How retrieval practice changed our use of revision cards in Business Studies

Pendle Vale College (11-16) is an average-sized mixed secondary school (with 1,050 students) in the deprived area of Nelson in Lancashire. The proportion of students from a minority ethnic background and those whose first language is not English are well above the national average. Over a third of our school population is eligible for pupil premium and attainment on entry is well below the national average. The revision challenge Terminal exams have become critical to the success of almost all subjects at KS4. If students are unable to perform adequately in their exam, they risk leaving without a qualification at the end of the course. This is an issue across all subjects, but in one of our Business Studies classes, it became apparent – from observing pupil attitude and actions – that students needed to take more responsibility for the organisation and management of their revision. So we focused on a Year 10 Business Studies class of middle to low attainment, with end of year