Worrying and feeling anxious at times is normal and can help us perform better, study more and work a bit harder. Too much pressure and anxiety can have a negative impact on how we perform and feel. Finding coping strategies to help avoid the negative impact are not only useful for exam preparation but can also become skills for life.

Check out our information about: coping with exam stress, study skills and self-care as well as what to do in the exam.


flight fight freeze RK
Flight, fight and freeze
When we feel under too much pressure, we can become anxious. When we are anxious or stressed, we can act in different ways and is sometimes referred to as ‘Fight, Flight and Freeze’. This video from Anxiety Canada explains how this can affect teens really well: Flight, fight and freeze explained for teens

For more general information about worries and anxieties, check out the Worries and anxieties page of this site.


Phone apps
There are phone apps that might be useful to support young people to manage some of the anxiety they might experience working towards exams or assessments. There are links to some popular and useful phone apps below. Other self-help phone apps are also available, such as those in the list created by the NHS


Stop, Think, Breathe App

Sam App

Calm App

Headspace App

For Me Childline App (iOS)

Exam Stress App

We also have information about study skills and self-care as well as what to do in the exam.