The Revision Retreat
Find flow and ace your exams this Easter! For Year 10-13 students, March 30 - April 1, at Leighton Park School, Reading Enrol TODAYEnquiries? Message Us!
These exams matter…
Whether they’re in Year 11 or 13 and taking their GCSEs or A levels this summer, or Year 10 and 12 and taking preliminary exams, this is a very important step in their academic journey.
The outcome could dictate their future academic and career options.
And perhaps even more importantly, as a parent, you want to see them fulfil their potential, bringing home the results they deserve.
Easter revision brings a raft of challenges
They want to do well, but the best of intentions can often get side tracked.
We might struggle to get motivated, to stay consistent, or to overcome procrastination.
It’s hard finding flow amid the inevitable distractions from their phone, their favourite games, shows, or an enticing doom-scroll friendly feed.
Even the most conscientious and driven students rarely find it easy to be at their best when sailing solo, locked away in their bedroom.
And for some teenagers, revision can even get a little overwhelming and they might start to overdo it, working overly-long days and feeling anxious.
Enter the Revision Retreat: the ultimate study sanctuary for GCSE and A level revisers this Easter
A focused, scholarly environment
Working around others in a quiet and uplifting space makes finding flow and focus effortless
A structured timetable
We will follow a carefully-curated timetable expert-designed to maximise your focus through the day with regular breaks.
Expert support literally by your side
A “gently guided” experience: our daily mini-workshop will help you reflect and plan to get the most from your time both at the Retreat and beyond, with expert revision strategy support on tap throughout the event.
The science is clear…
The formula for the Retreat can be summarised as “Clear Structure + Effective Learning Strategy + Supportive Atmosphere – Distractions = Flow-y, Focused And Rewarding Revision” – and it’s all based on science:
- When we remove distractions (e.g. a phone) our task performance improves by around 26%.
- We work better when someone else is present – known in the psychology literature as “social facilitation” or “body doubling” – task performance improves between 10-20%.
- Having a clear structured routine (as we’ll follow at the retreat) can boost productivity by 25% to over 50%, with some studies showing an 80% reduction in so-called “productivity leaks”.
- Continuing to focus their time this Easter on the most effective revision methods leads to a 20-50% boost in retention and understanding as compared to less effective revision techniques.
Sources: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_facilitation, https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/it-security-economics-2020-part-4/ https://www.sunsama.com/blog/daily-planner-for-productivity
The benefits even outlast the Retreat
The Revision Retreat will last for the first 3 weekdays (Mon-Weds) of the Easter holidays.
Students on the retreat will be delighted with the work they’ve achieved during those days.
But there are some very important benefits they’ll take back home with them, too:
- Helping them build a habit of focus and routine that they can take home
- Helping them embed best-practice learning and memory rituals into their daily revision cycle – we emphasise it’s not just quantity of time, it’s quality of time, how you use it, studying “smarter” not just “harder”.
- Plus, a huge boost to their sense of achievement and confidence at the start of the Easter break, going home feeling like they’re already winning, and feeling positive, calm and in control.
Plus, we think it’s .. well.. nice for them?
We think that giving hard-working revisers a nice way to do it is reason itself.
Following in the footsteps of gold-medal winners, prominent authors and Mary Poppins: click here to read more about the "retreat" secret that top performers use to stay at their best
They’re going to be working quite hard in the weeks ahead. We firmly believe that there’s value in giving them the chance to come somewhere pleasant and inspiring for a few days to get the work done.
When you’re in an uplifting community and environment, it helps to make the process more of a joy. (“A spoonful of sugar” as the great Mary Poppins teaches us!)
There are plenty of examples of this principle in action elsewhere.
Many authors find going on Writers’ Retreats a game-changer for getting through the often-painful writing process and actually getting their work done.
Or to take another example, Olympic-level athletes are not known for being inconsistent or undisciplined individuals. But even they benefit from the Training Camp experiences that Team GB now routinely lays on for athletes ahead of a summer Olympics.
Good food, good company, a little expert guidance, no distractions, an uplifting environment.
It all helps the athletes feel positive, train at their best, and get ready to give their best performance in the summer.
And that’s precisely what we’re offering young scholars at the Revision Retreat this Easter too.
Good food, good company, a little expert guidance, no distractions, an uplifting environment – you’ve got this!
The button above takes you to our Eventbrite page to book your place.
We will subsequently contact you with an attendee welcome pack and a short online enrolment form, which covers dietary requirements, emergency contact info and the like. We look forward to welcoming you to the Retreat!
