Exam focused preparation Year 11 Intervention Evening

How will school support your child to be exam ready ? Preparation in lessons Subject specialist staff Support for success sessions Easter revision preparation sessions Timetable change from May 10th Breakfast revision sessions

How can you help your child to be exam ready ? 1. Make sure they know the dates of all their exams 2. Make sure they know the start time of the exam 3. Make sure they have the right basic equipment for every exam – black pens, pencil, coloured crayons for certain subjects 4. Make sure they have a calculator, ruler, protractor for Maths exams, calculator and ruler for Science/Geography  5. Exam regulations – clear pencil case or simply a polythene bag with the basic equipment in it. Water bottles with labels removed.

What will we expect from students? To be in the correct uniform throughout To be on time for school, for all lessons To stay focused and behave appropriately Failure to attend the lessons/revision lessons or any disruption to lessons which prevents others from learning will result in us expecting your child to work/revise from home and attend only for exams 5.To arrive at the correct exam room 10 minutes before the exam 6.To ensure they arrive with the correct equipment, fully prepared for the exam.

Year 11 Intervention Evening Wellbeing Guidance Year 11 Intervention Evening

Anxiety It is ‘normal’ to experience anxiety! Exams are a stressful time for any young person (and parent!) Mood swings and outbursts are more likely to occur during this period Look out for other signs that your child may be struggling, including poor sleep patterns or a change in appetite or behaviour Discuss with your child how they are feeling about their exams and suggest strategies to deal with these anxieties

Sleep and Diet It is recommended that you have a minimum of 8 hours sleep per night Some students find it hard to switch off at night – try to create a routine to encourage good sleeping patterns Avoid stimulants such as coffee/energy drinks late at night, but also before an exam Make sure you have had breakfast on the day of your exam as being hungry in the exam can lead to poor concentration

Revision/Life Balance Revision is obviously a key aspect of the examination process and is often a word that brings fear/dread to a young person It is crucial that your child is not revising non stop – the time off is as important as the time spent studying Make sure that your child has a clear revision timetable and free time can also be included on the plan Exercise releases endorphins which will make your child feel good

Mobile Phone/Screen Time Research shows that a high use of social media is linked to poor mental health Research shows that social media and screen time in general, is linked to lower quality of sleep Encourage screen-free time before bed so that they are able to switch off and not be distracted Could you turn the Wifi off at 9pm so that the internet cannot be accessed by your child?

How Can I Help My Child? Work with your child to find what revision style works for them Encourage your child to take revision breaks and find a balance between studying and doing things they find enjoyable and relaxing Make sure they are eating and drinking at regular intervals Encourage them to take some time after revising to wind down Reassure them – reinforce that you are and will be proud of them no matter what happens Remain positive and hopeful!

You can only try your best! How Can I Help My Child? Plan a treat or an activity together to mark the end of the exams Set aside one to one time so that they can talk to you about any worries that they have Let them know their feelings are valid and normal, but also offer support and solutions where possible Anxiety is often worst at night and this means it is useful to encourage good bedtime routine Work with them to develop relaxation techniques If anxiety and stress start impacting their day-to-day life seek help from your GP You can only try your best!

Getting Revision Right

Revision myths Reading – your brain cannot remember the necessary information just from reading, you must be doing something! All about making materials – this is part of a much bigger process which makes up revision Cramming – the brain much prefers spacing of information Solitary experience – testing and explaining with your peers and families improves recall and your ability to organise information

Organisation Students should have created a timetable to follow Make sure both you and your child have a copy and use it as a supportive tool  There are 40 days before the first exam – the opportunity is there to put lots of time into every subject with an effective timetable A well-lit space free from distractions – including music!

Revising Make sure you are clear how long you are going to revise for in one sitting – no more than 2 hours. Have breaks semi-regularly then test and review what you are revising to embed the information. Use your checklists to structure the order of topics within a subject. Your materials should adapt and change with you during the process.

Apps These are great for recording your revision, increasing your self- awareness and provide you with guidance on the amount of content you have covered. However they must be used as part of revision. The danger of spending too long on apps is that you can become passive towards the information

Past Papers The more questions you attempt and receive guidance upon the more likely you are to succeed this summer. The information you are learning will be tested in an exam – it is vital you can answer the questions! Application is a core skill in every subject and this is the best way to test this skill. Make sure you have questions ready when you are revising a particular topic.

Variety Visual Maps Posters Charts Spider diagrams Images Summarising Mind maps Apps Auditory Record yourself and listen back Revise aloud Explain to another Test and be tested Talk it through with a friend Kinesthetic Walking Talking Revising Drawing Modelling Role-play Narrative Annotated diagrams Flash cards Combine ideas from all three areas – your brain enjoys variety and prefers to learn in different ways.

Revision Marketplace In the dining hall we have a number of staff sharing and discussing revision techniques Before you leave this evening please speak to them for advice on particular strategies