Education is all about the focus of growing individually and having fun along the way. However, there is no doubt that it comes with its own challenges. School exams are one of the first times your child will be tested heavily. Along with this can come stress, anxiety, and an overload of emotions. Whilst exam season is an important part of education, it does not mean that your child has to suffer to achieve great results. The idea of tests can be daunting and lead to difficulty. This can lead many to feeling tense throughout exam season and seeming less like themselves. But don’t worry. There are many things that can be done as a parent to ensure that your child is prepared and is as stress free as possible for when the day arrives. From having strict schedules to healthy eating habits, here is some advice from this independent school in Hertfordshire on helping your child prepare for school exams.
Keep an eye on your child’s work
One of the best ways to get a clear insight on how well your child is doing at school, is to look through their schoolwork daily. This does not mean to dig through your child’s books, but to sit with them whilst they complete homework and get an idea of what they learnt that day. This is a great starting point when it comes to helping your child prepare for their exams, as it will allow you to have some background knowledge of the content they are taught and what will need to be covered when it comes to revision. For further details, you can set up meetings with your child’s teachers to understand what more can be done to ensure your child is as prepared as can be for their school exams.
Get organised
Planning is one of the most important parts of studying. Once your child has been given the dates for their exams, use this as an endpoint and start to help them prepare for the weeks before. Preparation should start as soon as they begin the school year. Having a written down plan is a great way to help reduce stress when something very important is coming up. Take some time to draw up a study plan. This should include what will be covered in each study session and how long they will spend doing it. Breaking a large task into small pieces makes it seem more manageable and can make exams feel less daunting. Not only will it help reduce anxiety but is one of the best ways to succeed when it comes to exams.
Stay healthy
To help your child get the most out of their time studying, they need to be eating healthy and exercising. A diet that is rich in nutrients is well known to give more brain power and improve the skills needed to study. A healthy child is able to concentrate for longer, retain information better and be more motivated. The same goes for exercise. Exercise is well known for helping reduce stress and relieve tension. Make exercising something that is enjoyable so that your child takes part in it on a regular basis. This could be as simple as a walk in your local Outwood’s.
Sleep well
Exams usually come with students who study day and night. However, sleep is actually a very important part of exam preparation. A lack of sleep has a direct impact on the brains ability to function. Ensure your child sleeps at a reasonable time every night and doesn’t partake in all-nighters. This will ensure your child is able to concentrate better in class and will increase their overall academic performance.