With the summer exam season just around the corner, this month’s Focus of the Month is all about Exam Preparation.
For many learners this is a high pressure time. For educators it is about balancing curriculum coverage with targeted revision, supporting confidence while maintaining momentum, and making sure every pupil has the best possible chance to succeed.
Where to start: preparing learners, not just content
One of the most useful starting points is our STEM Community Live session on preparing learners for exams. While this is a throwback session, the strategies are as relevant now as ever.
Watch here:
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/tim-bradbury1/2022/04/14/episode-3-preparing-learners-for-exams
A key takeaway from the session is that exam preparation is not just about knowledge. It is about preparing learners for the experience of exams.
Mock exams, for example, are far more than a data point. They are a chance for pupils to experience exam conditions, understand routines and build familiarity. As discussed in the session, they act as a “dry run”, helping reduce anxiety and making the real thing feel more manageable.
This is particularly important for learners who may find change or unfamiliar environments challenging.
Revision that makes a difference
At this stage in the year, it is easy for revision to default to rereading notes or highlighting pages of text. We know, however, that these approaches often create a false sense of confidence.
Instead, the most effective strategies focus on:
- Retrieval practice and self quizzing
- Practising exam questions, including unfamiliar contexts
- Explicitly teaching how to approach different question types
- Building structured revision routines
Supporting pupils to understand how to revise is just as important as what to revise. Many learners need guidance to move towards strategies that will have the greatest impact.
Teaching the hidden skills of exams
One of the strongest messages from our previous content is that many exam skills need to be taught explicitly.
This includes:
- Understanding command words such as describe, explain and evaluate
- Structuring extended responses clearly and concisely
- Managing time effectively across a paper
- Knowing how and when to check answers
These are not skills that appear automatically in Year 11 or Year 13. They are built over time through modelling, practice and feedback.
Simple approaches such as walking through exam questions together, modelling how to plan an answer or rehearsing how to check work can make a real difference to outcomes.
Supporting wellbeing alongside attainment
Exam preparation is not just academic. It is also emotional.
In Working with parents to combat exam stress and anxiety, we explored how schools and families can work together to support learners through this period:
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/tim-bradbury1/2024/04/30/working-with-parents-to-combat-exam-stress-and-anx
You may also find practical ideas in:
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/linda-crouch/2025/03/03/how-to-support-science-students-with-exam-preparat
Across both, there is a clear message. Structure, routine and reassurance matter.
Strategies such as:
- Clear revision plans
- Checklists for exam day
- Opportunities to talk about worries
- Short mindfulness or calm start routines
can help reduce anxiety and allow learners to focus on what they know.
Even small adjustments, such as building in a short moment of calm before an assessment, can help pupils feel more in control.
Join the conversation
What strategies are working well for your learners right now?
What have you found makes the biggest difference in the final weeks before exams?
How are you supporting both attainment and wellbeing?
Join the discussion and share your ideas with colleagues across the Community: https://community.stem.org.uk/discussion/focus-of-the-month-exam-preparation-how-do-you-prepare-learners