How to Pass Exams: A Parent's Guide

I would recommend this book to anyone who works with young people taking exams, and to the families of young people.

As the parent of two children who will be doing their GCSEs soon, the toolkit style of the book is invaluable. It provides simple tips about developing the good habits that will help all young people to get the most from education. It also approaches an exam-filled school life with a holistic attitude, stressing the importance of fun, relaxation and a healthy diet for a child's success.

Aside from practical advice about study plans, essay writing and revision, the book talks about positive goal setting, which parents and professionals can use to help children in all areas of life. The author explains how to motivate effectively and how to help young people create positive goals, such as "I want to go on to further education", rather than negative goals, such as "I have to do well or my parents will get cross".

Parents may often forget how important they are in keeping children and young people focused on achieving their goals, and this book is a reminder that limiting your belief in a child will limit their belief in themselves. Both professionals and parents will benefit from the list of resources at the back of the book, including several contacts for information on how to help children cope with exam stress.

The preface of the book says: "There are those who make things happen, there are those who watch things happen, and there are those who wonder what happened." I know who I'd rather be.

- Reviewed by Claire Paine, London, parent of two children aged 13 and 15