now completed my AS exams, and through the past year I've consistently been tweaking and improving how I study and work. I remember going into A Levels after GCSEs I was completely at a loss as to what resources I needed because up until then school had provided me with anything. So, for any of you in the same position I was last year, I've compiled a checklist of what I think you'll need going into A Levels.
(If I have any specific product recommendations they'll be linked.)


An insert for a file, covered in different colours and sizes of sticky notes
Revision Resources
Course-specific revision guides and texts (ask your teachers if there are any specific ones they'd recommend, otherwise I'd recommend CGP)
Cue card booklets (or make your own with cue cards, a hole punch and a keyring)
Sugar paper (I take some from school as needed)
Graph paper (again, I take it from school)
Tracing paper (for window notes)
Post-its (I got large and small ones, and created cards for the front of my folders to hold them, like this. Keep some at home too!)

A polka dot lever arch file from WHSmith
Filing
Ringbinders (like theseone per teacher, and a spare because they often break)
Lever Arch files (like these, start with 2 per course, 1 for storing classwork and 1 for revision notes)
Magazine files (like these, 1 for revision guides, plus 1 extra for any subjects with exercise books)
Plastic Wallets/Punched Pockets (hole punched sheets get tatty and rip out easily, I keep a lever arch stocked full of them so I can add a handful to my folders easily)
XL File Dividers (I have these)
(Just a little note here, I've needed a lot of trial and error finding decent products for filing, would you be interested in a blog post with a couple of reviews and recommendations for folders and things?)

A blue and white cosmetic bag from Paperchase, now discontinued
Stationery
Black pens, pencils, eraser, scissors (these are the pens I use)
Glue and mini hole punch (not super necessary but they'll come handy every now and again)
Small pot with a pencil sharpener (to collect shavings! I use old Lush pots or clear body butter containers)
Highlighters (these ones are good quality, I would recommend at least 6 colours tbh)
Coloured pens for notes (I started off with Staedtler fineliners, but changed to Papermate Inkjoy as I prefer ballpoints)
Folding 30cm ruler
A large pencil case for school (mine is a cosmetic bag from a now discontinued range at Paperchase)
A clear pencil case for exams
A pencil pot for home (I like this one)

The logo for the Microsoft OneNote app
Other
Paper (I go through a Pukka Pad Jotta every half term for 2 subjects, and keep a refill pad at home. Wirebound books are better for schoolbags as they get less damaged)
Some kind of planner (schools tend to provide this, but I use my Moleskine for everything)
Headphones/Earphones (study spaces can get really noisy!)
A memory stick (stash this in your pencil case so if you ever work on school computers it's really easy to carry the work on at home)
The Microsoft OneNote app (to create glossaries you can access both on your phone and your computer)


There are also the subject-specific essentials, like scientific calculators/art equipment etc., but your Sixth Form will probably have told you about these.

These would be my 'essentials' for A Levels, but of course different systems work for different people. I tend to store my work until we've been assessed on it, and then I put it in the lever arch as I know I won't need it in lessons anymore. I divide the lever arches into sections based on revision guide contents pages, but you could just as easily do the same with specification subheadings. However your system ends up working, I hope A Levels are a fun new chapter for you and you go into them feeling at least prepared with your equipment. 

I'm hoping to do a few more posts talking through how I use a few of these resources, as well as the method I use for setting my work out. Don't forget to vote on my poll for which post idea sounds most interesting!

Good luck!

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2 comments:

  1. This was so helpful, thank you! Please post more a level advice! (Came from TSR)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No problem! I'll make sure to post more A Level stuff, if there's any specific advice/questions you need answering feel free to let me know! x

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