Pupils get heart rate monitors to learn the science of staying calm in the face of exam stress

As GCSE exams begin this week, Consilium Evolve, an alternative provision school in Sunderland, has been taking an innovative approach to exam preparation.

Year 11 students have been offered the use of heart rate monitors, as part of innovative sessions designed to highlight how pressure and stress affect the body.

These sessions help students recognise their physical responses to pressure and teach them simple, effective self-regulation techniques.

The goal is to equip students with the tools they need to stay calm and focused in exams, using only the skills they've developed, with no equipment required.

Teachers have been using the heart rate data to guide coaching conversations, revision strategies, and wellbeing sessions.

Students learn techniques such as deep breathing, visualisation, and grounding exercises to help regulate their response to stress.

Students have one-to-one sessions on learning how to recognise and respond to the physical symptoms of stress.

They learn that when they are feeling anxious, there are often outward signs, like raised heart rate, more rapid breathing, feeling hot or flushed. They are guided in how to take a moment to process what the feeling is and they learn strategies such as breathwork to bring their thoughts and so their whole selves, under control.

Evolve headteacher, Robert Bell, said: “Exams are a performance as much as a test of knowledge. Many of our students have faced challenges that go beyond the classroom. This approach helps them recognise that feeling nervous is normal and gives them the tools to take control of it.

“Rather than allowing the stress of the moment to overwhelm them - and so impact on their ability to function at their best - their knowledge of how the body works gives them the resources to cope. We believe that these aren't just skills for school, but crucial skills for life.”

The programme is part of a wider, personalised approach at Consilium Evolve, which supports students who may have struggled in mainstream education.

By combining academic preparation with real-world skills like self-regulation and resilience, the school is working to equip students not just for exams, but for life beyond the classroom.

Mr Bell added: “We’re helping them realise that they can perform under pressure and that confidence will stay with them long after their GCSEs.”