How to Support Your Child with their Exam Revision

As your child moves up through school, they will likely have exams to help determine where they would be best placed. For children these can bring along stress and anxiety but can be made easy with the right preparation and tools. If your child has got their exams coming up, here are some ways that you can help. Below is some advice we’ve put together with the help of a girls’ prep school in Surrey.

A Study Space

First of all, you will need to make sure that your child has somewhere they can peacefully study. You can create a study zone in their room equipped with everything they need or create a separate office if you have the space. This will allow them to be free of distractions, stay organised and study as they wish. 

Deadlines

The first thing to establish are their deadlines and the work that must be done as otherwise it will be difficult to put a plan in place. If they don’t already have their exam dates, encourage your child to ask their teachers and add them to a calendar. This will allow you to create a revision timetable and cover all bases in time.

Little and Often

Cramming doesn’t work for exams. Children need ample time so that they can get their head around themes and for information to seep into their longer-term memory. The key is to revise little and often as it will help keep content fresh in their minds and ensure that they don’t experience burn out.

Help Them Understand Their Learning Style

If they are still struggling despite putting in the time, it may be that they aren’t revising according to their learning style. There are three main learning styles – the auditory, kinaesthetic, and visual learning style. They describe how children learn best and can give you an idea as to the kind of revision activities your child should be working through. For example, those with the kinaesthetic learning style need engaging and the chance to apply what they’ve learned. Home experiments and revision games are therefore much better techniques than physical note taking. You can identify which your child has through your observations or completing what is known as a VARK test.

Past Papers

Practice is of course key as mentioned earlier which is why past papers should definitely not be overlooked. They give children the chance to attempt real exam questions and prepare for what they will be like. If they choose to, they can even complete these papers in test conditions to improve their timing. To find these resources and their corresponding mark schemes, your child will need to know which exam board they are using and access them via their site.

Implement a Good Routine

Aside from all the academic stuff, at home you will need to make sure your child is well supported with a good daily routine. Surprisingly the little things that we do day to day such as when we sleep and the foods, we eat all affect the brain’s ability to focus and retain information. Therefore, for the best chances of nailing their exams, children need to get ample sleep and eat regular, nutritious meals. While it sounds simple and is a no-brainer, bad habits can develop when children are under stress. You may notice that they lose their usual appetite or that they struggle with sleep. If you are having any of these issues with your child, be sure to see if things are okay. Mindfulness can often help during times like these as it helps children to feel relaxed and like themselves again.

Most importantly, be there. Exam season can be draining for children, and the stress will likely be incomparable to what they have experienced before. They will need your support and reassurance to get through. Remind them that what matters most is that they try their best, and that their grades won’t define them.