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MNHQ

Share your tips for helping your DC through the exam period with SchoolExams.co.uk – chance to win £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

190 replies

EmmaMumsnet · 06/03/2017 10:27

Whether your DC are at primary school, secondary school, or doing their A levels, exams can be a challenging time. SchoolExams.co.uk want to find out how you help your DCs through this period and for you to share any tips you have for making the process easier.

“You might not have the knowledge to help your child to revise for an exam, but you will be able to help them to gain the skills they need to maximise their success. You can also help to build their confidence, ease their stress and support them if things don’t go quite to plan. With experienced tutors, downloadable papers, and video tutorials SchoolExams.co.uk is the closest online experience which replicates the home tutor experience, at a fraction of the price.”

So how do you support your DC during exam time? Do you work with them on a revision timetable which includes planned breaks to help your DC stay focused and avoid last-minute panics? Or do you make sure they get lots of sleep and eat ‘brain food’ the morning of an exam? Is it a constant battle to get them to revise or are you more worried about them working too hard. Perhaps you are really involved and quiz them with flash cards on their subjects? Or maybe you're more laissez-fare, leaving them to get on with revision on their own.

However you help your DCs through the exam period, please share your tips below and you will be in with a chance to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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Share your tips for helping your DC through the exam period with SchoolExams.co.uk – chance to win £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
prettybird · 07/03/2017 21:21

Teach them to MindMap (unless a teacher has already done so).

Get them in the habit of doing a little every day right from the start if secondary school.

Don't let them to more than 6 hours concentrated study in a day. Make them take a break - go for a walk, play some sport, or whatever will relax them best.

BellaVida · 07/03/2017 22:29

I think that the best thing you can do for a child going through exams is:

  • encourage them to try their best, because that is all you can ask
  • understand their goals and support them
  • let them know that whatever the outcome, you will always love them and help them
  • remind them that they will always have choices and that exams do not define who they are or who they will become.
hdh747 · 08/03/2017 05:15

No distractions. Encouragement to revise in bursts and take short breaks. Healthy food and drink. And try and encourage them to do something relaxing before bed and get a good night's sleep.

barbsbarbs · 08/03/2017 05:45

this involves lots of encouragement, lots of supplying drinks and snacks and also organising trips out away from the studying.

rosie154 · 08/03/2017 06:00

Make plans for a treat at the end of the process, something to look forward to really helps.

Roraima · 08/03/2017 06:00

Just read , read, read and review every now and then. Everything will be all right !

winterpark · 08/03/2017 06:09

I made sure my son had piece and quiet by taking my younger son out :)

Tinker15 · 08/03/2017 06:29

Encourage them to have a short break every 60/90 minutes (A Level revision) along with a drink & snack. This gives them the opportunity to switch off from the pressure and also stops them thinking more about food than revision. The same applied with GCSE revision which we found was a good balance.

renas · 08/03/2017 06:49

My boys just got on with it with no help from me as long as they were fed, watered and showers and peace and quiet to concentrate. One has just finished his masters degree and one is now doing a PHD in physics!

glenka · 08/03/2017 07:15

Always make them take plenty of breaks during studying and never leave revision till the last minute.

teddygirlonce · 08/03/2017 07:16

To back off big time and let them get on with it. I think with the amount of pressure they get from their schools they need us to be supportive but without being helicopter parents. Too much pressure can sometimes backfire big time.

hiddenmichelle · 08/03/2017 07:22

Lots of break as well as revision - and lots of reassurance that as long as he did his best then it was absolutely good enough

vonniebab2 · 08/03/2017 07:36

Plenty of breaks between revision, a good nights sleep with regular meals, relaxed atmosphere and no pressure

Elizasmum02 · 08/03/2017 07:38

my eldest is preparing for her gcses i find having a scedhule that we stick to is helping. we balance equally study time and free time and so far she is doing very well

Ganne1 · 08/03/2017 08:11

Listen, reassure and support. Get outside teaching help if necessary, but you should be able to do that yourself (up to a certain school age anyway!). Stress the importance of doing well, without actually stressing them!

SSCRASE123 · 08/03/2017 08:23

Still a bit young for formal exams but my son has a regular maths "test" each week which moves him up a ladder depending on results. We take a lot of time to go through mock tests with him to build his confidence as we know he can do it but he lacks self belief sometimes especially when against the clock.

ThemisA · 08/03/2017 08:23

Firstly make sure the child is given a comfortable, quiet and appropriate area to study. Ensure they eat a healthy diet and take breaks. If they want help in making a study schedule help them to make a chart and stick to it with small, regular rewards. If they have a panic and feel unable to get going just get a timer and set it for 10 minutes and ask them to just do something for 10 minutes and this sometimes gets things going. If they are really stuck and you can afford it hire a tutor or an undergraduate to help them. Remind them that whatever the outcome there are always opportunities to re-take exams or take a different route through life. For a child that is disinterested remind them that they are putting in effort to secure their own future and sometimes doing without fun now will pay off later.

feefeegabor · 08/03/2017 08:23

I try and make things as stress-free as possible and have given up nagging about an untidy bedroom and not putting her dirty clothes in the laundry. I give her some time when she comes home from school to unwind, have a drink and a biscuit and she then settles down in a quiet room. I make sure she has plenty of breaks and doesn't stress about anything.

maryandbuzz1 · 08/03/2017 08:27

It has always been a battle to get my son to revise. We have helped him draw up a revision timetable and have been on hand to go over and question what he has studied. We always make sure he is in bed early and keep things calm on the day of the exam.

phillie1 · 08/03/2017 08:48

Making sure they take time away from revision to do some exercise or at least get some fresh air.

juju3 · 08/03/2017 08:54

just be supportive and try not to show how anxious you are are

devito92 · 08/03/2017 08:58

I try not to bang on about his exams at all. He knows how important they are my job is to keep him happy and content with his home enviroment.

finleypop · 08/03/2017 09:15

You can study too much. My son will study for exams constantly & I think it becomes counter productive. I make sure he gets some breaks to let his brain relax & of course, a good nights sleep

shellywkd · 08/03/2017 09:26

We make sure she eats well, sleeps well and allocates enough time for study and relaxing. We use a lot of flash cards and that really helps as well.

compy99 · 08/03/2017 09:38

To have a calm place for revision, to encourage and support but at the same time not adding pressure. To have a cut-off time and stick to it as too much late revision can lead to tiredness and that can affect the child and the results greatly.