Mindfulness and Wellbeing

  • 29 May 2025

    Is all stress bad for us? How to use stress to your advantage

    We all know the feeling – stress creeping up when deadlines loom or responsibilities pile up.  It is easy to think of stress as something negative, something we should avoid. But is all stress really bad? 

    Actually, stress can be a helpful indicator when we recognise it. It can show us what is working for us, and what is not. When we really know how it shows up, it can teach us valuable lessons about how we handle the strains of the job.

    So how can we turn stress it something that works for us, instead of against us?

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  • 29 Apr 2025

    Creating a calm exam space

    We talk a lot at exam time about managing our own stress levels and supporting our students to do the same. But what attention do we give to the physical space in which exams take place?  There are things you can do to prepare both your students – and the room, to create positive energies that could make a big difference.

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  • 26 Mar 2025

    Why students need time to practice stress management skills before exams

    In the next few months our students will be gearing up for exams. We know some of them struggle with stress management, so we need to give them enough time to practice techniques before the exam calendar starts. If they learn new ways to handle their anxiety in these pre-exam weeks, they’ll have a better chance of knowing how to create the feeling of calm they’re looking for.

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  • 26 Feb 2025

    It's a mindset thing when shift happens

    We all know that as Exam Officers we’re used to juggling and re-prioritising the tasks in front of us.  In my own place of work (HMP), we’re used to the unexpected.  We’ll say “shift happens”.  It’s a Mindset thing that helps me, when I get shoved in a different direction. Why not make “shift happens” your own response next time and see how that changes your viewpoint.

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  • 27 Jan 2025

    Bringing a mindfulness approach to your invigilation responsibilities

    As an invigilator, your role is to ensure that exams run smoothly and that students have the best environment in which to perform. JCQ use the terms ‘even playing field’ and ‘maladministration’ and whilst these are standards that we are re well familiar with, I would like to suggest adopting a mindful approach to your role.

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  • 29 Dec 2024

    How mocks help us prepare for exams ahead

    Mock exams are a crucial step in the exam preparation journey — not just for students, but for schools and us, their Exam Officers. While students are testing their knowledge and identifying areas for improvement, we Exam Officers are using this as our own trial run.

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