Karen Collins, Lead Science Associate for PiXL, speaks to Tassomai about the structure of the science GCSEs and how parents can best prepare themselves and their children for science assessments.

Some parents may have had a modular system of exams when they were at school, whereas others may have experience with the terminal examination style that has come back into fashion. I think this type of save-everything-until-the-end assessment can be really tough on students and it’s important for parents to be aware of this as early on as possible. When coursework used to be included in final grades, it took some of the pressure off that final year, but year 11 assessments are now more gruelling and tough on students than ever before. 

Ideally, setting up good practices for learning should start in year 9, that way you can get your child into a routine of going back over their revision rather than trying to cram three years of learning into one final term. Being prepared can significantly reduce the stress of the GCSE years, so don’t panic, there’s a lot that can be done.

Knowing the structure

Depending on their school, year 11 students could be doing between 6-9 exams for science alone. These exams each last for several hours and are some of the most draining assessments students will go through. There are so many exams that it’s no wonder students start getting assessment fatigue; physics, for example, is always left until last in exam timetables and students are often sick of anything to do with science by the time it rolls around. Even in combined science the exams are always separated into multiple exams, which just adds to the pile up. 

As a result of these big exams, it's imperative that students rethink revision, keep going back over their knowledge and take a little-and-often approach to their learning. Using tools like Tassomai is great for this as it's an accessible way to build this practice into their daily routine.

It can be really overwhelming knowing that there is so much to prepare for, so working out how much needs to be covered in each subject and when is vital for getting yourself organised. This is an area of revision prep that parents can really help with by sitting their child down and working out a methodical plan for getting everything covered.

Stress management 

It’s never been more important to make sure that students have a balanced routine. Exam stress can easily become too much too quickly, so establishing a good work-life balance and taking regular breaks is crucial to setting your child up for success. Work out a system that works for them and includes breaks for exercise and spending time with family and friends.

Downtime should be downtime - try to make sure that they are truly relaxing when they stop revising and learning for the day. If it is at all possible in your home, try to make sure your child’s study space isn’t in their bedroom so that they don’t associate sleep with the workspace and work with the sleep-space. If they need a bit of extra help with winding down, BBC Bitesize has some great resources for managing stress throughout the GCSE years and there are loads of other online resources for you to explore if you think your child needs some extra support.

Knowledge is power

I always think one of the worst breeding grounds for stress is right outside the exam hall when students are nervously talking about assessments before going in. Many students right before assessments will be showing physical signs of stress as their fight or flight response kicks in with their adrenaline - their hands might shake, their heart might be beating faster - which is why I think it is really useful to have sessions where you explain these responses to students and help them understand the biology behind it.

By understanding what is happening in your body, you are better equipped to take yourself through some logistical steps or techniques to regain control and be able to focus in the assessment. Learning breathing exercises, meditating and practicing yoga can all help to calm these nerves and there are loads of YouTube videos students can watch and learn from.

Stress will be a particular problem for the next year groups who have never done any exams due to the pandemic and have had two incredibly disrupted years, so helping to minimise stress in any way we can is key. Schools can try to soften the anxiety surrounding exams by holding revision sessions in their exam halls to get students used to being in the space in the hope that it won’t feel so overwhelming at the end of the year and they will already associate it with quiet, focused working. 

The best piece of advice I can give parents and students alike is to remember that you can only do the best you can and not to overthink. I’m so pleased that students have such amazing role models like Simone Biles to look up to these days. It is reassuring for students to know that stress gets to everyone and it is perfectly normal and natural to ask for a break when you need one. 

To read more from Karen Collins about her approach to science revision, click here.