Exams are a stressful time for any young person.

At Turves Green Boys’ School, boys are taught from Year 7 about what stress is, what’s normal and when to seek help. When it comes to exams, it is important to lets us know if your son appears to be particularly struggling during exam time. This might include having poor sleep patterns or a change in appetite or behaviour. It’s worth preparing ways of supporting your son during exam weeks and thinking about how you will react and respond on the day if they don’t get the result that they, or you, are hoping for.

These are things that can really make a difference:

  1. Work with your child to find what revision style works for them. (See our tips on our website for revision techniques).
  2. Encourage your child to take revision breaks and find a balance between studying and doing things they find enjoyable and relaxing.
  3. Make sure they are eating and drinking at regular intervals.
  4. Encourage them to take some time after revising to wind down.
  5. Reassure them – reinforce that you are and will be proud of them no matter what happens.
  6. Remain positive and hopeful!
  7. Plan a treat or an activity together to mark the end of the exams.
  8. Set aside one to one time so that they can talk to you about any worries.
  9. Let them know their feelings are valid and normal, but also offer support and solutions where possible.
  10. Anxiety is often worst at night and this means it is useful to encourage good bedtime routine
  11. Work with them to develop relaxation techniques.
  12. If anxiety and stress start impacting their day-to-day life seek help from your GP.

Supporting Your Child

Exams are a stressful time for any young person. There are lots of ways to prepare for the lead up to exams, ways of supporting during exam weeks and thinking about how you will react and respond on the day if they don’t get the result that they, or you, are hoping for.

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What revision help will Turves Green Boys’ School provide for my son?

Students at Turves Green Boys’ School will have exams throughout their time at school so it doesn’t seem so nerve-racking when it comes to their GCSEs. Before their exams, boys will be issued with revision guides and a checklist so that they know what they need to learn for their exam.

Exam Techniques

Throughout their time in school, in PSHE lessons and in short form time sessions, boys will also be taught different exam techniques, the science behind how their memory works, memory exercises and how to plan their revision effectively. We also provide sessions on how to manage exam stress and anxiety and when to ask for help.

Helping your son with revision.

Exams are undoubtedly nerve-racking for children and their parents. Fraught mums and dads watch over their children during the holidays or 'study leave' and wonder to what degree they should be helping. So, with that in mind, here are our top ten tips on how to help children to revise effectively.

Our Top 10 Tips

Planning Revision

Adapt is a FREE app which provides your son with a personalised, exam specific timetable, where you can input the days and times you can, or can’t study. You can select weekdays, weekends, everyday, or even set custom days that you revise on! And, it is all added on to a calendar that you can customise. https://getadapt.co.uk/

Using Past Papers

Our VLE Online Curriculum contains folders with all of the past papers and mark schemes for each of your sons’ subjects.  For tips on how to use the past papers, follow this link to the BBC Bitesize website. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zx6nrwx.

Revision techniques to try at home.

Instead of the usual reading, highlighting and recalling, research has suggested that there are much better (and more interesting) ways to revise. All students will be taught these methods during their time in school, but they often need encouragement to have the confidence to try them out at home.

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Managing a 'Disappointing' Results Day

If your child, or you, are unhappy with their exam results it can be tough to deal with. Here are some things that can help:

  1. If your child is happy to show you their results statement, you might find it helpful to have a look, just in case they have misread or misunderstood, or overlooked something.
  2. Accept their feelings, whatever they are – disappointment, anger, embarrassment, bravado. Their feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are. Don’t offer immediate judgement, or solutions, or even reassurance – there will be plenty of time for conversations later.
  3. Reflect back how they are feeling to show you have understood, for example, “I can see you’re disappointed with the Maths result.”
  4. Let them know you love them through highs and lows. Big hugs are good (although probably very embarrassing in public).
  5. Show you’re on their side - it could be something small like getting their favourite snack.
  6. Give yourself some breathing space and time to reflect.
  7. Ask the school to help your child explore any possible next steps, such as including re-takes, re-marking, alternative courses.
  8. If your child is disappointed with their results, they might also be embarrassed. Agree with your child how they want their results discussed with family and friends, if at all.