This guest blog has been kindly provided by Lucy, Hannah and Emily from Loughborough High School. The girls are part of Team Endeavour who were named Young Enterprise Leicestershire Company of the Year following the publication of their ‘Frank Says… Don’t Freak Out’ exam guide for students and parents. Below Lucy and the team share their top tips for students (and parents and teachers helping them along the way!):

The exam season can be an incredibly stressful time of year, with hours and hours spent revising to ensure you achieve the top marks that you want. However, just because there’s lots of work to do, you shouldn’t neglect your health or your happiness for the sake of an exam. Finding the right balance between the academic and non-academic aspects of the exam period will ensure that you stay focused, keep motivated and won’t become stressed to the point where you can’t look at another textbook.

Here’s our top tips for staying cool, calm and collected during the exam period, whilst also achieving the grades you want:

Whilst this seems an obvious tip, planning when you are going to revise can be a tedious job, that often seems pointless when you know you won’t stick to your 24/7 revision timetable with only 2 snack breaks each day. Plan a revision timetable that suits you, stick to just plotting one or two subjects or topics per day rather than specific allocated slots for 7 different subjects, and allow yourself at least 4 weeks’ revision time before a big exam.

As much as revision is important, having a break every once in a while is just as important as it prevents you from overloading your brain with information, and can often boost your mood when you’re feeling a lack of motivation. Shopping, baking, exercising and watching your favourite film are just a few of many ways you can give yourself a break.

Revising by yourself can ensure you stay focused and on track, but after a while can lead to a lack of motivation and boredom. Try revising in groups with your friends, either testing each other, using games to help you revise, or just doing your own thing with some company to stay happy and motivated.

Staying up until 3am may allow for some extra revision but there’s no way your revision or exam performance will benefit in the morning. If you’re struggling to sleep then do what they say and count some sheep – it actually works! –but don’t overtire yourself as the revision will be pointless if you’re too tired to remember it in the exam.

If food works as a motivator for you then do treat yourself every so often but don’t overindulge on chocolate or sweets, as after the sugar high comes the low which will cause you to lose motivation. Eating lighter meals also helps as if your stomach is too full, your brain will be focusing on digestive processes, making you feel drowsy rather than energised and motivated.

For more exam top tips on exam techniques, preparation and even how to celebrate after the exam, have a look at Lucy Hannah and Emily's student and parent guide for coping with the exam period, ‘Frank Says… Don’t Freak Out’. At just £3 each, their guides include advice from their mascot Frank, for all ages from GCSEs to Year 7 maths tests, all the way to University exams, with tips for parents too on how to help and support your child during exams as well. Check out their Facebook page for more information or get in touch at [email protected] to order your guide now!