Middle Years 

A Steady and Calm Approach to Examinations

At College, all Year 7-11 students complete mid-year and end of year examinations to learn and refine their exam techniques and revision strategies. Think of exams like a sports training in preparation for a big event (or in this case, Year 12 end of year exams). 

For Year 7s these exams are all about learning how to revise and complete exams successfully. It’s about gaining exam experience.

For Year 8s, these exams are about exploring, experimenting, and refining their revision and exam strategies. Year 8’s should reflect upon what worked last year and work to improve their results in each subject.

Hopefully the Year 9s know what revision strategies are useful for them, so these exams are about fine tuning these strategies and making them both effective and efficient. Again, Year 9s should aim to build upon their results last year. 

What can parents do to support students in their revision?       

• Set a time for study to be done at home. This may need to fit in with other commitments (sport/music etc), but a regular time for study and revision is needed.
• Ask what revision strategies they are using for each subject. But keep in mind that effective revision needs to be an active process – writing notes, answering questions (either verbally or on paper or online). Unfortunately, just reading notes is not enough. 
• Discuss your son/daughter’s goals for this exam period. What grade/result are they aiming for in each subject?  Learning is about improving on previous performances.
• Remind your son/daughter to work steadily and keep calm in their approach to the exams.
• Finally, as a parent, keep calm yourself. The Middle Years Students have got this!

A steady and calm approach to exams (and the remainder of the term) has been our key message over the last two weeks. The work students do now will add up.

Ben Hawthorne

Head of Middle Years