Message From The Principal, 1 Mar 2018

Dear Parents

I trust that you all enjoyed the Lunar New Year period as much as I did.

This week at the Year 10 ISPTA coffee morning, I was asked to share some advice on how parents can best support their children through the mock exams and I thought I’d share some ideas with you in this regards.

The ability to perform under pressure is a valuable personal attribute and the secret to success is in careful planning and organisation. Much of the pressure that students experience is generated by either leaving too little time to prepare for a looming deadline or not using sufficient time effectively.

This pressure often generates significant stress for students and it ripples out into their families creating anxiety, tension and conflict. The best advice I can offer families who are dealing with this scenario is to work together with their young person to develop a plan for this period.

Below are some ideas for considering when preparing this plan:

• Start by checking the school website to become familiar with exam and assignment schedules
• Make decisions about how much time is required to successfully meet these expectations and develop a weekly schedule to manage time
• Make sure the schedule includes exercise, family time and leisure activities
• Work together to maintain excellent attendance. Staying home from school to complete an assignment just puts a student behind in other areas which then needs to be made up
• Reduce work and social commitments as required over this period
• Ensuring the schedule includes sufficient time for sleep. Research shows that sleep plays a pivotal role in learning and performance.
• Maintaining a good diet

This topic is regularly covered by tutors and subject teachers and it should be remembered that any parents or students wishing for more advice or support on this very important matter are encouraged to contact their Senior Head of House.