Helping Young People Navigate the Exam Jungle — Without Losing Your Mind

It’s that time of year again. The air is thick with revision timetables, forgotten flashcards, and the low hum of collective stress. Yes — the 2025 exam season has officially arrived.

Whether you’re a parent trying to decode the difference between a ‘practice paper’ and a ‘mock exam’, or a teacher juggling coursework deadlines with frantic revision sessions, this blog is for you. Here are some tried-and-tested hints, tips, and a sprinkle of humour to help everyone survive — and maybe even thrive — during this intense time.

1. Keep Expectations in Perspective

Parents: Your child’s future doesn’t rest solely on these exams. Yes, they’re important — but they’re not the only measure of intelligence, resilience, or success.

Teachers: You’ve been planting seeds of knowledge all year. Trust the process. Students won’t remember everything — but they will remember how you made them feel.

Top tip: Praise effort over outcome. “I’m proud of how hard you’re working” is far more motivating than “You need to get a 7 in maths.”

2. Structure Over Stress

Routine can be a student’s best friend. Help them build a revision timetable that’s realistic and flexible.

·        Include breaks, meals, and even rest days.

·        Encourage 25-30 minute blocks of focused study followed by 5-10 minute breaks (Pomodoro method).

·        Stick the timetable somewhere visible… preferably not under a pile of laundry or plates.

Funny moment: One teacher shared that a student once scheduled "emergency panic

session" into their revision timetable at 3:15pm every day. Surprisingly, it worked — it gave them a sense of control!

3. Don't Just Cram- Learn Smart

Encourage active revision:

·        Parents: Quiz your child casually at dinner, over breakfast or even in the car on the way to the supermarket!

·        Teachers: Incorporate quick-fire games like “exam question bingo” or “past paper speed rounds.”

Mnemonics, songs, silly rhymes — these work better than staring at a page for hours. If your teen’s chanting, “OIL RIG” or singing a chemistry rap, celebrate it. (Even if your ears don’t.)

4. Fuel the Brain

A diet of crisps and cola might seem appealing to a stressed student, but their brains need better:

·        Good snacks: bananas, nuts, wholegrain toast, eggs, yoghurt. Think “brain food”.

·        Hydration: Keep water bottles nearby. Tea is fine. Five energy drinks a day? Not so much.

   Pro tip for teachers: A bowl of mints or fruit at revision sessions works wonders. It’s part kindness, part bribery. Both are valid.

5. Prioritise Sleep- Seriously

Late-night revision marathons aren’t heroic. They’re counterproductive. The brain consolidates

learning during sleep.

·        Teenagers need around 8–10 hours a night.

·        Encourage screen-free time at least 30 minutes before bed. Remove the blue light noise.

·        Avoid all-nighters — unless you want revision zombies wandering around muttering about quadratic equations.

6. Create Calm Environments

Whether at home or school, the revision zone should be:

·        Quiet but not isolating.

·        Free from distractions (sorry, TikTok).

·        Equipped with pens, paper, highlighters, and the sacred item: a working charger.

   Teacher trick: One head of year swears by ‘revision stations’ around the school — different subjects, beanbags, and calm music. It’s a bit like a spa day, but with exam questions.

7. Be the Calm in Their Storm

Emotions will run high. There might be tears. Doors may slam. Some may suddenly decide now is the perfect time to alphabetise their sock drawer.

Stay calm. Be encouraging. Remind them:

·        It’s okay to take breaks.

·        Not knowing something today doesn’t mean they won’t know it tomorrow.

·        You believe in them.

Emergency kit idea: For both homes and classrooms, a small ‘exam survival kit’ — highlighters, stress ball, chocolate bar, a motivational note — can offer a moment of levity and care.

8. Listen More Than You Lecture

Sometimes, students don’t want solutions — they just want to vent. Allow space for that.

·        “That does sound stressful. Want to talk it out?”

·        “Want a snack and a hug instead?”

Sometimes, being heard is more powerful than being told what to do.

9. Celebrate the Little Wins

Every completed past paper, every flashcard reviewed — it all counts. Plan mini celebrations along the way:

✔ Finished a tough subject? Have a treat.

✔ Sat a big exam? Favourite dinner.

✔ Survived the week? Movie night.

  And don’t forget: the biggest win of all is making it through the season with relationships, humour, and dignity (mostly) intact.

Final Thought

Exams are tough — but with the right support, young people can come out the other side feeling proud of their efforts, no matter the grade. So here’s to you — the parents, teachers, and carers

— for being the behind-the-scenes heroes.

Now go fill up that snack drawer, print that timetable, and maybe hide the Wi-Fi router. You've got this.

 

Tanya Wiles

Deputy Principal – Oasis Academy Immingham