A Sixth Form Student’s Guide to Effective Planning and Organisation

Juggling classes, assignments, exams, extracurriculars and a social life makes sixth form a whirlwind experience. With so many balls in the air, developing organisational skills is crucial to staying on top of everything. 

This guide will equip sixth-formers with practical strategies to take control of their workload through improved planning and organisation.

The Value of Planning and Organisation in Sixth Form

For sixth form students, the stakes are high. Your performance during these years shapes your university prospects and career path. Effective planning and organisation help you balance rigorous academic demands with personal growth opportunities. 

Strategies for Getting Organised

Try implementing these tips to master your planning and organisational skills:

• Plan weekly: Dedicate 30 minutes every Sunday to outline your objectives and sixth form study schedule for the coming week. Refer back to this plan each morning.
• Set SMART goals: Begin with the end in mind. Define academic and personal goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Regularly evaluate progress so your efforts stay aligned with these goals.
• Task batching: Group related tasks from the same class together. This allows you to make progress in chunks during designated blocks rather than context switching.  
• Prioritise tasks: Learn to distinguish between urgent and relatively less important tasks. Prioritise your workload to ensure you’re focusing on assignments and revision that will have the most significant impact on your grades.
• Create consistent routines: Construct morning, afternoon and evening routines that involve regular planning sessions. Pairing planning with existing habits like morning coffee solidifies them.  
• Clean workspaces: A messy desk breeds a messy mind. Tidy up your workspace regularly, banishing distractions and creating a calm environment conducive to focus.

Tools to Boost Organisation

You can further boost your personal productivity and efficiency as a sixth form student with the help of certain handy tools and supplies:

Dedicated Subject Notebooks

Maintain an A-level subject organiser notebook for each subject to neatly record notes, activities, observations and anything else relevant from classes during the term. Organise them by date so it’s easy to reference in the future.

Digital Calendars

You can use Google Calendar or scheduling apps to maintain a centralised online academic calendar for sixth form accessible from any device to log deadlines, social events, part-time work shifts, extracurricular meetings and other fixed appointments. Enable notifications so you never miss critical dates.

Wall Calendars

In addition to digital calendars, pin up printable senior school agenda calendars highlighting assignment due dates, test dates, school holidays and goals over the yearly term for visible reminders to help ingrain key dates.

File Folders

Keep classwork, assignments and notes stored in neatly labelled folder systems by year, subject, course and date for easy retrieval when studying for exams. Consider colour-coding them to improve accessibility even further.

Whiteboards

Use wall-mounted personal whiteboards to draft ideas during homework sessions, work through maths problems or showcase motivational quotes. They can easily be updated and erased.

Student Planners

Last but not least is the student planner. This education organiser is a core tool for mapping all homework, coursework, assessments and personal goals across multiple subjects over the academic year.

The Power of Planners

One of the most effective tools for supercharging planning abilities is diligently leveraging an A-level study planner. Maintaining a senior year planner builds accountability by keeping all assignments, projects, exams and extracurriculars logged in a central place.

Using an advanced level student planner effectively offers these additional benefits:

• Promotes self-discipline: Using a sixth form academic diary for recording tasks helps you develop a sense of accountability and discipline to achieve your goals.
• Enhances time management: Effective sixth form time management is vital. Scheduling assignments highlights the importance of planning your time well to meet deadlines. 
• Reduces stress: Using a coursework tracker and subject revision scheduler helps you to get a handle on deadlines ahead of time, which prevents last-minute anxiety.
• Facilitates teacher collaboration: Post-secondary education planners streamline teacher, student and parent communication.
• Improves academic performance: Using these tools as a revision and exam timetable planner helps you pace yourself and ensure adequate time to prepare for each exam.
• Aids with university preparation: A college prep diary functions as a pre-university organiser and college application planner that ensures you don’t miss any important steps or application deadlines.

How to Use Student Planners Effectively

Using a sixth form coursework diary optimally requires making it part of your regular routine. Set aside 10 minutes each morning and evening to organise your day and week. Bring your planner to all classes and diligently log details on in-class activities, assigned readings and assessments. R

Reviewing your plans daily or weekly helps ensure you stay on track with assignments, tests and other commitments. Getting into the habit of recording obligations and checking progress against your plans is crucial to fully benefit from using a sixth form study guide.

Plan Like a Pro with Penstripe

As you progress through your sixth-grade years, remember that successful planning and organisation are your keys to unlocking your full potential. All you need are the right techniques and post-GCSE planning tools, like student planners.

Penstripe understands sixth form’s unique challenges and demands and offers bespoke planners purpose-built for sixth form learning and success. Not only do we simplify planning and organisation, but we also help students set goals, manage their stress, foster motivation and accountability and build confidence.
Get in touch with us today to explore creating custom planners or to request free printed samples showcasing our dedication to top-quality materials and printing. Email us at info@penstripe.co.uk or phone 0113 231 0995 to discuss tailoring planners for sixth form success.