With Challenge Comes Opportunity

Felsted pupils, staff, parents and members of the community taking part in the Felsted Fun Run

As we move towards the end of this term, I am sure that all of the students are ready for a break. Although this is a short term, it is a very busy one and can be really draining. Starting in the dank, dark and cold of January, the weeks race past with occasional moments of spring, but for those facing public exams in the summer, or making applications to university, apprenticeship or work, the pressure increases as the days go by.  

The coming weeks will bring challenge, but do provide an opportunity to cover a lot of ground in preparation for the summer. It is so important to plan well - an unrealistic plan will fail quickly, and that will see motivation plummet. Setting goals that are achievable will boost confidence and help with progress. Do not wait to get started, even if day one is assigned to setting out what you will do.  

Exam preparation needs to be active. There is no point just looking at notes and hoping that they will be absorbed. Cover a topic, test yourself, and review your knowledge and understanding by doing that. Also, start with your weakest areas. It is all too easy to spend time revising things that you already know, but it is much more important to focus on the things that you do not yet know!

It is also important to get your lifestyle right in order to learn best. What we study during the day is stored and filed in our brilliant brains overnight, while we sleep. Poor sleep impacts our prior learning and also saps our energy when we want to work the next day. Eating well and staying hydrated will also help with brain power, while taking regular exercise provides a break, but also boosts brain activity when we most need it.

As parents, you cannot do the work for them at this stage, but you can encourage, help to provide a good working environment, and possibly even test on what has been learnt.

Above all, I would urge everyone with exams (including those with internal exams - Lower Sixth!) to use your time wisely and to give yourself the best chance. A bit like training for a half marathon (see the article here), the training is not always fun and, at times, it can be really hard, but it makes the final run much more enjoyable and successful. Have a very good Easter break.

Chris Townsend,
Head, Felsted School