³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

With the Higher exams starting on Friday with Higher English, here's a timely reminder about taking the stresses and strains out of this peak revision time.

Head on over to Headroom for a bit of time to unwind your mind. Ruby Wax talks about exam stress and gets some tips from educational psychologist Kairen Cullen.

There are more short wellbeing videos covering stress, anxiety and depression, as well as tips on personal happiness. Check into the Mood Spa and find out how your lifestyle could be affecting your mental wellbeing.

Bitesize is here to help with the revision side of things, and the weekly planner may help you organise your last minute studies. And you'll find plenty of Bitesize tv clips on Learning Zone Scotland.

Also worth a look is the SQA's guide to , where you'll also find and the itself.

Revision tips

Get organised
Plan your study and write it out on a revision planner - this helps you cover all the areas you need to, for each subject and for each exam date. Breaks revision into bitesize chunks that are less daunting that a whole subject and don't try to study all day long. Include breaks for eating, sleeping and having some fun in your plan. Go out, get some exercise. Time away from the books will let what you've just learned sink in. Parents can provide back up - check how the study plan is going, ensuring meal breaks with healthy food, take you kids out for a break.

Be active
Revision should be active - don't just read books or your old class notes. Write down notes and key points as you go. Record them onto MP3, sing them - whatever works best for you - the key is repeating what you've learned to help it sink in. Go online and try revision tests and games. A bit of variety will stop you getting stale.

Practise, practise, practise
Exams are scary because they are a big unknown threat. Get a feel for what they are like and they won't seem as bad. Try doing some online tests to get used to being asked questions you might not have thought of. Use past papers under exam conditions. This will give you an idea of the amount you need to do and the pace you have to do it at. Get your parents to time you so you stick to the length of the exam.

Get some help
You're not alone. If you get stuck ask someone: Friends might know the answer; your teachers want you to do well, so if you don't understand something ask them. Go online and use some revision resources or exam forums. People want you to do well, so let them know if they can support you.

There is light at the end
Realistically, exams and revision aren't the most fun part of your life. Everyone struggles with something and everyone gets some stress. When you feel really down, remember that it will all be over in a few weeks. Plan a treat for when it is all finished - a great night out, a shopping trip - something you can really look forward to. If you've got something positive to aim for, the long hard slog won't feel quite as bad.

How you can help your child with revision/exam stress >>