By Mrs Hudson-Findley (Director of Digital Learning, Enterprise and Sustainability)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a normal part of education, and one of the most useful ways students can benefit from it is through revision. Used well, AI can help students organise their knowledge, practise exam skills and develop confidence. Used poorly, it can simply provide answers without real learning taking place.

At BGS, our aim is to help students learn how to use these tools in ways that genuinely support understanding and independence.

Following half term, students in Year 9 and above now have access to a research and study tool called NotebookLM. This allows students to upload teacher-made resources, their own class notes and revision materials and then use AI to help them explore and organise their knowledge. Because the tool works from students’ own materials, it supports revision without replacing the thinking that learning requires.

Teachers are beginning to introduce simple approaches that help students use AI effectively in lessons so that they can apply them independently at home.

Practical Ways Students Can Use NotebookLM for Revision

Students are encouraged to use NotebookLM in ways that support genuine learning. Some simple approaches that work particularly well include:

Explaining difficult topics

Students can upload their class notes and ask NotebookLM to explain a topic in a different way. A second explanation or example can make a difficult idea much clearer. Students should always compare explanations with their own notes and textbooks.

Testing knowledge with questions

Self-testing is one of the most effective revision techniques. Students can ask NotebookLM to generate practice questions based on their notes and then answer them independently before checking their responses. This helps identify gaps in understanding and focus revision time effectively.

Turning notes into revision summaries

NotebookLM can help students organise longer notes into structured summaries or key-point lists. These can then be used to create revision materials such as flashcards or podcasts.

Using AI as a study partner

After revising a topic, students can explain an idea and ask NotebookLM whether their explanation is accurate or if anything important is missing. This encourages active thinking rather than passive reading.

AI works best when students use it to support their own thinking rather than replace it. Used carefully, tools like NotebookLM can help students revise more effectively while still developing strong and independent study habits