Exam season is stressful. Whether you’re an educator, a SENCO, a parent or a learner, it’s a time of the school year where emotions tend to run high and many of us feel under pressure. And children and young people are likely to be feeling this more than most: from dealing with remote learning to the general stresses of learning during a major world event, they’ve had to deal with a lot, in addition to the additional ground they’ll have been making up as part of the learning recovery process.

It might feel like a huge relief, walking out of that final exam- but the reality of it is that an extended period of intense learning and for some, stress, the end of this period needs supporting as well as celebrating. Children and young people need time to recover ready to take on the summer, as well as bring their best to any summer schools or holiday learning programmes that your educational institution may have planned – so that’s why we’ve put together 10 top tips to boost mental wellbeing as exam time draws to a close.

1.     Rest. Although it might not be the most exciting option, it’s likely that exam season has cost children and young people a few nights with less sleep than they need, either though anxiety, feeling unable to settle, or even staying up later than usual to revise. Take time out to get sleep cycles back on track, and encourage rest days, as well as celebrating the end of the exam period. Studies show that short-term lie-ins and naps are alright to recover from short-term sleep loss, as long as they don’t become a feature of their sleep routine, so it’s okay to hit snooze for a while.

2.     Talk about results. It’s been a long haul, but it’s over! …until the results roll in, that is. Learners might be feeling anxious about what results they’ll be receiving, and some might want to explore with parents and teachers what their options are and what it means if they haven’t achieved their target grades. Having a contingency plan can actually have a calming effect, and talking about these options can help a lot. Adopt a door-always-open policy, and don’t force the issue - the last thing learners will enjoy is a conversation they might construe as being ‘grilled about their results’.

3.     Clean Up. Revision creates quite a lot of mess for something that most people tend to do whilst sat in silence at their desk – notes, binders, post-its and wall charts usually end up everywhere. And although they’ve been a good study aid, it’s time for them to stop being such a physical presence in the room. Waking up to a clear room and desk can provide a boost to mental health as it signifies that the hard part is over, and there’s nothing left to do – so put away what it’s important to keep, and recycle the rest.

4.     Explore the outdoors. Getting outdoors and getting a little exercise can provide a large boost to mental health, especially if learners are feeling fatigued or a little disconnected from the world outside of the exam hall.

5.     Accept it might feel weird. Post-exam blues are a real thing, weirdly enough: after so long spent focusing on them, it might feel odd that the end of the final exam goes by with little to no fanfare. Learners might feel cut adrift or even lonely, especially those who are moving between institutions this year, and some may experience a kind of ‘hangover guilt’ from not revising even if there’s nothing to revise for- so check in on them and their mental health over the course of the next few weeks.

6.     Hobbies. Some learners might find it helpful to refocus their energies on projects or hobbies that they may not have had too much time to focus on for the past couple of months. Whether these are personal or interpersonal- reading and painting, or playing football or even online gaming- it can be good to do something proactive or creative to deal with that sudden uptick in free time and prevent them from simply scrolling, perhaps quite anxiously, as they wait for results day.

7.     Reconnect with friends and family. Revision season isn’t really known for its potential for socialising, so use the summer to touch base with friends and family that learners may have put off seeing as they prepared for exams.

8.     Learn from the experience. Unless learners have sat their third-year exams in university or college this year (and even then, many will go on to do medical degrees or postgrads), it’s likely not to be their last set of exams ever. Treat this year as a learning opportunity: what worked when it came to revision? What didn’t work, where did they feel nervous; what were good strategies when they felt under pressure? Having a conversation about this might seem a bit redundant after the exams have happened, but it can create a great foundation of strategies and starting points for next time.

9.     Prepare for the new challenges. The end of the year can bring some nerves with it, especially if they’re off to a different institution in September. The transition between school stages is a big one, and it can inspire feelings of trepidation, as well as excitement. Preparing for this- sorting out school routes and transport, new bags and books, looking at course content- can go some way as to allaying feelings of anxiety as the more prepared learners feel, the easier it’ll be to fight off the nerves on the first day.

10.  Celebrate. Exams are over, and it’s a huge, huge achievement, even if they haven’t sat ‘the big ones’ this term. Take time out to celebrate and praise what is a pretty huge part of their year, and make sure that you mark the occasion- and again, make sure that your door is open if they want to talk results, destinations, or different paths at the end of it all, too.