Practical exam-anxiety skills

for GCSE & A-level students

A 2.5-hour small-group workshop for up to 10 students

ExamCalm gives students practical techniques for managing the anxiety that can make it harder to access and apply what they already know under exam pressure.

Designed and delivered by a former Headteacher and GCSE Principal Examiner, now a clinical hypnotherapist.

30+ years in education | Former Headteacher | Former GCSE Principal Examiner | Enhanced DBS

When anxiety gets in the way

Students can revise thoroughly, understand their subject and know what is expected of them, yet still find it difficult to show what they know when exam pressure rises.

Physical tension, racing thoughts or a sudden anxious response can disrupt concentration and recall, making it harder to settle into the task and apply what they have learned.

ExamCalm adds a practical layer of support for students whose anxiety gets in the way.

It does not replace counselling, mental-health support, specialist services or existing school procedures.

Where it fits

ExamCalm is designed to sit alongside the support schools already provide.

It complements:

Pastoral & wellbeing support

A focused set of practical tools for students experiencing exam-related anxiety.

Study skills & revision

Students still need subject knowledge, effective revision and exam technique. ExamCalm focuses on managing the anxiety that can get in the way of putting those skills into practice.

SEND & inclusion

Group selection and any reasonable adjustments remain with the school and can be discussed before the workshop.

Encouraging early results from

the in-school pilot workshop

Evaluations produced encouraging immediate feedback from students and staff.

What is Exam Calm?

ExamCalm is a practical 2.5-hour, small-group workshop for up to 10 GCSE and A-level students, developed around the realities of the school day and the pressures students can experience around examinations.

During the workshop, students experience a range of practical techniques rather than being expected to rely on one approach. There is time to practise them, ask questions and identify which techniques they personally find most useful. Students also leave with Technique Cards providing quick-reference reminders of the techniques they can continue practising independently.

The aim is simple: students leave with options

By the end of the workshop, students have experienced the techniques, identified the ones they find most useful and begun developing a small toolkit they can practise before they need to use them under exam pressure.

What happens during an ExamCalm Workshop?

ExamCalm combines explanation, demonstration and guided practice in a structured 2.5-hour session.

From workshop practice to independent use

Students leave ExamCalm having identified the techniques they find most useful, with their Technique Cards to support continued practice.

The aim is to make reinforcement simple. As mocks and examinations approach, students can revisit and practise their preferred techniques, while form tutors or pastoral staff can provide occasional reminders without having to redeliver the workshop.

Practise while calm. Build familiarity. Use the techniques when they're needed.

Free Download: The Exam Freeze First Aid Kit

A practical, student-friendly guide for those moments when exam pressure suddenly takes over: racing thoughts, physical tension, feeling overwhelmed or simply being unable to access what they know.

The kit gives students seven simple strategies they can try in the moment, with clear instructions explaining what to do and when each technique may be useful.

  • 7 practical in-the-moment techniques

  • Clear, student-friendly instructions

  • Designed for use around mocks and examinations

Developed by someone who understands schools and examinations

Phillip Evans

I spent more than 30 years in secondary education, progressing from classroom teacher to Headteacher, as well as working as a GCSE Principal Examiner and Local Authority secondary consultant.

That experience gave me a first-hand understanding of the pressures surrounding examinations: the challenges students can face when anxiety gets in the way, and the practical realities schools face when deciding how best to support them.

After retiring from headship, I trained as a clinical hypnotherapist. That training informs the focused-attention, visualisation and state-management elements of ExamCalm, while my background in education keeps the programme firmly grounded in the realities of schools and examinations.

When I deliver ExamCalm, my role is clear: to teach and facilitate a focused, practical workshop, working within the school's existing policies and alongside the staff who know their students best.

Experience and credentials

  • 30+ years in secondary education

  • Former Headteacher

  • Former GCSE Principal Examiner (AQA)

  • Former Local Authority Secondary Consultant

  • Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

  • Enhanced DBS certified

Professional qualifications include diplomas in Hypnotherapy & Hypnosis and Advanced Hypnotherapy & Coaching, with professional certification through the IHA and ICBCH.

Questions Schools May Have

Do students have to talk about their anxiety?

No. Students are not required to share personal histories or explain the source of their anxiety. ExamCalm is a practical group workshop not group therapy.

Is participation compulsory?

No. Participation is voluntary. Students choose whether to take part in each exercise.

Can school staff be present?

Yes. School staff are welcome and encouraged to attend throughout the workshop.

Does ExamCalm replace counselling or mental-health support?

No. Students should continue with any existing pastoral, SEND, medical or mental-health support. ExamCalm does not diagnose or treat a mental-health condition.

What about hypnosis?

The elements drawing on clinical hypnotherapy are presented as focused attention and guided imagery, not entertainment or loss of control. Students remain aware, participate by choice and can stop at any time.

What about SEND or additional needs?

Relevant access needs, sensory considerations and reasonable adjustments can be discussed with the school before delivery.

What safeguarding arrangements are in place?

Delivery follows the school’s existing safeguarding procedures. I have previous experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), hold an Enhanced DBS and professional indemnity insurance, and can provide relevant documentation before delivery.

An evidence-informed approach

ExamCalm draws on practical approaches that overlap with published research into test anxiety, guided imagery, focused attention, mental rehearsal and EFT.

Research in these areas provides useful background to the programme, while the early ExamCalm pilot provides encouraging initial feedback from students and staff. As a small first evaluation, those results are presented as early findings rather than evidence of how every student will respond.

ExamCalm does not promise improved grades or guarantee a particular reduction in anxiety. Its purpose is to give students practical techniques they can experience, practise and draw on when exam pressure gets in the way.

Selected background research and further programme information are available on request.

Bring ExamCalm to your school

£325

One 2.5-hour workshop for up to 10 students

£32.50 per student with a full group

Included

  • Pre-workshop planning consultation with school staff

  • Technique cards for every student

  • Supporting student materials

  • Post-session feedback and evaluation

What the school provides

A suitable quiet room, a member of staff to remain present, and a short conversation beforehand

Ready to discuss ExamCalm with your team?

Download the ExamCalm Schools Brochure

A concise overview to save, print or share with colleagues when discussing ExamCalm in school.

The brochure includes:

  • How the workshop works

  • Techniques and student resources

  • Early evaluation results

  • Safeguarding and practical arrangements

  • Pricing and booking information

Could ExamCalm support students in your school?

If you're considering support for GCSE or A-level students whose anxiety can get in the way under exam pressure, you're welcome to book a short, no-obligation conversation with me.

I can answer any questions you have, talk through the students you have in mind, and discuss whether ExamCalm might be helpful in your school.

£325 | 2.5 hours | Up to 10 students | Technique Cards included

Prefer to discuss it with colleagues first?