Staff wellbeing tips for exam time
We know exam time can be hard for teachers and school staff too. Like your students, you have spent months of effort getting them ready to do as well as they can in exams. It's important to remember that you are holding a lot of responsibility and can become very emotionally invested in the young people you teach. Take some time to look after your own wellbeing and speak to a friend or colleague if you need some help.
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Trust your pupils
Have faith that you have equipped them with everything they need to manage the exams.
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Try to stay relaxed during exams
Modelling this will help your students feel calm and ready.
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Don’t make massive changes to your life
Keep things simple and organised. If you need support, make sure you seek out your friends and colleagues and share the challenges of your day.
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Stay positive
Remind yourself and your students how hard you have worked this year. Celebrate the end of the tests or exams and feel proud of all that you’ve achieved.
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Keep energy levels up
Remember that all the while you are holding your students in mind, tests and exams can be stressful for you too. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and ensure you have breaks.
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Practice your self-care
You may feel very emotionally invested in the young people you teach and if you feel anxious, use your wellbeing strategies to support these feelings.
Balance activity for exam time
Many pupils may struggle to find a healthy balance between revising and resting during exam time. This simple worksheet helps them visualise that balance by listing all their worries, what they need to get done, and what they can do to rest and relax. You could revisit this by asking the children in your class what destressing activities they find helpful each week.
Stress buster timetable for exam time
Wellbeing tips for secondary pupils during exams
Exam time can be a really stressful and challenging time for pupils and it can be especially hard for young people who are struggling with other areas of their school or home life. We asked young people to give us some wellbeing advice for exam time and put together this handy poster for you to use at school.
