Get ready for exam season

Yes, it is only spring but SATS and other exams will be here in no time. Of course, you should use your school holidays to relax and have fun, but you can also use some of the free time to make sure the kids are prepared, so they can relax and not worry too much when the exams roll around. Whatever their ability, these tips will help make the whole thing much smoother and less stressful.

Set aside time to study

Life can get in the way and it can be hard to find suitable times to sit down and have a conversation with your kids about revision and studying. Make sure to set some time aside and schedule in study time to help them get into a routine.

Use flash cards

There are loads of great resources to help with revision and the school will be more than happy to suggest ways to get your kids ready for tests. One tried and tested method is using flash cards – which allows you to get involved too. Ask the school for some practice papers or any other resources they might have. This will help the children focus on one subject when revising at home, so they can become more comfortable with those subjects.

Make sure they have everything they need

Some tests will require you to use certain colour pens or other equipment like calculators, compasses, and rulers. So, make sure they are prepared and have everything they need before exam season.

Create the right environment

We can all get distracted by noise and other people so help them get ready for exams by creating an environment they can easily study in without getting distracted. If you have other children, make sure they understand that they shouldn’t interrupt during this time and keep background noise to a minimum where possible.

Most importantly, be encouraging!

No matter how prepared they are, tests are stressful and not everyone does well in written exams. Make sure that you are positive, encouraging and calm throughout the revision and exam process and let your children know that you love them whatever their results. It’s important to be patient and understanding as stress can make children irritable and these things can also affect their confidence so give them a little leeway.