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Supporting Exam Stress in Schools: Tailored Wellbeing Workshops for Students, Parents & Teachers

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At Wellness Education Dubai, we offer a series of evidence-based wellbeing workshops designed to support students, parents, and teaching staff throughout the academic year — with a particular focus on managing exam-related stress.

These sessions reduce anxiety, improve focus, and provide practical, science-backed tools to help young people thrive both during exams and in everyday life.
Whether you’re supporting Sixth Form, Year 11, or Year 10, workshops can be tailored for specific year groups, and we’re happy to work directly with individual Heads of Year to shape a delivery model that suits your school’s goals.

Why I work in schools 

Working with young people has always been a core part of my professional journey.
During my fitness career, I spent over a decade working with teenagers and young adults in a variety of wellbeing-focused roles:

  • I led a teenage weight management scheme for 12–16 year olds, teaching physical literacy, confidence through movement, and the foundations of nutrition

  • I delivered fitness and lifestyle coaching for juniors within gym settings

  • I worked with disaffected students in local high schools, using physical activity as a tool to re-engage them

This passion has only grown stronger in recent years as I’ve moved into the corporate wellbeing space, delivering stress management and meditation workshops for adults. The natural next step was to bring this combined experience back into schools, where early intervention and support can make a lifelong difference.

🧠 Workshop 1: Understanding & Managing Stress (Exam-Focused)

This session helps participants understand the difference between acute and chronic stress, how stress affects the brain and body, and why it can interfere with memory, attention, and exam performance.

We explore the role of the prefrontal cortex and how unmanaged stress can impact decision-making and focus.

Students will learn the SPAMS Framework:

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  • S – Speak to someone

  • P – Plan and prepare

  • A – Avoid multitasking

  • M – Movement

  • S – Sleep

 

Tutors receive ready-to-use classroom strategies like breathing techniques for down-regulation, while parent sessions focus on how to create calm environments at home and support emotional regulation during the high-pressure exam season.

Workshop 2: Mindfulness & Meditation for Exam Calm

This session introduces students and parents to simple, effective mindfulness techniques that can be used during revision, before an exam, or in moments of overwhelm.

We explore:

  • Mindfulness of body – using physical sensations as anchors

  • Mindfulness of mind – observing thoughts without judgement

  • Meta-awareness – learning to recognise thoughts as thoughts

  • Attention granularity – noticing pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral experiences to reduce reactivity

All participants receive:

  • Guided meditations

  • Short practice videos

  • Printable handouts for self-study or use in tutor groups

Workshop 3: Movement & Mental Health in Exam Season

This session explores how physical activity improves focus, mood, sleep, and overall emotional wellbeing, especially during high-pressure periods.

We cover:

  • Resistance training

  • Cardiovascular training (HIIT vs steady state)

  • Everyday movement

  • How movement supports brain function and reduces stress

The session ends with a discussion around realistic ways to stay active, both at home and in school, even during exam preparation.

🤝 Why Involve Parents and Staff?

The workshops work best when the entire school community is involved. When students, parents, and staff are aligned around wellbeing strategies, the ripple effect is far more powerful:

✅ Students feel supported and understood
✅ Parents are equipped to help without adding pressure
✅ Teachers have tools they can use in tutor time and beyond

💡 Lifelong Skills, Not Just Exam Prep

These workshops aren’t just about surviving exam season. They’re about equipping young people with lifelong wellbeing skills they can carry into university, the workplace, and life. From learning how to regulate stress to building emotional awareness and staying grounded under pressure — the benefits go far beyond academic performance.

Ready to bring this to your school?

Whether you’re looking for a single workshop, a targeted term-long program, or a whole-school wellbeing strategy, I’d love to collaborate.

📧 Get in touch to explore what’s possible.
Let’s help your students thrive — in school and beyond.

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