Top 5 survival tips for GCSE parents (and students).

Exhausted GCSE student, lying on a sofa, taking some time off revising.

GCSE’s are now upon us and Year 11 parents are in brace position across the country. On top of the usual loving parenting, this period requires 6 utterly intense weeks of unconditional support, understanding, biting tongues, consolation, re-motivation, hankies, unlimited snacks and sometimes urgent, last minute transport to reach an exam room in time. For students, the pressure of feeling they must hit their predictions at all costs, to achieve that college place, can feel overwhelming.

Our main job as parents during this time is to reassure our students that actually, life isn’t over if they don’t hit Plan A or B. We’ve been through the educational process and come out the other side. We know there is always another way ‘in’ to any career, if GCSE’s do go a little awry. It just takes a little longer. Which is actually fine. Why? As life is not a competition.

And if a significant GCSE hiccup does occur, we know this can become the catalyst for valuable self reflection. Usually around how that student prefers to learn and be measured. No one asks you this at school. Why? As there is zero academic wiggle room to accommodate. So, identifying your learning preferences at age 16 is actually a major life win. And it will lead on to identifying better, more successful ways of Post 16 learning. Perhaps vocation focused studies, with coursework and a placement…leading later on to a job or Uni.

And if the ‘worst’ happens (whatever ‘worst’ looks like for your student) - please do reach out to an impartial and qualified Careers Guidance Practitioner. We can help with re-boosting confidence, motivation and by providing much needed reassurance. We’ll help them consider and discuss new, exciting options, if needed, before and after Results Day. What else could help students, parents and families navigate the intense pressure of GCSE’s?

Here’s 5 Top Tips:

1. Encourage Stress Relief techniques- not just for them, for you too. (The whole family is impacted during GCSE’s).

Year 11 is the only time in their educational career, that students will experience so many exams, in so many subjects, over such a short period of time. And this is on the back of having sat November and January mocks. So potentially 40+ exams in Year 11. What can help everyone get through this?

• Deep breathing: close eyes and inhale slowly for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. This can calm the mind and reduce immediate feelings of overwhelm. Apply in the car, before dinner- just remind everyone to do it, every so often. If it is not too embarrassing, try as a family exercise…

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense different muscles for a few seconds, then slowly release. Start with hands, feet, legs, arms. This can help reduce physical tension and might just make you all smile for a moment.

2. Emotional Support- marathon, not sprint.

During exam season student nerves will be fraying exponentially and repeatedly. Yet they may not talk about it or show it. So how much subliminal tension might they be feeling? Well, think back to when you did GCSE’s or O Levels. Remember the dull fear lurking in the base of your stomach? Yes, you could sometimes just about forget it, like when watching a movie. But then immediately after, the feeling is back.

And remember the joys of revision? Each night and all weekend? Needing to memorise two years’ worth of knowledge, for 5-10 subjects and somehow keep it all in your brain until exam day? Then immediately mentally delete from memory to give you bandwidth - to absorb even more for next exams? Just stop for a minute and consciously remember the mountain this was. And still is.

However checking in on how revision is going is fraught with danger! A gentle ‘how is it all going?’ can be seen as either offensive (‘I AM revising’) or just mentioning it is ‘nagging’. And revision can be going ok one day, with multicoloured, time-lined revision chart and satisfying ticks against ‘completed’ revision. But then something happens such as a self test or quiz that confirms all those days and hours of revision just haven’t been going in. Cue panic. Big time.

What to do if this happens? Well, having managed to forget everything I’d laboured to learn (for months) for Physics O level, three days before the exam I have previous on this. And I did a proper job of it, with a full on U. Not such ideal news for my Research Physicist parent.

Yet you know what? The parents simply said ‘we know you put in the work - we saw it’. I knew, they knew, I had put heart and soul into it. And they literally walked this talk on the dreaded Exam Results Day. It meant everything to me age 16 that this minor failure didn’t matter.

So if it all hits the fan and panic sets in, letting our kids know we are all fallible can help. Not wanting to disappoint parents is often the element they dread the most. So being upfront about times you have loused up fairly majorly and how you have got around this, can be reassuring and calming. Especially around school subjects if you have any anecdotes. And of course, walking the talk on Results Day, just when they need us most.

3. Perspective Is Key: Exams Are Just One Part of Life

If you can, squeeze it in somewhere, every so often, that personal qualities—determination, resilience, creativity- are just as important as academic success. You’ll know from your own workplace that employers value motivation, soft skills, and a willingness to learn just as much, if not more, than exam results, for many fields. Help them understand that while GCSE’s do matter, they don’t determine future happiness or success.

4. Promote a Balanced Approach

Help them see the long game- 6 weeks long- and appreciate that few ever do well in an exam following being sleep deprived, exercise deprived and eating all the bad stuff..

• Breaks: Ensure they take regular breaks during study sessions (e.g., the Pomodoro technique—25 minutes of study followed by a 5-minute break).

• Sleep: Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Agree bedtimes together if possible - for weekdays & weekends.

• Exercise and nutrition: if possible have lots of healthy snacks on hand - fruit, yoghurts, nuts, cheese, bread- (if no allergies). Encourage them to not sit for hours revising - get up, pace the room, put post its up along to loud music, gain a quick burst of energy doing something mad (balloon tennis in the sitting room worked for me, but it was the 80’s). Just avoid sitting at a desk for hours on end.

  When to seek help: If you are worried about your student during exam season, speak to school. They have decades of experience helping students cope with the pressure. Even at this stage in the year, they can offer reassurance and confidence boosting, offer revision clinics, or they may discuss (where appropriate) measures on the day to reduce stress - being seated first or last, sitting in another room etc. As always, GP and mental health team are another important source of support.

5. Focus on Skills Over Results

If you can, try to shift their focus from needing perfect results, to the growth they’ve made along the way. Let them know that the effort they put into their studies—whether it’s learning from mistakes, figuring out difficult concepts, or mastering a new skill—is what matters most. This mindset will enable them to approach future challenges with confidence and a growth-oriented mindset.

And finally ….remind them if they let you, that the ultimate goal of school is not just passing exams, but becoming resilient, well-rounded individuals, able to thrive in life beyond the classroom.