Some degree of nervousness before an exam is normal and even helpful — it sharpens attention and increases motivation. But for a significant number of students, anxiety goes beyond useful alertness into something that genuinely interferes with performance. Here’s what helps.
Understand What Anxiety Is Doing
Exam anxiety is a stress response — the body preparing itself for a perceived threat. The problem is that the physical symptoms of stress (racing heart, tight chest, difficulty concentrating, blank-mindedness) are not useful in an exam, where calm and focused thinking is what’s needed. The goal of anxiety management is not to eliminate feeling nervous, but to prevent it from taking over.
Preparation Is the Most Reliable Anxiety Reducer
The most effective long-term strategy for exam anxiety is thorough preparation — not because confident students don’t get nervous, but because a student who has practised under timed conditions multiple times has a felt sense of what the exam is like. The unknown is more anxiety-provoking than the familiar. Timed practice demystifies the exam experience and builds the procedural confidence that allows students to begin writing quickly rather than freezing.
Before the Exam
- Sleep: The night before an exam, sleep matters more than last-minute revision. A tired brain performs worse on every dimension that English exams test — reading comprehension, verbal fluency, recall of texts, quality of written expression.
- Avoid comparing with others: Conversations in the corridor before an exam about who has revised what, who feels confident, who feels terrified, are almost always unhelpful. Encourage your child to avoid them.
- A brief physical routine: Even five minutes of movement before entering the exam room can reduce cortisol and improve focus. A short walk, some slow breathing, shaking out hands — whatever feels natural.
During the Exam
If you go blank: Don’t panic — blank-mindedness in exams is almost always temporary. Put the pen down, take three slow breaths, and re-read the question. The answer is nearly always there; anxiety is blocking access to it. Slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and genuinely helps.
Start with what you know: If one question feels harder than another, do the easier one first. Getting words on paper reduces anxiety — the blank page is the most stressful part of any English exam.
Don’t watch other people writing: Someone who appears to be writing confidently and quickly may be writing badly. Focus on your own paper.
For Parents
The most anxiety-inducing thing a parent can do is communicate — even inadvertently — that a great deal rides on this exam. Children are very sensitive to parental anxiety, and parents who are visibly worried about results communicate that worry to their children even when they don’t intend to. Calm confidence, expressed without minimising the importance of the exam, is more helpful than either excessive pressure or dismissive reassurance.
Thorogood English’s small group sessions include regular timed practice — because familiarity with the exam format is the most reliable way to reduce the anxiety that comes from the unknown. Join the waiting list for January 2027.
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