Meet your revision mentor
Retreat Director and Lead Mentor William Wadsworth
I know the science…
… in fact, I help to discover it, working with other scientists to advance the research on effective ways to study
Regular speaker at education research conferences (e.g. ResearchED, BERA)
Degree in psychology (Cambridge, 2012)
I get what it takes…
Cambridge University First Class (Hons), top 0.01% student in UK public exams
Making “study best practice” work for you in the messy, complex world of being a student in the real world
Coaching with heart and understanding
& I’m a trusted teacher…
“Science of learning” training for both teachers and students at leading schools & universities
Blog & podcast trusted by almost half a million students every single year in 200 countries
A decade’s experience working 1:1 with students, to help them get top grades
In detail: the Revision Retreat experience
Monday March 30th – Wednesday 1st 2026, at Leighton Park School, Reading
Where we’ll be: the setting
We’ll be working in the gorgeous surroundings of Leighton Park School’s Grove Library & Study Centre – recently renovated and one of the most beautiful spaces to study you’ll find outside of an Ivy League campus.
We’ll be primarily based in the Library, with break-out spaces available as needed.
Check out the video tour below (this is recorded during a normal school day rather than at a Retreat, but you get the idea!):
What’s for lunch? Keeping hard-working brains fuelled
Delicious lunch options will be served in Leighton Park’s Oakview Restaurant – please see an indicative menu here (lunch options are on p2-4). All dietary requirements can be catered for, we will ask for these as part of your enrolment form.
We will relax between study blocks in our Lounge area, with a range of premium teas and coffees, squash, chilled waters and more to rehydrate, and morning pastries, fruit, and a range of substantial but nutritious snacks for your mid-morning or mid-afternoon refuel.
All catering – lunch, and snacks/drinks throughout the day – are included in your ticket to the Retreat.
What we’ll do: the programme and our timetable
Our primary focus is to get things done, and each day is structured around a very productive 5-6 hours of focused work time,
In addition to that, we all time for intention-setting, seminars, a morning “Mind Warm-Up” and an end-of-day “Close The Books” exercise to take stock, plan tomorrow, and set the mind at rest before we head home for the evening.
We will take breaks of different lengths through the day:
- mini Brain Breaks to take a short reset for a few moments
- a more substantial mid-morning break for a tea, coffee or cold drink with a pastry or a piece of fruit, and a similar break in the afternoon
- an extended mid-day break for lunch followed by a walk, game of rounders or a board game
Registration each day is from 8.45am – 9.00am, with our programme starting at 9.15am each day. The programme ends at 6pm, participants must be collected (or have made their own way home) by 6.15pm.
Each day will have a specific focus:
Day 1: Map Day
Click here to learn more...
Map Day is all about knowing where we’re heading, and how we’ll get there.
Day 1 will kick off with a Welcome Workshop to give attendees a tour of the space and how we’ll be using it, offer expert tips for getting the most from revision at the Retreat (and over Easter generally), and a short planning and intention-setting exercise to finalise your goals for your time at the Retreat, to make sure you get as much from the experience as possible.
Day 2: Momentum Day
Click here to learn more...
Day 2 is all about maintaining and building the momentum.
From Day 2 onwards the daily workshop/seminar will shift to the post-lunch slot, so we can keep as much of the morning free for learning as this is when most students find it easiest to focus.
On Day 2, the afternoon seminar will focus on the power of momentum, offering an inspiring message to all students to keep them making strong steady progress each day (without overdoing it!). We will help students develop or fine-tune how they track their progress across different topics, and create a robust system for managing their past paper practice.
Day 3: Integration Day
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Day 3 starts with something quite special: the first slot of the day (90 minutes, with optional extension if needed) will be spent in a room especially set out like an exam hall.
This allows us to practice integrating what we’re learning in our revision into a complete exam-sitting experience, and rehearsing putting it all together under timed conditions.
Students will wait outside to be called in, sit at individual exam desks, and the room will be “invigilated” just like a real exam hall.
Students can choose their preferred past paper to sit in exam conditions, and we are happy to help them print a copy of this if they wish.
It is often very helpful to get additional ‘mock exam’ style opportunities over Easter, allowing students to rehearse their timings and build their comfort levels to bring their “A game” even when the pressure is on.
Students can of course opt out of this exercise, especially if they will be using an individual room to take their GCSE or A level exams (e.g. due to anxiety or specific SEND issues) – in which case we are happy to facilitate an individual-room version of this exercise for them.
The afternoon of our final day will open with a short workshop to reflect on progress over the 3 days of the retreat, and plan (or refine an existing plan) for how to get the most from the remainder of the Easter break, while, as always, keeping everything in perspective and taking a suitably balanced approach to revising – not too much, not too little.
