Ep 8 : Why Activities Matter During SATs, GCSEs & A'Levels

SATs, GCSEs, A-Levels… it’s that time where everything starts to feel a little overwhelming 😅

In this episode of Dance Talks, we’re diving into a topic so many dancers (and parents!) struggle with — whether to pause extracurricular activities during exam season.

We’re talking about why keeping up with dance (and other activities) can actually help, not hinder, academic performance. From stress relief and routine to mental wellbeing and balance, we break down why stepping away from what you love might not be the answer 💭

If you’re feeling the pressure to “drop everything and revise,” this episode is your reminder that balance is powerful — and that dance might just be the thing that keeps you grounded 🩰💫

Transcript

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Hello and welcome to the Freedom to Dance Podcast. This is the place where we talk about absolutely everything in our little crazy world of dance. From what goes on inside our studio to the wider dance industry too. You'll get to know your teachers, hear from real-life dance parents, and maybe even some of our pupils. And who knows what they'll have to say. So grab your dancing shoes or maybe just a copper. Join us for all the laughs, stories, and behind-the-scenes fun at Freedom to Dance. Hello everyone and welcome back to Dance Talks. Hello. And today we're talking um about something that feels really quite relevant at the moment. Yes, and that's how important it is for children to keep up with their extracurricular activities during busy put your teeth in. Busy academic times like SATS, GCSEs, and A levels. Yeah, I think because we're definitely seeing it at the studio at the moment. Yeah, and it's actually really personal for me right now because my children are both in year six and year 11. Yeah, so you're right in the middle of SATS and GCSE prep, and I'm watching you because this time next year I'll also have a child doing SATS and their GCSEs. We really didn't time having our children very well. I feel like I can pass on my knowledge to you. I don't know whether you want it, whether you want my advice. Anything that's thrown at me, I think. But I give it to you anyway, and what you do with that is uh totally your choice. But um I can really see um right now the pressure and the workload that kids are under. And I've got to say, it doesn't come from home. It doesn't come certainly in my situation and in my household, that pressure is not coming from home. Not that I'm passing the book, um, you know, um, but I'm a firm believer in keeping things as laid back as possible. I think children deserve that. Yeah, absolutely. And um we've noticed over the years, um, we've been in this game 11 years now. Um, so we've been through the cycle 11 times. Um, and you'd have thought we'd have picked up some handy hints and tips along the way, but no, yeah, it's only now that you're faced with it and when it's in your face that you do actually have to deal with it. Um but we've definitely noticed a pattern over the years. Um, and children they get to this time with Easter's just passed, and then all of a sudden our phones start pinging left, right, and centre, and children are dropping out of activities like flies. Yeah. And I think the other thing we've noticed over the years is the increase in pupils um needing to take a step back. So I think if we look back when our first year of sort of say GCSE pupils were taking their exams, if there was ten of them, it'd be one. Yes. That wouldn't that would need the time um to take a little break or step back. Um whereas now it's it's the majority. Yeah, it feels like it's a habit or a trend or a message that you know we need to step back from what we're doing and just focus um on those. I think it's just the the children that feel the pressure. I know I can say as a parent, you probably agree at the moment. Um but us as parents almost then get this pressure and feel like that they need to just be purely focusing on revision. Yeah, yeah. And um often what happens is they take a break, but then for some reason they just fail to return. Yeah. Um, and parents, um, you know, we get that message then, or you know, um, a little bit actually like our previous podcast. If you listened to last week's when we said to and they kind of like stop for a while and coming back becomes harder than they actually imagine. Yeah. Um and I think parents feel that they need to purely just like double down and focus on revision, yeah. Which is understandable. Uh you want your child to put the best foot forward. Um but for me, I ask at what expense? Yeah, absolutely. And I think with that we then often see the opposite effect. Um and focusing in, you know, when because you're focusing on exams only, um you know, it you are you are we're putting certainly the as the teenage children going through it in a pressure cooker almost. Yeah, exactly. It is exactly that. You see it, you can see it's like the coming in and the bubbling, and it takes us um the come to class and then it takes us the first 10-15 minutes to kind of bring them down and to relax them in. Um but dance or not just dance, dance, sport, whatever it is. Any any extra extracurricular activity has been something that's been consistent for that child, for your child, um and that consistency is important for them. Yeah, you're taking um that away, and it it's the break that actually we believe they really need. Yeah, definitely. Um, you know, I think as we say, you know, we obviously in this podcast is is dance, so we we tend to refer to dance quite a lot as we've just said, we don't mean just dance, you know, dance, sport, anything. Um, but you know, it's uh it's a mental reset. I think going and still attending something that you have enjoyed doing prior to the pressure of school and exams. Um and I personally think still attending um something that you enjoy doing can only then help with the stress and anxiety. Um, you know, it's