Helping your child at home

Updated 29 October 2026

How to help your child before a test

What actually helps in the weeks and days before a test or exam, and what to avoid, based on NHS advice and education research.

In the weeks before: practise the right way

The best-supported ways to prepare are testing yourself (retrieval practice) and spreading practice over time (spaced practice). A review of ten study techniques by Dunlosky and colleagues (2013) rated both as highly useful, and rated rereading and highlighting as low. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) describes low-stakes quizzing as a promising, low-cost approach.

• Short sessions on several days, starting with a few questions on older topics.
• Answers checked straight away, with mistakes corrected there and then.
• Practice questions that your child can at least partly answer, so the practice strengthens memory (the EEF notes this matters).

More detail: revision techniques that work.

Practise the test itself if nerves are a problem

The NHS advises that if anxiety is getting in the way, children practise what they will do on the day, for example practice papers under exam conditions, or seeing the exam room beforehand, so it feels less scary. It suggests helping your child face these activities rather than avoid them, and reminding them of what they already know and the work they have put in.

For tests where there is no content to learn, such as CAT4, a look at example questions so the format is familiar is enough. See CAT4 scores explained.

Look after the basics

• Sleep. Good sleep improves thinking and concentration. Allow about half an hour to wind down between studying or screens and bed. Cramming all night is usually a bad idea.
• Food. A balanced diet helps children feel well. The NHS notes that some parents find high-sugar, high-fat and high-caffeine foods and drinks make their children irritable and moody.
• Exercise. Physical activity can boost energy, clear the mind and relieve stress. Activities with other people can be particularly helpful.
• A place to work. Make sure your child has somewhere comfortable to study, and ask them how you can help.

Do not add to the pressure

The NHS highlights that Childline hears from many children who feel most of the pressure at exam time comes from their family. What helps instead:

• Listen, support and avoid criticism.
• Stay calm yourself, and be flexible about chores and tidy rooms in exam weeks.
• Remind your child that feeling nervous is normal.
• Before the test, be reassuring and positive. Failing is not the end of the world, and if things do not go well they may be able to take it again.
• Afterwards, talk about what went well, then move on rather than going over questions that cannot be changed.
• Plan small rewards, and a treat when it is all over.

Signs your child may be struggling

The NHS lists these signs of stress in children and young people:

• headaches and stomach pains;
• losing interest in food, or eating more than usual;
• not enjoying activities they used to enjoy;
• being negative and in a low mood;
• feeling hopeless about the future.

Talking to someone helps, whether that is you, a teacher they trust or a friend. If your child is not coping, talk to their teachers. If anxiety or low mood is severe, lasts, and interferes with everyday life, the NHS advises seeing a doctor.