As we enter exam season, students and families alike are navigating the challenges of revision, stress management and performance pressure.

Three of our experienced tutors share their top tips for managing revision and keeping nerves at bay across GCSEs, A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and the SAT/ACT. All three tutors are graduates from leading universities including Imperial College, Cambridge, LSE and Stanford – they understand the pressures of exam season and what it takes to succeed. We’ve also included essential guidance from a leading educational psychologist for students and parents alike.

Preparing for GCSEs and A-levels

With extensive course material to cover, structuring GCSE and A-level revision carefully allows you to focus your energy on what matters most. As STEM tutor Sophie explains, “Look at what you have to do and rate your progress honestly. Then you’ll have a framework – a to-do list – of what’s most important and what you need to prioritise.”

One way to approach this is by printing out the specification for each subject and colour-coding it, line by line, based on how confident you feel. “For example, using a traffic light system of red, yellow and green, where red highlights weaker topics, and green is for those that feel more secure,” explains Sophie. “Then make a timetable that leads with all the reds – tackle those first, and then move on to yellows and greens. Not only does this give you a simple way to structure your revision, it helps you to focus on the gaps while you’re fresh, and finish on stronger topics for a confidence boost close to exam time.”

As for managing stress, Sophie suggests taking advantage of the summer weather with an early morning walk. “A 30-minute walk resets the mind. This is really important when you’re facing another revision day, which can start to feel really samey.” You should take breaks and treat yourself too. “Reward yourself with time to watch your favourite film or to meet friends. It can feel like we shouldn’t do these things, but that’s absolutely not the case. Your life shouldn’t just be about revision – try to make your studies fun and reward yourself for all your hard work.”

Tackling the International Baccalaureate

Organisation is also critical for those sitting the International Baccalaureate. “IB students have a large number of topics to cover, so you need to divide your time carefully,” explains Ayman, an IB specialist. Like Sophie’s traffic light system, Ayman also advocates careful prioritisation. “Focus on weaker subjects, but don’t neglect your other subjects or Standard Levels. Stick to a clear revision timetable with daily objectives that feed into longer-term goals in the run-up to exams.”

Revision itself should cover practice papers and questions, as well as note-taking. “For essay-based subjects like economics and history, make sure you’re comfortable structuring arguments that demonstrate knowledge, application, analysis and evaluation. The IB rewards well-structured responses with clear thesis statements and evaluative conclusions. Check mark schemes to learn the specific definitions and command terms – understanding what ‘discuss’, ‘evaluate’ or ‘to what extent’ require is essential for maximising marks,” says Ayman.

For STEM subjects, Ayman suggests completing timed practice papers before checking the mark scheme: “That way you can accurately gauge your progress and identify areas that need more attention.”

Most importantly, IB students should remember that their final exams are weighted less heavily than most other examination systems. “You’ve already completed your IAs in each subject, an Extended Essay and your Theory of Knowledge project. This is the final element, so stay focused. Make the most of online and school resources and make sure you understand how the mark schemes work for each subject. This will help you maximise the marks you collect regardless of how strong your content knowledge is.”

Top tips for the SAT/ACT

Students can sit the SAT/ACT several times, with most sitting these two or three times until they attain their desirable score – typically in the autumn of Year 12, and again in spring (May/June) or autumn of Year 13 if needed. For SAT/ACT tutor Noah, regular daily practice is the best way to improve over time. “You need to give it a few months to see real improvement, so stick with it.”

Working little and often is a proven strategy for recall, but it also helps manage workload and stress. “The best thing you can be doing as the test approaches is to be getting enough sleep. Know that you’ve done the work so now’s the time to rest up,” says Noah. “And don’t forget to take snacks and water to the test!”

Noah also reminds students that the SAT/ACT can be retaken, which should take some pressure off. “If your first attempt doesn’t go as planned, you have another opportunity. Treat your first sitting as valuable experience and use it to refine your approach for the next one.”

Managing exam stress

These are all ideas echoed by Alice Voute, an independent educational psychologist who is well-versed in the pressures of exam time. “Eating healthily, good sleep and fresh air are essential for helping us cope with stressful events and maintaining optimal cognitive function. So parents have a role to play in supporting productive revision and exam performance by encouraging children to eat healthily, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep during the exam period,” she says.

“For students, preparing a study schedule that breaks the workload down into manageable chunks with clear blocks of time and goals helps to provide a calm and structured way to carry out revision.”

Like our tutors, Alice suggests keeping time aside for hobbies, exercising and seeing friends: “Balancing study and relaxation is essential for maintaining mental wellbeing and enhancing focus during study sessions.” Her final thought: “Create a study space that’s clear of clutter, distractions and phones, and has all the study materials you need, to help the mind focus on the task at hand.”

By combining structured revision with healthy habits and regular breaks, students can approach exam season with confidence, resilience and wellbeing.