Our goal is to help students integrate the habits they’ve built with us here at the Retreat into their study routines when they go home.
Special bonus 1: private study strategy consultation with William
One of the exciting benefits of being at the Retreat is having access to William Wadsworth and his team of Retreat Mentors at the retreat, on hand to help guide you in your revision and help you fine-tune your revision strategy in real-time, both during the study blocks and in the breaks.
William is a vastly experienced study strategy coach with 7 years’ experience working with 200+ GCSE and A level students to help them make the most of their revision time, maximise their exam score, and feel great in the process. He coaches with heart and sensitivity and has a deep understanding of where students will be at by Easter.
In addition to informal guidance throughout the retreat, as part of “Integration Day”, on the final afternoon of the Retreat, each student will be offered a scheduled 20-minute private consultation with William to discuss their Easter revision plans, and receive some personalised support on any practical or mindset topics relating to their pre exam revision.
William’s private coaching work normally starts from £175 for a one-off 50-minute consultation. This private consultation is included in the price of your Retreat ticket.
Special bonus 2: “Exam Success Secrets” digital course included at no additional cost
All this revision is gearing up to one thing: the big exams!
We want to make absolutely sure that everyone who comes through the Retreat goes on to achieve results they’re really delighted with in their exams this summer (or for Y10/12, next summer)
For years, Exam Success Secrets has been our signature digital class covering the must-know tips and tricks to maximise your score when it matters most: on exam day itself.
Across 13 video lessons (1h 37m play time) with accompanying digital workbook, this short, punchy and high-impact course teaches students everything they need to know to do themselves justice on exam day:
- How to handle pressure and build your winners mindset
- Keys to written answers to get top scores
- How to create a master exam taking plan for success
- Cunning tactics to score the highest possible marks, even on tough questions
- How to improve your memory recall, to guarantee great results
It’s the perfect way to spend an evening to ensure that all that hard work has a happy ending this exam season.
Exam Success Secrets normally sells for £65, but lifetime access to the course is included at no additional cost with your Revision Retreat ticket.
Enrol in the Revision Retreat today
And get set for exam success – the smart way
RECAP: the Retreat is:
- For students in school Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 to help them focus on their GCSE or A level exam revision
- Held at Leighton Park School in Reading
- On Monday March 30th – Wednesday April 1st, that’s the first 3 weekdays of the Easter break
We’re offering the ultimate study sanctuary for flow and focus – every place includes:
- 3 wonderfully productive days’ revision to kickstart your Easter exam prep, away from the distractions of home
- Special Progress Planner they can use to plan and track their progress at the retreat (and beyond!)
- Expert support on tap throughout your revision
- A private individual consultation with William (c. £50 if purchased separately)
- Our unique “Exam Hall” mock exam experience on Day 3
- Lunch and premium refreshments throughout (c. £20 per day = c. £60 total if purchased separately)
- Exam Success Secrets digital course – lifetime access (c. £65 if purchased separately)
Enjoy all of this for just:
£91.50 per day
£274.50 for all 3 days
The button above takes you to our Eventbrite page to book your place.
We will subsequently contact you with an attendee welcome pack and a short online enrolment form, which covers dietary requirements, emergency contact info and the like. We look forward to welcoming you to the Retreat!
Your questions, answered
Who is the event open to?
The event is open to students in school Years 10-13. It is open to students from Leighton Park School and students from other schools.
Catering arrangements?
A delicious lunch and all snacks / refreshments through the day are included in your place.
What can I study/revise at the Retreat?
The focus of the Retreat is enabling your consistent and effective independent learning. So you can revise whatever subjects you’d like to.
For those students with coursework assignments to complete, you are more than welcome to bring those to work on in the focused environment of the Revision Retreat (despite the name..!).
Are there residential options?
This is a non-residential course, but there are a wide range of accommodation options close by in Reading. Please contact us for support with this if necessary.
Finding us
Leighton Park is located in Reading, right next to the University of Reading.
If you’re using a satnav, please use RG2 7ED to enter the School by our Shinfield Road entrance.
Leighton Park is conveniently located for London and International students, with Reading only 25 minutes from London Paddington on the train and 30 minutes from Heathrow airport in a taxi.
Start / arrive times
Registration each day is from 8.45am – 9.00am, with our programme starting at 9.15am each day. The programme ends at 6pm, participants must be collected (or have made their own way home) by 6.15pm.
The button above takes you to our Eventbrite page to book your place.
We will subsequently contact you with an attendee welcome pack and a short online enrolment form, which covers dietary requirements, emergency contact info and the like. We look forward to welcoming you to the Retreat!