Reducing Exam Stress

Exam stress

Exams are a stressful time. Here's some tips for students from Young Minds to help as you sit your A Levels and GCSEs:

• While revising remember to take breaks and find a balance between studying and doing things you find enjoyable and relaxing.
• Make sure you're eating and drinking at regular intervals.
• Take some time after revising or exams to wind down. 
• Remain positive and hopeful!
• Take time to talk about any worries you have.
• If you're feeling anxious it may be worse in the evening or at night so a regular bedtime routine is important.
• And finally, you may want to plan a treat or an activity with family or friends to mark the end of the exams.

Preparing For and Managing Exams: Tipe for Parents / Carers

Exams can be a challenging and stressful period for young people. This can affect their mood, sleep, and confidence. Your young person may feel overwhelmed by expectations—both from school and themselves. Offering understanding and emotional support is just as important as helping them study. As a parent, your support plays a vital role in helping them manage the pressure and perform at their best.

Here's some tips from the Mental Health in Schools team for parents / carers, on how they can support young people during exams:
1. Create a Supportive Environment - Help your young person to find a quiet and comfortable space to study. Try to keep this space calm and distraction free during revision times.
2. Be realistic and Positive - Focus on effort over results, praising your young person for their hard work and effort, not just their grades. Stay calm and encouraging, even if they are feeling negative or frustrated.
3. Help with Planning - Support your young person to create a revision timetable. It will be useful to help them to break revision into manageable chunks with a variety in subjects to keep things fresh and engaging. Make sure the revision timetable includes regular breaks.
4. Stay Connected - Check in regularly about how they feel. Listen without judgement, validate their feelings, and remind them it’s okay to feel anxious. Let them know you are available to listen when they want to talk things through. Look out for signs of stress such as changes in sleep, appetite or mood. 

Mr Grady's advice to A Level students

In assembly for year 13s before their A Levels, Headteacher, Mr Grady,  focussed on how students can best be preparing for them. Mr Grady asked them to reflect on whether they want to "Choose the effort you want to give and make peace with the consequent results" or "Decide on the results you want and accept the effort required to achieve your goal."

Students were encouraged to think about their working habits, what motivates them and what distracts them? What time do they work best and how long they can work before needing a rest? Mr Grady reminded them to get good sleep, eat well and do exercise! 

He also looked at how and why the students can get the results they want. Effort applied effectively, efficiently and economically, will reduce their anxiety and stress levels around the next few weeks and during the exam season. If they need further support in managing that, they should drop their tutor/ teacher/ Sixth Form Team/ Mr Grady an email.