something that they can, it's one little part of their day where they can still do something that they enjoy without any pressure. Yeah, and not everything in their life at that age should feel like it's a test. Um so can we can we keep routine and normality? That's what I'm asking. I'm reaching out to parents, um, you know, and at the end of the day, we all have a right to to make the decisions based on our own children. Um, you know, what's right for one child isn't always right for for the other child that stood next to them, but we massively see children being pulled from their extracurricular, we've got that word now, extracurricular activities, who would benefit from from staying in them. Yeah, definitely, you know, they they need that headspace to be to be allowed to go turn off almost. Absolutely, yeah, you know, switch, switch off. And I think, you know, um again coming back to the us as parents are trying like you at the moment, you're trying to navigate how's best to support your child when they're going through um a period of exams within their education. And you know, I just want to say to you know, parents listening, you know, we all want the best for our children, and of course, we're there to encourage and support them through the revision and all that kind of stuff. But it's also okay if your child isn't just constantly revising. Yeah, in fact, in my opinion, there shouldn't be. I think breaks are productive and activities actually help them to perform better academically. In fact, I would go, I will find a fact that supports my fact. I honestly do believe that extracurricular activities support children academically. End of quote Miss Laura. Absolutely, couldn't agree more. Um, you know, so I just think sometimes, you know, let's not rush into taking everything away from them during that time, whether it be SACS, GCSEs, A levels. You've also got A levels as well. I know. Oh God, I've got them in two years. Oh my MG, why can't my child just do um apprenticeship? But you know, let's just look at um, which I'm sure we all do anyway, is supporting them um and protecting them and allowing them to do the things that make them happy. Um because those things to me might adjust as much. And I've just said something and then I've checked myself. I do this a lot. I say things and then I go back and rethink about what I've said. And I just said, why can't my child just do an apprenticeship? Um and I don't want that to come off as being flippant because I am a firm advocate for vocational um training, vocational education, and there's so many other routes out there for kids. So if your child isn't an academic, um I actually think if there was more vocational training options, we'd see the pressure cooker. I think there would be a reduction in mental health. I do, I honestly do because it isn't just all about the books and scores and results and you're learning whilst do we uh I mean we've had it in the past, we can have we've had um like teenage helpers in the studio, um and they could be the most academic, but they can't change a bin bag. Yeah, they can't um like no initiative to like wash up pots or to um Do you know what those communicate is? Yeah, can't we? Yeah, and again, that's another podcast with because yeah, our children don't communicate face to face very often, do they? No damage the phones. Um but you know, we every everybody has got a different set of skills that they're gonna take with them in life that's gonna help them towards their own success. Um and I just I personally find it really sad that we're seeing so many children struggle because of the pressure the pressure off exams. Um so let's, you know, let's help support them. We're not saying you have to, um, you know, we're we're not here to, you know, to tell any parents what to do, we're just giving you our thoughts and our opinions and you know, and supporting the children. And if coming to their dance class just takes them away from that stress and pressure for half an hour, let's do it. Absolutely. So if you have got any thoughts on this, or maybe you're a parent that attends our dance school and you'd like to chat to us about it, let us know. Get into comments, drop us a comment, or you know, reach out to us. You have our contact details, and let's get a plan in place for your child. Let's keep them active while supporting them on this journey um through SATS, GCSEs, A levels, apprenticeships, everything in between. But that's it from us, isn't it? It is. Thanks so much for listening. Can I just say I'm gonna have a slurp of my drink? Are you ready? Go on. Now I've done that on purpose. Yeah, before we press record on this podcast, tell everybody what you said you'd like us to do at the end. Maybe not of everyone, maybe not of every now and again. Of course, it depends how long it takes people to get the answer. Well, yeah. Um but hang on. Um There you go. So um I used to listen to a radio station um that can't be named for LinkedIn. There's plenty of other options out there. Yeah, and they used to do um something um about what's that sound, and they'd do a sound and you'd have to guess what it was. Um, and I would absolutely love to get you all involved. It's just you know, it's just a little bit of silliness, a little bit of stupidity. Um keeping things light, and silly and stupid. You know, something that you can get your children to listen to and get them involved as well. One that says silly and one that says stupid. Yeah. Well, rock, paper, scissors, who's got who's who. So we'll we're gonna be starting. What's that sound? Hang on a minute, hang on a minute. You do yours. What's that sound? Oh, I talked over it. Talk over it. Sorry, go, hang on. What's that sound? It's really hard. It is really hard. If you want to know what that sound is, it's actually using our brews. Um but yeah, we're gonna add that in next time. But I think we better go. We better go, aren't we? Yeah, but thank you for listening, and we'll see you in the next episode. Yay!