What’s Next After Mock Exams? A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child

Introduction

Mock exams are over, and whether your teen is feeling relieved, stressed, or somewhere in between, this is a crucial time in their revision journey. But what happens next? As a parent, you want to support them in the best way possible—without adding to their pressure.

In this post, I’ll walk through what to do after mock exams, how to help your child make the most of their results, and simple ways to keep them motivated in the lead-up to their final exams.

Why Mock Exams Matter (Beyond the Grades)

Many students focus entirely on their mock exam results, but the real value of mocks isn’t just the number on the paper—it’s about identifying what’s working and what needs to change.

💡 Mock exams give students a real-live practice of the exam hall: what they should expect in terms of exam layout, timing and how they respond in that environment.

Rather than seeing a low grade as a failure, it should be seen as a tool to highlight areas (content or skills) for improvement, these should be the priority. Similarly, a high grade doesn’t mean they should stop revising—it’s an opportunity to refine their strengths further.

Step 1: Reflect Without Panic

Before diving into revision plans, take time to reflect on the mock experience. Encourage your child to ask themselves:

• Which topics or styles of question felt easiest?
• Where did they struggle the most?
• Were they caught out by tricky wording, timing or focus issues?
• Did they feel confident going in? If not, why?

💡 Often, having these discussions with your child can feel like added pressure to them (and you), and teens often get defensive. Try to therefore have these conversations casually, and ideally before results come back (as these often skew their answers!)

Step 2: Identify the Gaps

Once the reflection is done, the next step is to pinpoint what exactly needs more focus. This is where a structured revision approach becomes essential.

✅ This is all about the individual approaches to questions. Can they identify WHY they lost marks? Attribute each mark lost to a category, for example:

• Lack of understanding

• Couldn’t remember content/ didn’t revise

• Could apply knowledge to question

• Didn’t understand the question

• Didn’t write enough points

• Didn’t use correct terminology

• Ran out of time

• Other (specific skill linked to subject)

Some students will need to revisit certain topics in depth, while others may need to refine their exam technique, such as time management or structuring answers more effectively. If they can look at the pattern for each of their subjects, then you can devise an effective strategy going forward.

Step 3: Build a Realistic Revision Plan

It’s easy to get carried away creating a ‘perfect’ revision schedule, but often, overly ambitious plans fall apart quickly. The goal is to create something realistic and flexible.

💡I always recommend that students just have a priority list for each subject, including their WORST content and skills that they need to work most on. They can divide these up into HOW best to approach each, and also if they need extra support.

Encourage short, focused study sessions, time for active recall methods, and regular breaks. Revision should be manageable and sustainable, not exhausting.

Step 4: Managing Motivation & Avoiding Burnout

Even with the best-laid plans, motivation dips happen. The key is to build in ways to stay consistent without feeling drained.

✅ I find the best ways to maintain motivation, avoid burnout, and keep revision enjoyable include:

• Scheduling in fun time- treats or social events

• Having an accountability partner

• Mixing it up: subjects, locations, revision activities etc

Some students respond well to reward systems, others to group study sessions, and some need more flexibility in their routine. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach—helping your child find what works best for them is key.

Conclusion: Helping Your Child Feel Supported

The period after mock exams is just as important as the exams themselves, I argue more so. By guiding your child through reflection, identifying gaps, and building a sensible revision strategy, you can help them feel more confident and prepared for their final exams.

💡 Speak to your teen’s school, or reach out to a trusted tutor or coach if you need more support or guidance. As hard as it is, all you can do is support your child through- it can only be them in the exam hall!