From the second a child enters the education system it seems that they are tested non stop until they leave. From regular in-class exams to SAT’s, GCSE’s, A-levels and everything in between – the pressure is on for children to succeed now more than ever.
This is something that has been highlighted by The Guardian in May 2015 – according to the NSPCC there has been a 200% (34,000) increase in 2013/14 compared to 2012/13 in students seeking counselling for stress in the run up to exams.
In many cases students feel that the pressure is on for them to succeed despite them attending regular revision classes and doing other extra-curricular work.
The Department of Education says that all schools should have in place a support network for students during the exam period to help try and elevate any stress or pressures. However, it is not just schools that need to be able to offer support to those sitting exams.
Parents need to not only help their children during this stressful period, they need to be able to tell their child when to rest too – as sometimes children can feel that their parents can add to exam pressures. Rest is as important as studying, otherwise a child runs the risk of burning out or not achieving their full potential.
The Department of Education told The Guardian:
“Tests are a key part of ensuring young people master the key skills and knowledge that will prepare them for life in modern Britain. However, we have taken real steps to ensure pupils are not on a constant treadmill of revision and testing, including scrapping January modules, decoupling AS-levels and removing resits from league tables.”
There are many ways that you can help your child in the run up to their exams:
- Help them develop a revision timetable for each subject
- Ensure that your child takes regular breaks
- Buy new stationary to make revision more interesting
- Look over the work your child has done to see whether or not they are on the right lines.
Not only this but, parents can also help ease their child’s exam worries by simply making sure that they eat healthily. Revision periods are times when children tend to eat a lot of sugary junk food to fuel their sessions which sometimes can be counter-productive.
You can read more de-stressing tips in our Tips for De-stressing Students During Exam Time blog or see our 5 Relaxation Tips to Try When Study and Exam Stress Kicks In to help support your child.