Prepare your child for their formal primary school assessments by helping them develop a successful study foundation that will empower and support them.
A significant milestone in your child’s educational journey is their first formal primary school assessments.
When formal primary school assessments first start, students and parents will face new expectations in terms of planning, studying, commitment and scope of work that needs to be mastered.
The importance of primary school assessments
“Parents need to understand the importance of these assessments in setting the tone for a successful academic journey for the rest of the student’s life,” says Nalani Singarum, academic advisor: InterSen Phase at ADvTECH Schools.
“While a good performance in formal primary school assessments should be planned and worked towards, parents also need to realise that the experience of the journey of studying and preparing at this time will make a substantial impact on the child’s approach to exams in the future when adult assistance and guidance won’t be available or even desirable.”
Stress can affect your child’s ability to think clearly. Part of helping your child to prepare for assessments is showing them how to stress less.
A positive mindset and atmosphere
Parents’ influence and attitude matter. Sinagrum explains: “Our children absorb our emotions like sponges, and if we approach assessments with anxiety or negativity, or push for peak performance at all costs, they’ll pick up on it. Instead, parents must aspire to model a positive attitude. Encourage your child to view these assessments as opportunities to showcase their knowledge and skills.”
Organisation and preparation
Here are some tips to help prepare your child:
- Create a clutter-free, dedicated study zone over which the student can feel some ‘ownership’ to set the stage for focused learning. Ensure it’s free from distractions like mobile phones.
- Before study sessions, check that stationery, textbooks and an exam pad are readily available. This simple step minimises disruptions and keeps the momentum going.
- Help your child break down the work, as large tasks can overwhelm anyone, especially young students. Help them section the exam requirements into manageable pieces, and guide them in creating summaries and flashcards (without doing the job for them!).
- Celebrate small victories every day. Each section completed is progress toward success and reduces the need for anxiety-ridden cramming the day or weekend before the exam.
- Encourage your child to develop a habit of writing and drawing keywords while studying as this reinforces memory retention. Whether it’s jotting down key points, solving math problems or practising spelling, the act of writing solidifies understanding. This is the age where just reading the textbook for revision is no longer a strategy for success.
Goalsetting and effort
Formal primary school assessments are important in terms of performance, but in the earlier years, laying the foundation for future years is even more important. This is the time to show your child how to determine and set achievable goals to provide direction and motivation. Teach your child that effort matters and that hard work pays off. Anxiety may still creep in, but consistently putting in the work, a little bit every day at this stage, helps students feel more empowered.
To lessen their anxiety, read our article on managing exam stress.
“As parents, we hold the keys to unlock our child’s potential and the weeks building up to assessments are an important learning process and milestone in their educational journey. By fostering a positive mindset, ensuring organisation and emphasising effort, we empower them to succeed in their assessments while also empowering them to become lifelong learners with a positive attitude even in the face of challenges,” Singarum concludes.
