How to build a CAPS revision plan
A useful revision plan starts with the work your class has actually covered and the questions you cannot yet answer independently. List the topics, test a small sample without notes, and give more time to gaps. Alternate short explanation sessions with fresh questions. Use school feedback and official assessment scope to adjust the plan rather than treating every topic as equally urgent.
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1. Make a topic checklist
Use your teacher’s assessment scope, class notes and textbook contents. Mark each topic “can explain”, “can do with help” or “cannot yet do”. Test those judgements with one or two representative questions. The dorKk catalogue can help locate explanations; it does not replace the school’s assessment scope.
2. Use a repeatable study session
- Spend five minutes recalling a rule or method without looking.
- Attempt a question and identify the first uncertain step.
- Read or watch a focused explanation of that step.
- Close the explanation and attempt a different question.
- Record the error and a check you can use next time.
Adjust the duration to the learner’s age and concentration. A completed question with understood corrections is more useful than a fixed number of minutes with no feedback.
3. Example weekly plan
| Session | Task | Evidence of progress |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Diagnose two weak topics | Questions attempted without notes |
| Wednesday | Study one method and correct errors | A new question solved independently |
| Friday | Mix old and new topics | An updated error log |
| Weekend | Attempt a suitable timed section | Marked answers and next week’s priorities |
What is CAPS?
CAPS stands for Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. The Department of Basic Education publishes subject policy documents describing curriculum and assessment requirements. Use the official CAPS documents and current school guidance for your grade and subject.
Where do past papers fit?
Use questions early to diagnose gaps, then use longer timed sections after revising the underlying methods. Mark your work, correct it, and return to a similar question later. For matric, start with official past-paper sources. No revision plan guarantees an exam result.