Studying Smarter with Elevate Education: Equipping Nexus Learners for Academic Success

Academic success is about more than mastering subject content. Knowing how to study effectively, manage time, retain information and approach examinations with confidence are equally important skills, particularly as learners progress towards their IGCSE examinations.

At Nexus International School (Singapore), we believe that helping learners achieve their academic potential means equipping them with both the knowledge and the skills to succeed. Recognising the importance of effective study habits as learners navigate the demands of the IGCSE programme, our Secondary team organised a series of specialist study skills workshops, welcoming external education provider Elevate Education to campus.

Designed around feedback from our Year 10 and Year 11 learners, the workshops brought specialist expertise directly into the school, providing practical strategies and research-informed techniques to help learners become more confident, independent and effective in their approach to studying.

Supporting learners through the transition to IGCSE

Transitioning from the Middle Years Programme (MYP) into the two-year IGCSE programme brings new academic expectations as learners prepare for their first external assessments. 

While continuing to build on the strong inquiry-based foundations of the MYP, learners adapt to a more structured examination pathway, manage a growing volume of subject content and refine their revision habits in preparation for their final examinations. Developing these skills also lays important foundations for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), where independent learning, effective time management and the ability to manage a demanding academic workload become increasingly important.

The programme featured five interactive workshops tailored to the needs of each year group. Year 10 learners explored effective study routines, note-taking, conceptual learning and time management, while Year 11 focused on revision techniques, memory retention, addressing knowledge gaps and managing examination stress. Through presentations and practical activities, learners gained strategies they could put into practice throughout their IGCSE journey.

The feedback also highlighted the importance of addressing procrastination and the misconception that better grades simply require longer hours of studying.

With these needs in mind, Nexus worked with Elevate Education to organise a programme tailored to both year groups. For Year 10, the focus was on establishing strong foundations and developing the core skills needed to manage the transition into IGCSE. For Year 11, the emphasis shifted towards refining revision strategies, addressing knowledge gaps and preparing effectively for final examinations.

As Cammy Lu, Year Leader (Year 10), explains:

“The transition to IGCSE can be challenging for learners as they navigate increased academic demands and prepare for their final examinations. While teachers provide subject-specific resources and guidance, it is equally important that learners understand how to study effectively.

Developing metacognitive skills allows learners to recognise their strengths and weaknesses, identify gaps in their knowledge and adopt strategies that support their learning. I believe the Elevate workshop was particularly valuable for our Year 10 cohort, providing practical approaches to studying and revision that learners can apply across their 2-year course and beyond. Many expressed an interest in developing these skills, and I know they left the session feeling more confident, independent and purposeful in their approach to learning.”

Bringing specialist expertise into the classroom

A key message across the sessions was that academic success is not about spending more hours studying, but making study time more effective. As Carly Drysdale, Deputy Head of Secondary, explains:

“Strong academic success requires the skills needed to learn content effectively and demonstrate knowledge and key skills in examinations. Knowing how to study, revise, manage time, and prepare for testing is a fundamental part of the learning process and requires practice in its own right.

Drawing on extensive research into the habits of academically successful learners, the Elevate Education workshops provided learning theory with practical strategies to help learners study smarter, not harder, maximise their time, and prepare effectively for examinations.”

Turning strategies into everyday habits

A key value of developing study skills lies in how learners apply them beyond the workshop. 

For our Year 10 and Year 11 learners, the sessions provided an opportunity to reflect on their existing habits, challenge familiar approaches and discover new ways to make their study time more effective.

Lavanya highlighted the importance of making studying more engaging and finding ways to overcome procrastination:

“I learned to prioritise “non-required” personal-interest tasks, like answering an extended extension question or doing voluntary research, before completing standard, required home learning. Working on engaging projects first helps increase productivity and reduce procrastination because your brain has already been “turned on”. This was helpful to me because I tend to put off studying until a couple of days before it is due, but starting with more personally interesting work makes sitting down to study feel engaging rather than like a chore.”

She also reflected on the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between academic commitments and other interests:

“One key takeaway is that maintaining a balanced lifestyle is crucial for academic success. Dropping sports, extra-curriculars and social time just for studying harms your mental health and leads to stress and burnout rather than better grades. Staying well-rounded keeps your brain, heart and body energised and prepared for exams. Having a young presenter like Erica made these points relatable and practical; she understood student life and made the advice feel genuine.”

For Raees, the time management session offered practical ways to approach his weekly workload:

“The time management session showed me how to plan out my week and set aside specific times for studying. I used to put things off until the last minute, but now that I’ve learnt to organise my schedule and set blocks, it’s so much easier to actually sit down, start and understand what needs to be done.”

His biggest takeaway reinforced one of the workshop’s central messages:

“Studying smarter doesn’t mean studying harder. Being consistent and really understanding the concepts makes a bigger difference than trying to memorise the knowledge.”

These reflections demonstrate how introducing learners to new approaches can help them take greater ownership of their education. Rather than relying solely on the amount of time spent studying, they are learning to recognise what works for them, make informed decisions about their learning and develop habits that will benefit them well beyond their IGCSE examinations.

Going beyond the curriculum to support academic excellence

At Nexus, academic rigour goes hand in hand with ensuring learners have the right support to reach their potential. Our teachers provide subject-specific guidance, challenge learners to think critically and encourage them to deepen their understanding. We also recognise that preparing learners for academic success involves developing skills that extend beyond individual subjects.

Taking the initiative to bring specialist providers such as Elevate Education into our learning environment allows us to complement the expertise of our teachers with fresh perspectives, research-informed approaches and practical strategies. These partnerships give learners access to additional resources and opportunities that enrich their educational experience.

At Nexus, preparing learners for academic success at IGCSE and beyond means equipping them with more than the knowledge required to perform well in examinations. It means developing the confidence, independence and learning habits to approach challenges with purpose, both at school and beyond.

We also recognise that supporting academic success extends beyond the classroom. The strategies introduced through Elevate Education provide valuable insights that our teachers can build upon, helping to embed effective study habits and revision techniques into classroom practice and home learning across all year levels. This also extends to our parents, who will have opportunities to get involved through Elevate Education’s online webinars, offering practical insights into how they can support their children’s learning, study habits and academic wellbeing at home. At Nexus, we believe a strong partnership between learners, teachers and families is essential to academic success. For further information about the upcoming parent webinars, please 

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