Back

8 October 2025

What Every Parent Needs to Know This Exam Season

By Christine Humphries - Head of Foundation Phase at Bellavista School

As exam season approaches, the atmosphere in classrooms and homes begins to shift. Students start to feel the pressure of revision, performance and expectations. As a teacher and a mother of three, I offer some insight into how we can make this period not only manageable but an opportunity for growth. With the right strategies in place, from visible thinking tools to proper nutrition and mental wellness, we can help our children thrive during this time.

Let’s explore five key areas that can make a real difference: study strategies, planning, healthy eating, mental well-being, and, most importantly, your support as a parent or care-giver.

1. Think Deeper: Use Visible Thinking Tools

Learning is not about memorising facts. Suppose we viewed it as an understanding, application and connecting ideas. Visible Thinking routines, developed by Harvard’s Project Zero (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, 2011), help students make their thinking clear and deepen their understanding.

Some practical tools your child can use include:

• “See-Think-Wonder”: Encourages students to observe a concept, explain their thoughts and ask meaningful questions.
• “Connect-Extend-Challenge”: Helps learners link new knowledge to prior understanding, recognise what’s new and identify lingering questions.
• Mind maps and diagrams: Visual organisers allow students to structure their thinking and identify relationships between ideas.

Encourage your child to draw, talk and write their understanding. Thinking becomes more powerful when it’s made visible. Did you know that the highest form of knowing is the ability to communicate your understanding of what has been taught?

2. Plan Smart: Balance, Breaks and Boundaries

Cramming the night before an exam is ineffective and stressful. We have all done this at least once. Instead, students benefit from well-structured study plans. Research shows that spaced repetition and frequent retrieval of information over time enhance long-term learning and retention (Brown, Roediger & McDaniel, 2014).

Tips for helping your child plan:

• Use a weekly planner to allocate time for each subject.
• Include breaks every 30–40 minutes for brain breaks, movement and fresh air.
• Set clear start and end times for each session to avoid mental fatigue.

Students feel more in control when they have a routine. Assist and guide them to remain to a rhythm that includes downtime - not screen time, sleep and family connection.

3. Fuel the Brain: Healthy Food for Better Focus

The link between nutrition and academic performance is well-documented. The brain uses over 20% of the body’s energy, especially during periods of concentration and stress. A balanced diet supports memory, attention and emotional regulation (Benton, 2010).

Suggestions for exam-time nutrition:

• Breakfast is vital: A meal including protein (eggs, yogurt, nuts) and complex carbohydrates (whole grain toast, oats) helps maintain energy levels.
• Keep hydrated: Even mild dehydration can affect concentration.
• Offer healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, and veggies — and avoid sugar-heavy or highly processed foods.

4. Prioritise Mental Health: Calm Minds Learn Best

Exams can trigger anxiety, especially in students who are already perfectionists or those who fear failure. Mental health is a foundational part of success. A calm, well-supported student is far more likely to succeed than one who is overwhelmed or afraid.

What parents can do:

• Normalise feelings of nervousness and show empathy.
• Avoid statements like “you have to do well” but rather focus on effort and learning. Celebrate achievements, no matter how small or big. Improvement is one step closer to the end goal.
• Teach basic calming techniques: deep breathing, taking a walk, journaling or listening to calming music. Self-regulation.
• Ensure your child gets 8–10 hours of sleep per night. Sleep boosts memory consolidation and emotional resilience (Walker, 2017).

A healthy mindset during exams often starts with a calm home environment.

5. You Make the Difference

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to remind your child: they are not alone. Your belief in them, your patience and your consistent support can turn anxiety into motivation.

Ways to support your child:

• Create a quiet, organised space for studying.
• Offer encouragement instead of pressure.
• Celebrate effort, not just achievement.
• Share your own stories of learning - even mistakes! It teaches resilience.

Exams are just one part of the educational journey. They are not a measure of your child’s worth, intelligence or potential, they are simply a moment to reflect, consolidate and grow.

Remember, in this exam season and beyond, your child's well-being is their greatest asset. Support their efforts, celebrate their progress and above all, remind them that their worth is never defined by a single score. Exams are a chapter, not the whole story. As parents, your role is to help them approach it with confidence and character, knowing that the most valuable lessons are learned far beyond the test paper. For more information and additional resources, visit www.bellavista.org.za

References:

Benton, D. (2010). The influence of dietary status on the cognitive performance of children. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 54(4), 457–470.

Brown, P. C., Roediger III, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Harvard University Press.

Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. Jossey-Bass.

Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.