Sort every item on your revision list into one of three groups: required by your syllabus, in your class work but not clearly required, or from an outside resource only. Start revising from the first group. The others wait until that group is secure.
This matters because the time before an exam is fixed, and spending it on topics that are not in your assessment is a quiet way to fall short.
Where does the extra material come from?
Extra material comes from many friendly places: a textbook that covers more than one route, a video channel aimed at a different level, a friend’s notes from another exam entry, or a school worksheet for enrichment. None of these is wrong. The problem begins when they sit on the same list as required work with no labels.
Your syllabus document is the source of truth for what can be assessed. Check it on the Cambridge subject page for your subject and exam year, and confirm your entry with your school or exam centre.
How do I sort the list, step by step?
- Open the current syllabus for your subject and exam year.
- Write your revision list as it is now, one topic per line.
- Find each topic in the syllabus. If you can point to the line, it is required.
- Mark topics that are in class work but not clearly in the syllabus. Ask your school teacher to confirm.
- Mark anything that came from one outside resource only as optional.
- Count minutes, then fill time with group one first.
Worked example
A student sitting one route of a subject has a list of twelve items and 300 minutes of revision time left.
| Group | Items | Status |
|---|---|---|
| A: found in the syllabus for this entry | 8 items | Required |
| B: in class notes, unclear whether in this entry | 2 items | Ask school teacher |
| C: only from an online video series | 2 items | Optional extension |
The student estimates 30 minutes per item for one useful round. Group A needs 8 × 30 = 240 minutes. That leaves 300 − 240 = 60 minutes.
The 60 spare minutes are used to confirm group B. The student sends one message to the school teacher and, if the answer is yes, spends 2 × 30 = 60 minutes on them.
Group C waits. If the answer is no, the 60 minutes go into a second round on the shakiest group A topic.
The result is a list with two priorities and a clear “park” pile, instead of twelve equal worries.
What is a common mistake?
A common mistake is to treat the most interesting or hardest-looking topic as the most important one. A difficult extension problem can be absorbing, and it can feel like real progress.
Mistaken choice: spending 90 minutes on a challenging problem from a video series, while two required topics have not been revised at all.
The challenge problem may be good mathematics, but it may not appear in the student’s assessment.
The correction is a single question before starting any task: “Can I point to this in my syllabus?” If not, it goes to the optional list, however interesting it is.
Check yourself
1. You have 180 minutes and each required topic needs 30 minutes. You have seven required topics. Does everything fit?
Show answer
7 × 30 = 210 minutes, which is 30 more than 180. It does not fit. Shorten secure topics to 15 minutes or move the least shaky topic to a later week.
2. A friend sends notes on a topic you cannot find in your syllabus. What do you do?
Show answer
Search the syllabus for the topic or a related heading. If it is absent, mark it optional. If it might belong to another tier or route, ask your school teacher before spending time on it.
3. Why is “optional” not the same as “useless”?
Show answer
Optional extension can deepen understanding once the required work is secure. It is just the wrong first use of limited time.
What should I do next?
Put your sorted list into the realistic revision planner so the time fits. Then read choosing realistic tasks when the exam feels close, and reviewing a partial answer constructively once you start practising.
For entry questions, remember that your school or exam centre handles registration and entry. We do not run exams. The students’ guide lists other situations.
A teacher who has your syllabus in front of them can help you sort faster than working alone. In the trial hour of online one-to-one Mathematics tuition, bring your list and ask for each line to be checked.