Preparing for Assessments & Looking After Your Wellbeing

Feeling nervous before an assessment, exam, presentation, or professional discussion is completely normal. The good news is that there are lots of simple things you can do to feel more confident and perform at your best. Here are some top tips for success.

Plan ahead

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have a learning difficulty, disability, health condition, mental health need, or require additional support during your assessment, please speak to your Skills Coach or Learner Progress Adviser as early as possible.

Revision, Memory Aids and Study Tips

Create a realistic revision or preparation timetable and break tasks into manageable chunks. Avoid last-minute cramming where possible.

Everyone learns differently, so try a range of techniques and find what works best for you to make information easier to remember:

  • Break information into smaller sections rather than trying to learn everything at once.
  • Use colours, diagrams, mind maps or visual prompts to organise information.
  • Create flashcards with key facts, definitions or questions and test yourself regularly.
  • Use acronyms, rhymes or memory cues to help remember important points.
  • Explain what you have learned to a friend, family member or colleague. Teaching someone else is a great way to check your understanding.

Minimise Distractions

When revising or preparing for an assessment:

Put your phone on silent or use “Do Not Disturb” mode, study in a quiet space where possible and turn off unnecessary notifications.

Consider studying in short, focused blocks (for example, 25-30 minutes followed by a short break).

Practice Retrieval

Rather than repeatedly reading your notes, challenge yourself to recall information from memory. Cover your notes and try to write down everything you can remember before checking what you missed.

Use Real-Life Examples

Link learning to your workplace experiences wherever possible. Thinking of practical examples can help you remember information and provide useful evidence during professional discussions or assessments. You can find further revision resources on Onefile.

Before the Assessment

  • Give yourself plenty of time to get ready.
  • Make sure you have eaten and had something to drink.
  • Avoid staying up late revising the night before.
  • If possible, take some light exercise beforehand to help reduce tension and improve concentration.

Tips for Online Presentations

Many learners feel nervous about presenting online, but preparation and practice can make a big difference.

Before the Presentation

Test your technology in advance, including your internet connection, camera, microphone and presentation slides, and familiarise yourself with the platform you will be using (Teams, Zoom or other software).

Make sure your technology is fully charged!

Practise your presentation out loud several times, ideally in front of someone else.

During the Presentation

  • Log in 10 minutes early to ensure everything is working correctly.
  • Speak slowly and clearly, taking pauses between points – silence for a few seconds often feels longer to you than it does to your audience.
  • Look at the camera where possible to create eye contact.
  • Keep a glass of water nearby.
  • If you lose your train of thought, pause, take a breath and continue. It is perfectly acceptable to gather your thoughts before answering.
  • Remember that assessors want you to succeed and are interested in hearing about your experiences and achievements.

Keep Things in Perspective

One assessment does not define your future.

Focus on what you can control: preparation, effort and attitude.

Avoid comparing yourself with other learners.

Recognise the progress you have already made to reach this stage.

Manage Unhelpful Thoughts

If you find yourself thinking: “I’m going to fail” try replacing it with: “I’ve prepared as well as I can and I will do my best.”

Physical and Emotional Preparation

  • Take regular breaks
  • Short breaks improve concentration and reduce stress. Make time to do things you enjoy alongside your studies.
  • Look after your body – get enough sleep, eat regular meals, stay hydrated and keep active.

Exercise and Movement

Gentle exercise such as walking, stretching or cycling can reduce stress and improve mood. Even five to ten minutes of activity helps release tension and improve focus.

Handling Stress and Anxiety

Feeling worried before an assessment is normal, but there are ways to manage these feelings.

If you feel stressed, try slow breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques or talking to someone you trust. Remember that some nerves are normal and can help keep you focused.

Breathing Technique

Try the 4-4-4 method:

Breathe in slowly for 4 seconds.

Hold your breath for 4 seconds.

Breathe out slowly for 4 seconds.

Repeat several times.

This can help slow your heart rate and reduce feelings of anxiety.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Try the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique. Notice:

  • 5 things you can see
  • 4 things you can touch
  • 3 things you can hear
  • 2 things you can smell
  • 1 thing you can taste

This simple grounding exercise can help bring your attention back to the present moment and reduce feelings of anxiety.

Managing Presentation Nerves

Focus on sharing information rather than trying to be perfect.

Remind yourself that you know your own work better than anyone else.

Use positive self-talk such as “I have prepared for this.” “I am capable of doing this.”

“I only need to do my best.”

Remember

Assessments, professional discussions and presentations are not designed to catch you out. They are opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours you have already developed through your learning and work. Trust your preparation, use examples from your own experiences, take your time, and remember that your assessor wants to see you succeed.

If Things Don’t Go to Plan

If you make a mistake, keep going. Most assessors are interested in your overall knowledge and competence, not perfection.

If you don’t understand a question, ask for it to be repeated or rephrased.

If technology causes problems during an online assessment, remain calm and contact your assessor as soon as possible.

If an assessment doesn’t go as well as you hoped, think about what you have learned from the experience and discuss next steps with your tutor or assessor. Every assessment is also a learning experience that helps you grow in confidence and capability for the future.

Need immediate support with stress or mental health?

SHOUT: Text 85258 – Shout: The UK’s free, confidential, 24/7 mental health text service | Shout 85258.

NHS 111: Select option 2 for mental health support.

Mind: A mental health charity that provides advice, support and advocacy for people experiencing mental health problems across England and Wales.