Plan backwards from your registered November paper
Choose a common subject and view the selected official 2026 paper order before setting the revision blocks. The dates are examples from the final November timetable, not your personalised registration.
Mathematics AA/AI — 2026
- 9 November — Paper 1
- 10 November — Paper 2
Before the first paper: practice its actual format and mark one error type. Between papers: focus on the skill the next paper tests—avoid using a retired component.
Confirm zone/time and registration with your school; verify full dates at the official IB schedule ↗.
Build a block around an error you can actually retest
These times are editable planning inputs, not an optimum from the IB or a claim about how much every student needs. Select your own available minutes and allocate them to three tasks with a checkable output.
Finish with: A scored response without notes
Finish with: What step lost marks, and what is different?
Finish with: A corrected response from memory
60 minutes planned out of 60. All available minutes allocated.
Check evidence of learning
0 of 3 outcomes checked in this browser tab. No data uploaded or saved.
Worked example: revise around actual November 2026 papers
An illustrative student taking English A, Maths AA and Chemistry uses the official dates to choose question-based blocks. This is a planning example, not a universally optimal hours formula.
- Mon 2 Nov
English A
Draft a 2-minute thesis for a Paper 2 comparison; locate one passage that actually supports it.
Output: 1 claim + 1 checked passage
- Wed 4 Nov
English A
Rework the paragraph after finding a second authorial technique in the text.
Output: Revised paragraph with technique→effect link
- Fri 6 Nov
English A Paper 2
Use the live paper session. Afterward, record one command-term mistake rather than only the raw score.
Output: One exact mistake to retest
- Sun 8 Nov
Maths AA
Take a timed, course-matching practice Paper 1 section without a calculator.
Output: Two annotated incorrect solutions
- Mon 9 Nov
Maths AA Paper 1
Check your paper/zone with the school; save formula-recall errors for Paper 2 work.
Output: One retrievable method before P2
- Tue 10 Nov
Maths AA Paper 2
Work from the registered paper. Afterwards, recover and correct the leading error category.
Output: A corrected example without notes
- Wed 11 Nov
Chemistry Paper 1
Bring the official calculator/data booklet allowed by your coordinator; log misunderstood command terms.
Output: Two concrete P2 revision targets
- Thu 12 Nov
Chemistry Paper 2
Finish the exam block; avoid trying to revise that paper afterward.
Output: No invented exam score prediction
Exam date source: Official November 2026 exam schedule ↗. Recheck school timetable and registration before using this example.
A weekly feedback loop, not seven identical days
01Start of week
List upcoming papers and write down the two most costly recurring errors in each subject.
Evidence: One topic or command-term error per study block, not a broad 'revise Biology' task.
02Midweek
Test weak material without notes. Mark against a reliable source and preserve the specific wrong step.
Evidence: A corrected answer written from memory after feedback.
03Following day
Retest the original failed prompt or a parallel question, without peeking at the solution.
Evidence: Record whether the original error actually disappeared.
04End of week
Spend remaining time on an exam-format section under a real timer; update the error log.
Evidence: Compare types of lost marks, not only the overall raw score.
What if you have very little time?
Pick one upcoming paper, one error you can change, and a short retest. Avoid expanding into unrelated syllabus areas just to make the schedule look full. Put breaks, sleep and school obligations on your real calendar; this page cannot see your deadlines or personal health needs.
Questions that change the next step
How many hours should I revise each day for IB exams?
There is no universal daily quota. Start from your exam schedule, available time and most consequential weak topics. Use short retrieval and marking blocks with breaks; a full calendar is not evidence of learning.
Are IB past papers better than rereading notes?
They test different things. Past-paper practice exposes how you apply ideas under command terms and time limits; targeted reading can help repair a concept you cannot retrieve. Use the error log to choose the next action.
When should I retest a question I got wrong?
Retest after feedback with the solution closed, then revisit the same underlying skill later. The ideal interval depends on your time and subject; don't mistake an immediately familiar answer for durable recall.
Sources and verification
Primary-source references for this article, checked 8 October 2026. Rules and admission policies can change; confirm the current version for your assessment session or university course.
- IB — Diploma Programme examination schedule ↗
Authoritative dates for your session; use actual papers rather than an invented universal timetable.
- IB — free official specimen and selected past papers ↗
Source for real question/markscheme practice material where available.
Independent student guidance, not an official IB publication. Ask your school coordinator to confirm policies relevant to your circumstances.