As we head into the holidays with derived grade exams not too far away, followed by our external assessments there will be many students and families experiencing a range of feelings

I spoke with our Year 13 year level recently about the exam period and all teachers have stressed the importance of students doing the best that they can.  This week in assembly Mrs Beaumont spoke about the importance of organisation and the information she has shared with students and Mr Wright as part of his address talked about  benefits to mental health and wellbeing that can be gained by students making some time for exercise, getting out into nature and managing their time well.

Many years ago I developed and ran 'study skills' sessions with students. These were aimed to help students at the time with creating a study environment, and ways that could help them to memorise information and recall it when needed. 20 years later students, teachers and families have access to a huge range of resources that help support success and online resources are significant.  Lots of these techniques teachers now use in their classrooms and looking after student's wellbeing and mental health has increasingly become an important part of teaching and learning success. I have observed in students the rise in anxiety, feelings of overwhelm and stress that can occur as a part of changes in our society.  Our students have told us in our school wellbeing survey that exams and assessments can, at times, be sources of stress. Short term stress can be a good thing as it can help us to get motivated and sharpen our focus, and also over time can help build our resilience as we learn to cope with challenges. 

There are some things that students and families can do to help students gear up for success.

A little planning goes a long way and students who are aiming high will already have been setting themselves up. Planning helps to keep our stress down and can help boost a feeling of confidence that we are prepared and can cope. Some people like to use timetables, breaking down the chunks and times when they will study and have breaks, this can be useful when thinking about managing energy during the day. All students are different and it can be helpful to think about what times of the day we feel the most productive?

Switching between subjects and the areas that students need to revise can be helpful. Trying not to spend too long on one topic, testing themselves, questioning themselves, what can I remember, what do I need to go over again? What do I need to ask a teacher about at school?

Using resources , teachers have been working hard in class and mentor times to help support students. In my guidance role I have been helping support students with strategies that can help. Please check in with us if there is anything that you think may be helpful. 

Feeling pressure during the exam period is very normal and can be a good thing, telling us that this is an important time to take action. Many students will face pressure sitting, for example, a driving test, or assessments such as interviews for jobs, building some experience can help us to be more resilient. 

Checking gear, thinking about instructions, what is required and always having a spare pen can help! Arriving early so that we won't feel that we have been rushing around can be useful. 

Supporting our mental health, taking some slow and deep breaths into our bellies can help us to stay calm. Prioritizing sleep, taking breaks, drinking water, eating nourishing foods, staying active to balance emotional and physical self care. 

Take some time to enjoy breaks over the holiday period and all the very best for the exam period. 

Cath Bloxham   Guidance Counsellor

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