Emotional Support During Exams

1. Step back but not away

2. Feed them!

3. Encourage them to get outside and do some exercise regularly.

4. Keep an eye on students “working hard by pulling all-nighters” - these are not helpful or sustainable. See the students page for more ideas

5. Actively engage with them about the planning for Spring break and study leave 

6. Ask them about their study approaches - how are they studying not if or how much they are studying! Ask about which Active Revision Strategies they are using?

7. Keep things consistent as possible at home; avoid pulling them in different directions.

8. Process not Product at this stage - what went well, what would you do differently

9. When an exam goes badly, support and reassure them as best you can.

10. Enjoy learning with them - maybe they could use the Feynman Technique

Tell Me Three

A really simple way to help support recall and summarisation of ideas. Ask your student to "Tell me three" about a topic that they have studied. For example, tell me three things about the main characters in 'The Things They Carried' by Tim O'Brien. 

Try to ensure that this isn't just listing quickly but summarising key ideas or concepts. 

Planning Time

Prospective

• Plan for the weeks ahead.

• Make sure the plan has clear segments identified (not just a full subject)

• Plan in breaks

• Make it visible around the house (so the whole family can be involved)

Retrospective

• In each revision session, write down the revision you have undertaken

• Use a colour coding system to show how well the revision went

• Ensure you have a covered all the topics

• When you go back through subjects, use the colour code to help identify where you need to focus

You can also check out our main page the main aim is that planning is visible so that you can support your child in their revision.