Anna Parry-Williams offers advice ahead of the exam season
A Rydal Penrhos alumna returned to the school on Thursday 3 March to give a presentation about exam preparation to her current pupils, who are preparing for their A-Level History exams next year.
Former Head Girl Anna Parry-Williams (RPS 2007–21) spoke to Year 12 History pupils about her approach to the subject, as well as revision more generally. Anna, the younger sister of former Deputy Head Boy Lloyd Parry-Williams (RPS 2007–16), left the school at the end of the previous academic year having achieved A*A*A* in English, History and Religious Studies.
Speaking to the class, Anna recounted her time studying history, during which she focused on periods as diverse as the Crusades and Yeltsin’s Russia. She highlighted her observations having studied the subject, stressing the particular importance of essay-writing technique. Anna also talked through some revision strategies based upon the principles of Active Recall, which suggests that long-term memories are best consolidated when a person is repeatedly stimulated to retrieve certain information.
Having been part of a cohort of pupils unable to sit their A-Level examinations due to Covid – instead receiving a grade based on continuous teacher assessment and coursework – Anna and her peers were forced to maintain exceptionally high standards throughout their time in Sixth Form, knowing that any piece of work could be instrumental in their final result. Anna said that this need to remain consistently dedicated ultimately proved an immense benefit.
Anna said: 'While I didn’t have the opportunity to sit final exams because of Covid, the way that my year group were assessed actually helped me realise that every day was crucial to the outcome of my exams, not just the final weeks of revision or the couple of hours spent in an exam hall. I appreciate this opportunity to present to the class because I loved studying history and really enjoy any chance to talk about it.'
Anna is currently taking a gap year working in the NHS before she studies English and Philosophy at university from September. She is one of a number of former pupils who have visited the school to speak to current pupils, sharing their experiences in fields as diverse as dentistry and fashion. If you have experience in a particular field of work or higher education that you think would benefit our senior pupils, please contact Hannah Patrick to let us know.
Rydal Penrhos appreciates that, following the educational lockdowns and disruption to teaching, pupils are both excited and anxious for the return of in-person summer exams. As a result, the school has decided to launch a program of Easter GCSE Revision Courses, both for Rydal Penrhos pupils and children from the local area. Each day from Monday 11 to Wednesday 13 April, there will be an eight-hour course featuring study skills training and tuition in the core subjects of Maths, English and Science, interspersed by snack and lunch breaks. To find out more, or to register your child for one, two or three days, please follow this link to our website, where more information is available.