Top Tips for Parents

• Make sure your child eats and sleeps well, eight hours a night and a healthy diet can really make your child think more clearly.
   
• At the end of each day encourage your child to talk it through. If they've made any mistakes, it doesn't help dwelling on them and there may be ways of ensuring the same mistakes aren't repeated
   
• Don't just buy any old books, ask at school what would be most appropriate
   
• The best way to show that you know something is to explain it to someone else. Get your child to teach you what they know!
   
• Say to your child that tests and exams are an opportunity to 'show them what you know.'
   
• Make sure it is understood that you simply want them to do their best and that you expect no more.
   
• Take up any opportunity you can to attend parent's evenings.  If you can't make it feel free to arrange to see your child's teacher at any time - we are more than happy to talk about any issues throughout the year.
   
• Understand that your child sometimes just needs peace and quiet, and try and provide it.
   
• Make sure you do everything you can to make sure your child does the work they need to do but not the stress.
   
• Make sure your child takes breaks when working – but that the breaks don't take over!
   
• Make sure they drink plenty of water
   
• Make sure that your child isn't just reading and re-reading the same information, but is using a variety of ways to try to understand it such as reading it aloud, having it read to them, drawing the information, making a mind map etc.
   
• Exercise, even if it's just a stroll outside, is very important to energise their brains, make sure they do some on a regular basis.
   
• Make sure your child has a good studying environment (e.g. no TV and make sure it's not too hot or they'll get sleepy!)
   
• Splash out on things to make learning active and fun like highlighter pens, Post it notes, coloured index cards, blank tapes and sketchbooks.
   
• One of the most important things you can give your child is time. Time to run through some notes with them, test them or sit on a computer with them… if they're comfortable with it.
   
• Give them constant encouragement and reassurance that all the efforts and sacrifices now will result in long term gains
   
• There are lots of useful programmes on BBC (Revisewise and Bitesize). Make sure you record them if you can.
   
• Build in little rewards and treats to motivate children to work at home.
   
• Don't be overanxious yourself about test scores, it only adds to the pressure. Instead encourage them every step of the way for everything they have done well. If they feel good about themselves they will perform better. If they fear failure they will perform worse.
   
• More hugging and less tugging, too much pressure can be harmful.
   
• Try not to mention about neatness and spelling mistakes. It can create anxiety, and stop children focussing on other important information.
   
• It doesn’t help telling your own horror stories about your own school nightmares!
   
• Think carefully about the message your child leaves the house with. Make the last thing you say to them encouraging and positive.
   
• Another common cause of anxiety is talking about how well an older brother or sister did at school - this is not always a good idea.  Try not to compare different children - everyone is an individual with different strengths!

This page has been adapted from material on the Kirk Lees website

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