From the Head of Primary's Desk

Dear Parents/Guardians

Exams!!! Every parent’s nightmare!

It’s that time of the year when our Secondary students are preparing for and writing end of year exams. It’s natural for your child to feel some stress if they have exams coming up, but there are ways you can help them manage their feelings.

Here are some ideas to help him/her to prepare well:

Be prepared

Encourage your child to revise regularly over the term. If they have done their revision and thoroughly understand the work, they will be much more confident when the time comes for exams.

Take breaks

While they are studying, encourage your child to get up and walk around regularly to keep the blood flowing and clear their head. This will help the brain to absorb and process information. Short exercise breaks are great too.

Drink water, not caffeine

Water is very important for the brain and body. Encourage your teenager to drink water and avoid drinks with caffeine. Too much caffeine can make you feel jittery and restless.

Brain food

While they are studying, have healthy snack foods on hand that feed the brain and nourish the body, for example nuts, fruits and vegies.

Get enough sleep

Research shows that sleep deprivation can impede learning and reduce exam performance. So, it’s important to encourage them to go to bed early during exam time.

Breathe

Encourage your child to breathe deeply if they are feeling nervous. It sounds simple, but it works. Slow, deep breaths trigger a relaxation response and hinders stress-producing hormones.

Think positive

Tell your child to expect the best. Encourage your teen to see an exam as an opportunity to demonstrate how much they have learned over the semester.

Keep it in perspective

It is vitally important that our children know that their academic results don’t define who they are and that we help them to realise that they are special because they have been created in God’s image and not because they get an A on a test.

David Holloway

Head of Curriculum/ Head of Primary