How to revise for A-levels with limited time
Dr Lavan Ganeshkumar, PhD · updated 4 October 2026
With limited time, the answer is always the same: stop trying to cover everything, find the topics that cost you the most marks, and spend the time on exam questions rather than notes. The less time you have, the more important it is to drop re-reading.
No plan can do everything in two weeks, but a good one can move a grade.
Two months out
This is enough time to cover everything once and revisit the weak parts. List every topic, rate each red, amber or green by how well you can do questions on it, and spend most of your time on red and amber. Do one timed past paper a week, mark it strictly, and feed the lost marks back into the list.
One month out
Skip the topics you are already green on beyond a quick check. Work through red topics by doing questions, not reading, and begin full timed papers. Keep a short list of mark-scheme phrases you keep missing and read it daily.
Two weeks out
Use past papers as the main tool. Do papers under time, mark them, and fix only the specific gaps they reveal. Revise the most-tested content in your weakest topics. Sleep and food matter more than a final all-nighter.
One week out
Stop learning new material. Rehearse formulae, definitions, key mark-scheme phrases and the structure of long answers. Do one or two papers at the real time of day. Check your exam timetable, equipment and venue.
The night before
Look over a one-page summary, pack your bag, and stop early. A rested brain recalls more than a tired one that has seen one more page.
Where Trayna fits, and where it does not
Trayna is a 24/7 online tutor in your pocket, on your tablet and on the web. Dr Lavan teaches you the topics in the app any time, anywhere, and an adaptive plan reinforces them each day from now to your exam. It is there for students who cannot afford 1-to-1 tutoring, and it is built to act like a 1-to-1 tutor: it teaches, it checks, and it adapts to how you are doing. The aim is that you really understand the subject and are prepared for it, not just that you have revised it. It is A-level only, for Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
If you are earlier than you think, the plan builds backwards from your exam date so you can see how many weeks you really have.
It is for both Year 12 and Year 13. Year 13 students already use it, and Year 13 topics are being added as current students need them while Year 12 is the most complete, so check your topics in the app. If you only want free past papers, PMT does that better than we do, and we would rather you used it.
Common questions
How do I revise for A-levels in two months?
Rate every topic red, amber or green, spend most of your time on red and amber by doing questions, and do one timed past paper a week, marked strictly against the scheme.
How do I revise for A-levels in one month?
Drop green topics, work through red ones using exam questions, begin full timed papers, and keep a short list of mark-scheme phrases you keep missing.
How do I revise for A-levels in two weeks?
Use past papers as your main tool, fix only the gaps they show, focus on your weakest topics, and keep sleeping. Do not try to relearn the whole course.
What should I do the night before an A-level exam?
Look over a one-page summary, prepare your equipment, and go to bed on time. Do not start new topics.
Is it too late to revise for A-levels?
Not if you have even a couple of weeks. Targeted question practice on your weakest topics can still move a grade, though it will not replace months of study.
Trayna does this automatically. You enter your subjects, your exam dates and how long you have each day, and it builds the route from today to those exams, then adapts it as you go. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
Get Trayna on the App Store · on Google Play
Free for 14 days, then from £9.99 a month. Cancel any time.