Help guides 

It is important to try your best in your exams as your grades can influence your future opportunities so they should be taken seriously, but shouldn’t cause you any distress or upset. Too much stress can make us anxious and tense. This tends to lead to us panicking and struggling to focus. If at any point you feel you are struggling, the best thing you can do is talk to your teachers. Ensure you are getting enough sleep as well as maintaining a healthy balanced diet as this will allow your brain to function at its best. 

Bullying can be defined as any deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, which intentionally hurts another student or group, either physically or emotionally; where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves and is often motivated by prejudice.

Cyberbullying is when someone uses the internet, email, online games or digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else. Sometimes people choose to bully other people using the internet or a mobile phone as it feels safer this way because it means the person doing the bullying can’t see how much it hurts the other person.

Telling someone you trust could help you report the bullying and give you more confidence to deal with the situation. If someone is bullying or threatening you, something can be done to stop them and you should report it to an adult you trust. If needed, you are able to use the school SHARP system to report this.

Friends can be there to enjoy the best time but sometimes friendships have problems and it can be hard to know what to do. If you are having an argument with a friend, it may be useful to try to think about why they might have acted the way they did. Sometimes we may realise afterwards that we were wrong and we should say sorry and give them time if they want it. Sometimes it may be best to end a relationship which can be really difficult. Peer pressure is feeling like you have to do something just because all your friends are doing it but if you don’t feel comfortable, it’s okay to say “no” and make your own choices. Sometimes, your friends might start bullying you and it can be hard. There are lots of things that can help you get through it.

Friends can be there to enjoy the best time but sometimes friendships have problems and it can be hard to know what to do. If you are having an argument with a friend, it may be useful to try to think about why they might have acted the way they did. Sometimes we may realise afterwards that we were wrong and we should say sorry and give them time if they want it. Sometimes it may be best to end a relationship which can be really difficult. Peer pressure is feeling like you have to do something just because all your friends are doing it but if you don’t feel comfortable, it’s okay to say “no” and make your own choices. Sometimes, your friends might start bullying you and it can be hard. There are lots of things that can help you get through it.

Everyone feels low at some point, which is completely normal. However, for some people, these low feelings stick around and they may need a bit more help to feel better. You may begin avoiding activities you previously enjoyed or avoiding friends or social situations. We understand it can be hard to know what to do when you are going through a rough patch but you deserve to feel better. Try talking to someone you like and trust, like a teacher, relative, counsellor or friend. 

Sexuality and sexual orientation is about who you are physically and emotionally attracted to. Everyone is different, and sometimes understanding your sexuality can be confusing. Some people know who they’re attracted to from a really young age but for others, it’s not so simple. Even though people refer to them together, gender identity isn’t the same as sexuality. Transgender describes people who feel that the sex they were assigned at birth doesn’t match how they feel inside. ‘Coming out’ means telling someone about your sexuality or gender identity. It can take time to feel ready to tell people about this part of yourself. Coming out can help you to feel less isolated and more accepted, but it’s important to be ready. There’s no right or wrong time to come out to someone about your sexuality or gender identity. Only you can say when the right time to come out is. 

Bereavement refers to a period of grief, usually after the death of someone. It is very normal to be extremely sad when someone dies or when you are separated from them. People may experience a range of different emotions, including guilt, anger, shock and numbness, overwhelming sadness and an inability to get on with normal daily routines. If this carries on for many months, people may feel the need to take anti-depressants. However, it is important to note that while the symptoms may feel similar to depression, many argue that the grieving process should be allowed to occur fully. There is no standard time limit and there is no right or wrong way to feel during the bereavement period - everyone must learn to cope in their own way.

Experts generally accept there are four stages of bereavement:
(1) accepting that your loss is real;
(2) experiencing the pain of grief;
(3) adjusting to life without the person who has died;
(4) putting less emotional energy into grieving and putting it into something new – in other words, moving on.

There is a lot of support available for people who have lost someone, including doctors, nurses, counsellors, support workers and charity workers.