Memory Magic

Memory Magic is a mobile app that counters the forgetting curve and helps students retain what they’ve learned in GCSE science (AQA and OCR) through automated, personalised spaced retrieval. It does this without adding any extra work for teachers.

The Forgetting Curve and Spaced Retrieval

The Forgetting Curve is a concept developed by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. It shows how quickly we forget things after learning them.

The biggest amount of forgetting occurs quickly, right after we have learned something. We can forget up to 50 to 80 percent of new information within a day! Then, the rate at which we forget becomes more gradual. This happens because the brain tends to clear out information it doesn’t use.

Spaced retrieval helps combat this. By recalling information at regular intervals, just before we forget it, we strengthen the memory. Each time we recall it successfully, it becomes easier to remember in the future. Over time, this makes learning stick and reduces (or even removes) the need to relearn everything later.

How Memory Magic Combats the Forgetting Curve

Memory Magic uses a spaced retrieval system that effectively combats the forgetting curve, helping ensure that what students learn isn’t just remembered for the exam, but truly retained over time. It regularly brings back questions from topics students have already covered, at carefully spaced intervals designed to strengthen memory just as it begins to fade.

Building a Regular Bite-Sized Revision Habit

Memory Magic helps students build a simple and consistent revision routine without stress.

The app uses short daily quizzes that take just a few minutes to complete. These bite-sized retrieval sessions strengthen memory over time and removes the need for last minute cramming.

Because it works on mobile phones, students receive gentle notifications that remind them to revise regularly and keep the habit going.

Gamified features like streaks and progress milestones keep students motivated. Revision becomes something students can stick with each day, even when they are busy with other subjects or activities.

Memory Magic helps Every Type of Student get Exam Ready

Memory Magic provides an efficient and effective way to revise. It cuts down on unnecessary workload, reduces stress, and helps ensure that what students learn actually sticks. With mastery tracking students know where they stand with their revision.

Here is how Memory Magic specifically helps different types of students:

Procrastinators: Memory Magic builds regular habits with short quizzes, streaks, and progress tracking that keep them moving forward.

Disengaged: Memory Magic lowers the barrier to entry with short, achievable tasks and visible progress, helping them re-engage without pressure and build confidence.

Crammers: Memory Magic gets them started early and do a bit each day helping them cover everything and retain knowledge longer.

Anxious Perfectionists: Memory Magic shows clear progress, helping them feel more in control and less anxious. They go into exams feeling confident!

Guided Followers: Memory Magic gives them a ready-made system that tells them what to do next and tracks their progress, so they can revise with confidence and structure.

Structured Steadies: Memory Magic makes their revision more effective, saving them time and effort, and clearly showing them where they stand.

Building Consistency through Gamification

Memory Magic’s gamification is also designed to support different types of learners:

Daily streaks keep highly engaged students motivated and consistent.
Weekly streaks (earned by completing at least 4 quizzes in a week) and monthly streaks (earned by completing at least 16 quizzes in a month) are especially helpful for students who may not revise every day but still benefit from regular, achievable goals.

The system encourages ongoing effort without punishing occasional breaks, helping all students stay engaged in a way that works for them.

In addition to streaks, students earn XP (experience points) for actions that genuinely build exam readiness. These include:

• Giving correct answers.
• Mastering individual topics and subjects.
• Completing a quiz with all answers correct.
• Sticking to their revision habit over time.

As students earn XP, they progress through different levels. Each level reflects how much science they’ve retained and how prepared they are for their exams.

Streaks and XP together reward both consistency and real learning, helping all students stay engaged, focused, and moving forward.