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Working under pressure

Nerves are normal. Regular timed practice, a calm routine and a plan for a bad moment help children perform at their real level.

What is tested

  • Timed practice
  • Calming strategies
  • Recovering after a tough question

Worked example

Your child panics after a hard question. What is a quick reset?

  1. Take one slow breath.
  2. Move to the next question and treat it as new.
  3. Return later if time allows.

Answer: Breathe, move on and treat the next question as new

Exam-day checklist

  • Practise under timed conditions regularly.
  • Have a routine for the morning of the test.
  • Use a slow breath to reset.
  • Remember one hard question is a small part of the paper.

Common mistakes

  • Dwelling on the last question.
  • Only practising untimed.
  • Cramming the night before.

Try it yourself

1. What does regular timed practice help with?

Show answer

Pacing and confidence

It makes the exam conditions familiar.

2. After a hard question, what should your child do?

Show answer

Take a breath and move on

One question should not affect the rest.

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More topic guides

Ratio and proportionPercentages, fractions and decimalsAlgebra: equations and sequencesProbabilityVerbal reasoning: codesVerbal reasoning: logic and orderingNon-verbal reasoning: sequences and matricesEnglish: inference and comprehensionArithmeticNumber and place valueFractionsDecimalsProportionNumber sequencesGeometry: angles and shapesMeasurementTimeMoneyAveragesData handlingMulti-step problemsWorded problems3D shapes: volume and surface areaCoordinates and translationsSpeed, distance and timeVenn and Carroll diagramsEnglish: grammarEnglish: spellingEnglish: punctuationEnglish: vocabularyEnglish: editing and proofreadingEnglish: comprehensionEnglish: comparing two textsEnglish: paragraph ordering and cohesionEnglish: register and purposeEnglish: deductionEnglish: sentence completionEnglish: contextEnglish: word relationshipsEnglish: literary understandingEnglish: creative writingShuffled sentencesClauses: main, subordinate and relativeVerbal reasoning: analogiesVerbal reasoning: classificationVerbal reasoning: letter and word sequencesVerbal reasoning: word relationshipsVerbal reasoning: hidden wordsVerbal reasoning: compound wordsVerbal reasoning: letter patternsMove a letterInsert a letterAnagrams and word laddersLetter and symbol sumsNon-verbal reasoning: transformationsNon-verbal reasoning: rotationsNon-verbal reasoning: reflectionsNon-verbal reasoning: symmetryNon-verbal reasoning: spatial reasoningNon-verbal reasoning: analogiesNon-verbal reasoning: paper foldingNon-verbal reasoning: cube netsNon-verbal reasoning: odd one outPlans and elevations (3D views)Shape assemblyTime management in the examEliminating incorrect optionsIdentifying distractorsChecking your workReading questions carefullySkipping and returning to questionsHandling unfamiliar questions

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