540 Synoptic Prep

Synoptics
Preparation Guide

Like it or not, final exams are just around the corner. It’s
never to early to start studying!
How prepared will you be?
Use these tips to help ease the pain that these weeks
week can bring.

Poll

How confident are you feeling about your assessments and the exam?

• Not very

• I don't care

• I feel OK

• I feel pretty confident I can do my best

Multiple Choice

When do your synoptic assessments start?

• Tomorrow

• Next week

• After half term

• I don't know

Learning Objectives

1. Explore ways to prepare for

exams and assessments

2. Review active revision

strategies

3. Build self confidence
4. Establish prep plan

Multiple Select

You have a synoptic EXAM and a synoptic assessment - which different tasks make up your synoptic assessment?

• Practical

• written tasks

• Exam

• Practical & verbal explanation

Multiple Choice

What happens if I feel I have done really badly in one task?

• Fail whole synoptic

• Get to redo it

• Opportunity to do better in other tasks to pull grade up

Start early. Preparation begins BEFORE the actual synoptics. You
cannot cram an entire all of the information into one or two nights of
studying. Get started NOW!

Sleep. You need at least 7 hours of sleep a night to function. If you are
sleep deprived, you won't be able to comprehend (or answer) the
challenging questions you will face.

Multiple Select

Your synoptic brief was launched in APW last week - what two topics do you have to research and makes notes on?

• Laminitis

• Stereotypic behaviour

• Rhabdomyolysis

• Nutrition

Know Yourself

What are your exam and assessment concerns?

Why do you have these concerns?

What do you do well?

What could you do better?

Have friends developed strategies that you can use?

How do you manage your stress?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Get Organised
The keys to your personal best is preparation
and control

Focus on the subjects you are sitting and the things you
can CONTROL

DON’T worry about things you CAN’T control!

Remove distractions

Make a study program and timetable

Revision checklists

Open Ended

What CAN you control about your assessments and how you prepare for them?

Open Ended

What CAN'T you control about your assessments and how you prepare for them?

More Active Revision

Make revision fun:

Use revision strategies where you move around
Draw pictures, maps, cartoons, diagrams, etc
Put key points around your walls
Teach “someone” else and ask them key questions
(answer the questions yourself)
Listen to tapes or view video/DVD versions of the
material

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Open Ended

What revision methods and techniques do you think worked well for you?

Learning and recall

Two processes not one
Recall is triggered by physical situations and
emotional states
Material learned in one physical situation or
emotional state will not necessarily be easily
accessible in another physical situation or
emotional state unless revised in that state
Conclusion?

Building Self Confidence

Your objective is to do your personal best
Think of exams as an opportunity for you to show
what you know
Outcomes are proportionate to the effort you put in
Set learning targets and rewards for yourself
Compare what you know now with what you knew
at the beginning of the year

Stay for the entire session. Reread the questions and your answers
to them. Make sure you understand what the question is really
asking and that you have answered the question completely and
accurately.

Remain calm after the exam. Even if you think you did horribly,
worrying about it afterwards will not change a thing; it may
however, impact how you do on your other assessments.

Keep your head up and move on to the next thing..

The Exam:

Multiple Choice

What date is your synoptic EXAM?

• Wed 15th Feb

• Wed 15th March

• Wed 15th April

• Wed 15th May

Open Ended

What happens if I do not attend the exam on 15th March?

Multiple Select

Which techniques help reduce exam panic?

• Revising late at night

• Box breathing

• Imagining a relaxing situation

Multiple Select

What can you do to prepare for your practical assessments?

• Arrive early

• Have your equipment ready

• Wear correct uniform, PPE & ID card

• Practice

Open Ended

What should you do if you start to panic and your brain freezes / you start to cry?

It helps you mind to "reset" and become more mindful - and less "mind full"!

​Try:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Open Ended

Write down 5 things you can SEE

Open Ended

Write down 4 things you can feel / touch

Open Ended

3 things you can HEAR.....

Open Ended

2 things you can smell.....

Open Ended

1 thing you can taste....

Poll

How confident are you feeling about your assessments and the exam?

• Not very

• I don't care

• I feel OK

• I feel pretty confident I can do my best

Quote from Black Beauty.....