Pastoral Focus

Why studying is like exercise

Over the past two weeks, our Year 11 and 12 students have been undertaking their Semester One Examinations and our Year 10 Examination timetable is looming ever closer with a commencement date of Tuesday 4 June.

For many students, exams seem a necessary evil, a time consuming yet inevitable event in a student’s life at school. As Head of Pastoral over many years I have often heard students vent about the thought of examinations and the anxiety it causes. Whilst there is ongoing debate about the value of examinations and their testing techniques, there is evidence that both studying for and sitting exams helps to deepen one’s learning and ultimate knowledge.

Studying is like exercising. When we exercise, our muscles grow stronger. Likewise, the power of searching through one’s memory and retrieving relevant information from lessons learnt in class and using this information in the context of an exam helps to strengthen the memory pathway and ultimately helps to make us better learners. Just as exercise helps our bodies become fitter and stronger, studying helps our brains develop and grow – strengthening us as a whole. Exams also provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate exactly what they know as well as to show where there are perhaps gaps in their learning or understanding. 

Exams however only measure how well one performs in specific questions at a particular point in time. They are a measurement of what you achieved at that time and not of who you are. 

As Head of Pastoral – Student Wellbeing, whilst I am most definitely not saying that examinations and school grades are not important, what I am saying is that it is important to put these into perspective and to understand that they do not define a student’s worth. They do not represent what we at St George’s know and love about each of the students here within the St George’s School Family. Every student has a unique set of traits, each have their strengths, their weaknesses, and their quirks – just as we all do as adults. It is these characteristics that make us who we are and therefore worthy of the love and validation of our family and friends, our teachers, and our peers, regardless of our examination marks or semester grades. 

With this in mind, I encourage all students to strive to do their very best whilst at school, both in examinations and in class assessments, since strong results at school often open up many more doors and pathways post school. However, especially in today’s modern world there are many different and varied roads to success beyond school. 

Whilst it is important to allocate sufficient study time and to do our best in tests, assignments and examinations, it is also important to make time for rest and relaxation, to spend time with family and friends, to listen to the birds sing and to appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds us. If your grades or examination marks are not what you want them to be – decide what can change and talk to your teachers and Mr Bochrinis – Head of Curriculum to reach out for additional support and guidance before the beginning of Semester Two. St George’s teachers are always more than happy to work with you and want to see you succeed to your potential.

I hope your grades are what you wish them to be, but if they are not, remember that there is always a Plan B and Mr Bochrinis, Mrs Tagore, your Head of Year and myself are all here to help you find it.

Mr Ian Thompson

Head of Pastoral - Student Wellbeing