Exam season is one of the most stressful times of the year for students. Revision timetables, mock results, and the pressure to perform can feel overwhelming — and for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), that pressure can be even more intense.
At Mrs F Science, we believe that looking after your wellbeing is just as important as knowing your content. Here's why self-care during exam season isn't a luxury — it's a necessity.
Why Exam Season Is Harder for SEND Students
Students with SEND — including those with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, anxiety disorders, or physical disabilities — often face additional challenges during exam season:
- Sensory overload in busy exam halls can be exhausting and distracting
- Executive function difficulties make planning revision and managing time much harder
- Anxiety and emotional dysregulation can be amplified by high-stakes situations
- Fatigue from processing information differently means mental energy depletes faster
- Social pressure to perform at the same level as peers without the same barriers
If this sounds familiar, know this: you are not behind. You are working harder than most people realise.
Self-Care Strategies That Actually Work
1. Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is when your brain consolidates memories — it's literally when revision "sticks". Aim for 8–9 hours a night. Late-night cramming is far less effective than a good night's sleep after a focused revision session.
2. Build Breaks Into Your Revision
The Pomodoro technique (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) works brilliantly for students with ADHD or concentration difficulties. Short, focused bursts beat long, unfocused hours every time. Our revision worksheets are designed to be completed in exactly these kinds of focused sessions.
3. Move Your Body
Even a 10-minute walk can reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and improve focus. You don't need a gym — just movement. Dance in your room. Walk to the shop. Stretch between topics.
4. Eat Regularly — Even When You Don't Feel Like It
Your brain needs fuel. Skipping meals because you're "too busy revising" will tank your concentration. Keep snacks nearby and eat proper meals, even if they're simple.
5. Talk to Someone
Whether it's a parent, teacher, SENCO, or friend — don't bottle it up. If you're struggling, your school's SENCO is there to help and can arrange access arrangements, extra time, or other support.
6. Know Your Accommodations
If you're entitled to extra time, a reader, a scribe, or a separate room — use them. These aren't advantages; they're levelling the playing field. Make sure your school has submitted the paperwork well in advance.
7. Limit Doom-Scrolling
Social media during exam season is a comparison trap. Everyone posts their "I revised for 10 hours today" stories — nobody posts the anxiety attacks or the blank moments. Protect your headspace.
A Note for Parents and Teachers
If you support a young person with SEND through exam season, the most powerful thing you can do is validate their experience. Avoid comparisons. Celebrate effort, not just results. Make sure they know that their worth is not determined by a grade.
Practical support matters too — helping with revision schedules, reducing household stress during this period, and ensuring they have a quiet, comfortable space to work can make a significant difference.
Revision That Works With Your Brain, Not Against It
At Mrs F Science, our GCSE revision worksheets are designed to be clear, structured, and manageable — perfect for students who need information presented in a straightforward, accessible way. Retrieval practice (the method behind our retrieval question sheets) is one of the most evidence-backed revision strategies there is, and it works especially well for students who struggle with open-ended revision.
Browse our resources and find something that works for you — because you deserve revision materials that meet you where you are.
Take care of yourself. The exams matter, but so do you.
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