Our top tips for students taking exams in 2021

1. Happy mind, happy student!

Our recent research from 1,000 students showed 59% felt happy working from home. Whilst it’s great to have schools reopened, do take time to reflect on what worked for you during lockdown, too. Dr Cosmo Duff Gordon, one of our partner psychologists and a behavioural health treatment specialist, gives his top tips for teenagers on how best to take care of their mental wellbeing – have a read here and remember that prioritising your mental health will have a positive impact on your education performance.

Read Dr Duff Gordon’s top mental health tips

2. Plan your holidays and take a break!

Making time to relax is just as important as putting the work in. If you work too hard too early, you run the risk of not being at your peak in the exam season. Plan your holidays wisely to ensure you have time for both work and rest. We’ve put together this useful holiday planner for planning both down-time and revision time over the Christmas holidays, as well as a revision plan and day planner.

Download your free Christmas revision planner

3. Action plan each of your subjects

In which subjects are you working above or below the grade you’d like to get this summer? Speak to your tutors/parents/teachers to put in place a sustainable action plan for each subject. They understand your situation better than most!

4. Prioritise your Mock exams

If exams are cancelled these will form an important aspect of your grade which the school submits at the end of the year. Your mocks are a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate your ability and safeguard your final grade.

5. Build your team!

You don’t need to know the answer to everything. Who can you look to for support and advice this year? On your team might be parents, peers, teachers, tutors, siblings, cousins. Keep in touch with them about how you’re doing with your work and revision – sharing both the high moments, and the more difficult ones with them.