Advice on supporting Learning - Helping your child through exams.

The following advice is useful for any parent or carer suddenly facing the dilemma of how they can support their child with their GCSEs or A Levels. The following tips are useful in supporting you make the bridge between High School and the scary world of qualifications.

Please remember though that if you need any advice on how you can support your child with a particular subject then please contact the Subject Teacher or the Head of Faculty first.

The secret to doing well in exams lies in planning. You can help your child to create a clear revision plan and method of studying that will make them feel in control of their work.

Tips for revision planning:
• work out a revision timetable for each subject
• break revision time into small chunks - hour-long sessions with short breaks at the end of each session often work well
• make sure your child has all the essential books and materials
• condense notes onto postcards to act as revision prompts
• buy new stationery, highlighters and pens to make revision more interesting
• go through school notes with your child or listen while they revise a topic
• time your child's attempts at practice papers

Providing all-round support
The best way to support your child during the stress of revision and exams is to make home life as calm and pleasant as possible. It helps if other members of the household are aware that your child may be under pressure and that allowances should be made for this.

If your child is given study leave in the run-up to exams, try to be at home as much as possible so that you can share a break and a chat together. Make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks in the fridge and try to provide good, nutritious food at regular intervals. Encourage your child to join family meals, even if it's a busy revision day - it's important to have a change of scene and get away from the books and computer for a while. Also encourage your child to take regular exercise. A brisk walk around the block can help clear the mind before the next revision session. Try not to nag or make too many demands on your child during exam time. Arguments are counter-productive and will only add unnecessary stress and distract from revision. It's important to get a good night's sleep before an exam, so discourage your child from staying up late to cram. And make sure he or she eats a good breakfast on the morning of the exam.

Bribes, treats and rewards
Some children are 'bribed' to do well in exams and are offered cash or gifts to achieve good grades. But bribery is not a good idea as it implies that the only worthwhile reward for hard work is money and that you don’t trust your child to work hard. Negative messages like these will affect your child’s sense of self-worth. Encourage your child to do well for his or her own sake rather than for money or to please you. Explain that exams aren't an end in themselves but a gateway to the next stage of life - to another Key Stage or to GCSEs, A levels, university, college or work. Good results are themselves the best reward for hard work and will make your child proud of his or her achievements. Make sure your child knows you're interested in their work and that you'll be proud if they do well. Although bribery isn't advisable, it's fine to provide small treats by way of encouragement - perhaps a piece of cake or some biscuits after a chunk of revision has been completed. The end of exams can be celebrated with a treat that everyone can look forward to, such as a meal out or a trip to the cinema.

Top Tips for Students and your exams
So, the biggest exams of your life are just months away! Don't panic and pretend they'll go away - they won't! But, if you're organised, you'll find the exams won't be the nightmare experience that you feared - and if you go about things the right way you'll even get time for a social life.
10 steps to revision success:
1. Revision space: Find a good place to work. It should be quiet and uncluttered.
2. Revision timetable: Draw up a revision timetable - it's crucial. It should be realistic, cover all subjects and allow you time off to relax.
3. Make notes: Don't just read through your class work, make notes. One useful tip is to gradually condense your notes so they fit on the back of a postcard.
4. Revision guides: Get a recommendation from your teacher as to which are most useful and then make sure you use them!
5. Questions and answers: Write out some questions and answers to see how much you're actually remembering.
6. Listen in: Read your notes onto a cassette and then play them walking down the street or whilst you're in bed.
7. Prompts: Put key words and phrases on sticky notes around the house, so you'll see them often.
8. Seek help! Don't go it alone. They say a problem shared is a problem halved. So, get friends and family on board to help you revise.
9. Past papers: Make sure you get hold of some past papers, they're a really good way of knowing what to expect in the exam.
10. Relax: If you panic you're lost! The exams are going to happen so you might as well give yourself the best chance of doing well by starting to revise early and keeping calm.
Good luck!

Source: BBC Bite size

Published on Thursday 7th October 2010 at 09:00