PARENTS at St. Antony's Catholic College went back to school for a painful reminder of the 'do's and dont's' of examination revision.

With six months still to go to their first papers, Year 11 students at the leading Urmston faith school sat down with their mums and dads to a session from the school's own examination techniques gurus 'Exam Attack'.

The idea came from St. Antony's students five years ago who asked for better advice on exam preparation and now the sessions run throughout the autumn, winter and spring to enable the college's bright young things to build on their work in class at home.

St. Antony's headteacher, Fiona Wright, said: “The sessions cover such topics as how to recognise and cope with stress; modern and traditional methods for revision; how best to memorise facts and theorems and setting and sticking to an examination time table.”

Mum, Hayley Wynne, who is pictured on the left with her talented 15-year-old son Joshua Leape, said: “GCSEs are the biggest challenge the children will have faced so far so all the help they can get is appreciated.

"Their results set the tone for the rest of their lives and while you want them to know it is a serious challenge you also don't want to put them under too much pressure.

"Joshua is good in class but can struggle under examination conditions so it was helpful for me to understand about recognising signs of stress, and enabling him to use all the modern methods for revision such as using the recorder on his phone and replaying key revision sessions to and from school.”

Mum Sarah Bellis, who is pictured with academic high flyer Sally Bellis, who ultimately wants to study neuro science at Manchester University, said: “I wish I had this level of advice when I was younger.

"Unlike Sally I got too easily distracted, feel I didn't really fulfil my potential and ended up doing an apprenticeship and becoming a hairdresser, whereas Sally wants to work in pharmaceutical research.”

She added: “It's good to feel part of a mother and daughter team. But I'm glad it will be Sally who will be sitting the exams.”