SATs season can bring a wave of pressure for both Year 6 pupils and the staff supporting them.
With expectations high and the countdown to test week ticking, it’s easy for focus to shift entirely onto revision, past papers, and academic targets. But in the rush to prepare, one vital ingredient for success is often overlooked: emotional wellbeing.
Supporting children’s mental and emotional health during this period isn’t a luxury or an added extra, it’s a key factor in helping them thrive. When children feel calm and confident, they are more able to show what they know.
When children feel calm and confident, they are more able to show what they know.
The Link Between Wellbeing and Learning
Stress can significantly impair working memory and focus. Studies have shown that psychological stress reduces activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region crucial for working memory, leading to decreased cognitive performance.
Stress also increases cortisol levels, which can disrupt our ability to concentration. These findings highlight the importance of cultivating a positive, calm state of mind.
As SATs approach, stress doesn’t just appear during the tests themselves, it often builds slowly over weeks of revision, mock papers, and mounting pressure.
For many children, the worry starts long before they ever enter the exam hall. That’s why it’s so important to offer proactive wellbeing support throughout the lead-up to SATs. When schools help pupils manage their emotions early on, they can reduce anxiety, boost motivation, and build the resilience children need to perform at their best.
When pupils are emotionally regulated, they’re more able to engage with challenging tasks.
How School Wellbeing Workshops Support SATs Readiness
OpenView Education’s Wellbeing Workshops are designed to support students’ mental health and can play a crucial role in preparing them for SATs. Here are three key benefits:
1: Enhancing Emotional Resilience: The workshops teach students that mental health is a normal part of daily life and provide strategies for managing emotions. This understanding helps students handle the pressures of SATs more effectively.
2: Improving Focus and Concentration: By introducing mindfulness techniques, the workshops equip your students with strategies for remaining calm and centered. These practices can enhance concentration during both SATs preparation and the exams themselves.
3: Connecting with Others: Through team building activities, your students learn how to support each other and work together. Having positive connections with peers can reduce worries and foster a positive learning environment leading up to SATs.
Additionally, these workshops can serve as a rewarding experience post-SATs, acknowledging students’ hard work and promoting ongoing mental wellbeing.
In addition to SATs support, we also provide a range of interactive anti-bullying workshops for schools and internet safety workshops, helping students make safe, positive choices both online and in their everyday interactions.
What Teachers Say
When pupil wellbeing is supported, it also helps to ease classroom tension, making space for a calmer and more focused learning environment.
This positive impact was echoed by Mr Graham from St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School in Kent, who shared:
“Our facilitator was absolutely fantastic and a credit to your mission. They were super self-sufficient and independent which was excellent as I was in class throughout both days.
It was everything we expected. I received such strong feedback from teachers and support staff, particularly early years who previously shared how hard it can be to find a workshop that is appropriate for the children. They said the children went home talking about it and even started talking about it the following morning which is amazing. The children at St Gregory’s definitely learnt something.
Thanks again to you at OpenView Education for being super flexible and supportive in arranging the workshops at St Gregory’s.”
— Mr Graham, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, Kent
Practical Tips Teachers to Use Right Now
So what can we do right now to support student wellbeing on the lead up to SATS week?
One simple but powerful technique is guided visualisation. This short, calming activity helps pupils picture themselves feeling confident and in control during their test. It takes just a few minutes, and can be done in the classroom. Although very simple, visualisation can support students in building a positive mindset around how they approach their SATs.
Here is a short guided visualisation you can try with your class:
Guided Visualisation: Calm SATS
- Activity: Lead students through a guided imagery session where they visualise a calm and successful experience of their SATS.
- Purpose: Enhances positive thinking and reduces SATS related worries.
Preparation:
- Have students sit comfortably with their feet flat on the floor and hands resting on their laps.
- Instruct them to close their eyes and take a few deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Visualisation Script:
Imagine you’re walking into the exam room feeling calm and confident. You see the desks arranged neatly, and the sunlight streaming through the windows. As you take your seat, you feel the chair supporting you and the smooth surface of the desk under your hands.
You hear the gentle rustle of papers and the quiet murmurs of your classmates settling in. The air carries a faint, familiar scent of pencils and paper.
As the exam begins, you read each question carefully, feeling your mind clear and focused. You recall your revision effortlessly, and with each answer you write, your confidence grows.
You continue through the paper with a steady rhythm, aware of your steady breathing and the supportive environment around you.
Upon completing the exam, you feel proud of what you have done. Picture yourself handing in your paper with a smile, knowing you’ve done your best.
Now, take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a moment, and exhale slowly through your mouth. When you’re ready, gently open your eyes, bringing this sense of calm confidence with you.
Download a Printible Calm SATS Guided Visualisation Script
📥 Ways to Stay Calm for SATS – Free Wellbeing Poster
To further support your students’ wellbeing during SATs, we’re offering a free downloadable poster: “Ways to Stay Calm for SATs.”
This visual guide provides practical strategies to help students manage stress and maintain focus during exam week. Why not display it in your classroom and discuss the ideas with your students to equip them with strategies for staying calm?:
Download FREE ‘Ways to Stay Calm for SATS’ Poster
*Last updated April 2025.
