Every year, thousands of young people across the UK face the mounting pressure of GCSEs — the long evenings of revision, the comparisons with peers, and the constant reminders of what’s at stake. For many, it’s not just an academic hurdle but a mental and emotional one too.

At Chipping Campden School in the Cotswolds, that pressure has been met with a fresh and inspiring approach. Led by Army veteran and certified life coach Sam Coton, the Better Me, Better You programme is helping students build resilience, focus, and self-belief as they prepare for exams — and it’s having a profound impact.

Rewiring the Mind for Confidence

Sam Coton, who served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, says his military background shaped the way he supports young people. Drawing on lessons in discipline, mindset, and purpose, he helps students reframe how they think about stress and success.

“A lot of them present with not being positive or confident,” Sam explains. “But a lot of that is down to an inner belief that can be rewired, particularly if you get to the root cause of it.”

Through guided workshops, students learn practical techniques to stay present, manage distractions, and calm their minds. They explore how their subconscious beliefs can influence their daily choices — whether that’s the way they revise or how they handle pressure in the exam hall.

Building Calm Amid GCSE Chaos

For Year 11 student Naomi, the workshops arrived at just the right time. Like many of her peers, she found the GCSE pressure overwhelming.

“It’s like constant — every single lesson they are mentioning it,” she says.

After taking part in Better Me, Better You, she says she’s learned how to step back and manage that pressure rather than be consumed by it.

Year 12 student Fraser echoes that sentiment. Before joining the programme, his revision sessions were short and easily interrupted by his phone. Now, he’s learned how to stay focused for hours at a time — and he describes the change as “like magic”.

Speaking Students’ Language

The school’s vice principal, Dan Rushworth, says Sam’s approach is effective because it truly connects with students.

“He really speaks their language and he gets into their heads in the way they think and perceive themselves,” he explains.

This ability to speak their language — combining empathy, structure, and self-awareness — seems to be the key to the programme’s success. Rather than telling students to “stress less” or “just focus”, it helps them understand how their minds work and gives them tools to change their habits from the inside out.

A Growing Need for Support

The importance of initiatives like this can’t be overstated. NHS data from 2024 revealed that more than 550 children a day in England were referred to mental health services for anxiety. Social media, academic expectations, and uncertainty about the future all contribute to rising stress levels among young people.

Better Me, Better You — a Community Interest Company (CIC) funded by grants and donations — is part of a growing movement to address this challenge. Sam’s long-term dream is for programmes like his to become a standard part of school life.

“If it’s just built in — that we talk about our mindset and our mental health as much as our physical health — then I think that’s the right place to be,” he says.

What Parents Can Take Away

For parents watching their children navigate GCSEs, Sam’s work offers a clear message: mindset matters as much as revision plans. Encouraging open conversations about stress, helping children set healthy routines, and reminding them that self-belief is something that can be built — all make a difference.

At Walnut Learning, we believe this holistic approach to education is vital. Academic achievement will always be important, but so too is nurturing confident, resilient, emotionally intelligent young people — ones who understand that success starts from within.

Key Takeaways for Parents

• Encourage your child to focus on progress, not perfection.
• Create revision routines that include breaks and reflection, not just study time.
• Talk about mental health and mindset as openly as physical wellbeing.
• Remind them that stress is natural — but it can be managed with the right tools.