Online Science Resources – Revision Sites and Videos
🔬 Websites used by schools
There are many resources used by schools; I’m going to talk about three of the most popular.
1. Seneca Learning
Very popular with schools and students, Seneca as an online homework and revision tool.
It’s interactive — students read short notes and answer quick recall questions. The platform adapts slightly to how well they’re doing, and it’s available for most GCSE subjects.
How schools use it:
As homework or retrieval practice after lessons.
To prepare for tests or end-of-topic assessments.
Some teachers track student progress, but many just tell pupils to use it for independent study.
What parents need to know:
There is a free version which is effective for regular revision. A school password is needed to access the full site for assignments. Parents mainly just need to check that their child is actually using it properly (not just clicking through quickly). It’s one of the best all-round tools for home learning.
2. Kerboodle (Oxford University Press)
Kerboodle is not really a revision site — it’s an online textbook and assessment system tied to OUP textbooks. Students log in with a school-issued username and password.
How schools use it:
As an online textbook to replace or supplement printed ones.
For homework assignments or tests that teachers set and mark through the system.
Occasionally for short revision quizzes, but mainly as part of formal teaching.
What parents need to know:
Access depends entirely on the school’s licence. Students can’t sign up themselves. If the school uses Kerboodle, the login details will have been issued — parents just need to make sure their child can access it at home. Beyond that, there’s not much for parents to do; it’s part of the teaching infrastructure, not a standalone study tool.
3. GCSEPod
GCSEPod is a subscription service that many schools pay for, giving students access to short, exam-board-specific video lessons (“pods”) and follow-up quizzes. Each video lasts a few minutes and focuses tightly on key facts and exam-style content.
How schools use it:
Teachers assign specific pods and quizzes as homework.
Some schools use it for targeted revision before mock exams.
Others just encourage students to browse and watch topics they need to strengthen.
What parents need to know:
It’s a high-quality, school-paid platform — students can log in using school credentials. Parents don’t need to buy or manage anything. It’s worth knowing it exists, though, because it’s a very efficient way for students to revise if they use it regularly. Many schools track student activity, so teachers will know who’s using it.
🔬 Free Science Revision Websites you can use at home
There’s now an excellent range of free and low-cost online tools to help students revise and strengthen their understanding of GCSE science. Each one has a different style and strength — from short quizzes to teacher-led videos. Below is a guide to the most useful and reliable options, with notes on what each does best and where they’re less strong.
Seneca Learning
The free version offers highly interactive notes and quizzes designed to make revision fast and engaging. The material is broken into short, bite-sized sections that explain concepts clearly without overwhelming detail. Its adaptive quizzes automatically adjust to a student’s strengths and weaknesses, helping them remember material more effectively through repetition and retrieval practice. The site closely follows all major GCSE exam boards and works smoothly on any device. Its gamified approach — points, speed, and progress bars — keeps students motivated.
Best for: short bursts of self-testing and quick, effective revision.
Weakness: limited video or worked-example content, so it’s not ideal for first-time learning.
BBC Bitesize
BBC Bitesize remains one of the most trusted names in revision. It provides clear notes, short videos, and interactive quizzes that together form a complete learning package. Explanations are excellent, backed up with diagrams, animations, and visuals that help break down more abstract topics. The quizzes are simple but effective, allowing students to check their understanding quickly. Its layout is phone-friendly and easy to navigate, making it ideal for studying in small chunks of time.
Best for: clear explanations and structured topic revision.
Weakness: doesn’t go deeply into higher-tier content; better for consolidation than stretch.
Cognito
Cognito focuses on short, animated video lessons followed by practice questions for each topic. Lessons are concise and visual, with smooth animations that help students understand processes and cause-and-effect relationships. After each video, there are quick interactive questions to reinforce what’s just been covered. Content is closely tied to AQA, Edexcel, and OCR GCSE specifications, and the minimalist design keeps attention where it should be — on learning.
Best for: visual learners who prefer short, focused explanations with immediate practice.
Weakness: doesn’t always go into the fine detail of theory, so it’s best used for revision rather than first teaching.
Primrose Kitten
🌐 youtube.com/primrosekittenscience
Primrose Kitten offers a large library of YouTube videos covering GCSE science in detail. Lessons are led by a qualified teacher (Jen) who explains both content and exam technique clearly and patiently. Many videos are supported by downloadable notes and worksheets. The friendly, encouraging tone makes even challenging material more approachable. Videos are best watched via structured YouTube playlists, which mirror the GCSE specifications. Primrose Kitten is Jen’s cat, now grumpy and old. Jen has a great many dedicated followers who stay with her into year 12.
Best for: understanding difficult topics and seeing exactly how to answer exam-style questions.
Weakness: not interactive, and some videos are quite long for shorter attention spans.
Free Science Lessons
Free Science Lessons is well known for its short, precise YouTube videos presented by Shaun Donnelly, an experienced GCSE teacher. Each video tackles one concept at a time with clear language and simple explanations. It’s especially good for quick refreshers before tests or when revising for exams. The videos follow GCSE specifications exactly, and because they’re short, students can easily review several topics in one sitting.
In terms of the theory and practice of teaching, this site is near perfect. I talk about why in this postcast.
Best for: revising explanations you’ve already learned and reinforcing key concepts.
Weakness: no interactive features or extra materials beyond the videos themselves.
Physics & Maths Tutor
Physics & Maths Tutor is one of the best resources for exam-style practice. It offers an enormous collection of past-paper questions, mark schemes, topic summaries, and revision notes for all GCSE science subjects. The site’s design is plain, but its content is thorough and accurate. Students can search by topic and board to target weak areas precisely. It’s an excellent source for realistic exam preparation and learning how to phrase answers to gain marks.
Best for: serious exam preparation, especially practising real past-paper questions.
Weakness: minimal visuals or interactivity — best used alongside a more engaging resource.
Choosing the Right Resource
Each student learns differently, so the best resource often depends on how they like to study:
For quick revision: Seneca Learning is the most efficient and motivating.
For clear explanations: BBC Bitesize is reliable and visually well-produced.
For visual learners: Cognito’s animated videos are ideal.
For teacher-led learning: Primrose Kitten and Free Science Lessons give the human touch.
For exam mastery: Physics & Maths Tutor provides the best real exam question practice.
Most students benefit from using a mix — for example, watching a Primrose Kitten video to understand a topic, revising it on Seneca, and finishing with a few Physics & Maths Tutor questions to test it.