Seriously good in all respects: message, substance, structure, presentation, impact * Dan Silverman, Deputy Head, Alexandra Park School * Clear, brilliantly-researched and insightful, this book offers realistic, empathetic and targeted advice. I highly recommend it for teachers, pastoral teams and senior leaders alike. * Jaideep Barot, Head of Bristol Grammar School and Chair of HMC 2024-25 * A thoughtful and helpful resource for teachers, SEN practitioners, and the School Senior Management team; I very much hope that schools will take up this invitation to hear our childrens voices and lessen the stressful impact of our examination system. * Lucy Fuller Child Psychotherapist UKCP CPC * The research and practical tips have helped us develop an approach that integrates academic and pastoral support and aims to equip the students with strategies that will help them now and in the future. * Henrietta Barnet School * The advice here will help in navigating the stress of exams and in a way that builds up good relationships. * Craig Morrison, CEO, Kingfisher Schools Trust * [ on Katharine's training talks] Best talk on exam stress that Ive attended in years of working in pastoral care in schools. Really excellent, practical information and advice that went far beyond the usual clichés. * Katie Weinheimer, Student Mental Health Support and Development Coordinator, The Wellbeing Service, Hills Road Sixth Form College * This book is impressively comprehensive. It introduces or explains many important truths of psychology, equipping teachers with deep, relevant and up-to-date understanding of how brains learn, what sometimes impedes that learning and how to support optimal performance.
I particularly liked the attitude towards clichés and soundbites that can unwittingly produce the wrong response. This will help teachers as well as parents think more usefully about the messages that students may be coming across on social media or from well-meaning relatives or friends.
Readers will come away with a very clear understanding of the biology of stress or anxiety, seeing its place in the natural and useful range of emotions and responses to the world around us. Thus teachers can grow more confident and assured in their support of students as they approach GCSEs and beyond.
I wish all this had been known when I was at school! My teachers would have welcomed such empowering understanding of what we were going through, so they could most usefully support us all to achieve our best. -- Nicola Morgan * Author of many books for teenagers on their brains and psychology, including Blame My Brain - The amazing teenage brain revealed. www.nicolamorgan.com * Exam Stress is a compassionate overview which provides nuanced insight into how exam stress manifests itself in pupils; it's a valuable resource for secondary teachers, providing many reflection questions. -- Ross McGill * Founder of @TeacherToolkit *
