How to Help Your Child Revise for the IB Diploma

The IB Diploma is tough, and it can feel just as stressful for parents as it does for students. With six subjects, internal assessments, and core components like the Extended Essay, it is easy to feel unsure about how to help your child revise for the IB Diploma without adding extra pressure.

Many parents want to support their teen but are not always familiar with how the IB works or why the workload feels so demanding. This guide explains the programme in simple terms and shows you practical, calm ways to make revision feel more manageable at home.

You do not need to understand every subject. What matters is helping your child stay organised, confident, and balanced. In this guide, you’ll find clear, parent-friendly steps to support your teenager through every step of their IB revision.

Key Takeaways

• Learn the basics of the IB so you can support your child with confidence, even if you are new to the programme.

• Help your teen build a realistic revision routine that includes breaks, balance, and a mix of subjects.

• Support healthy habits such as sleep, meals, movement, and calm communication to reduce stress and prevent burnout.

• Your role is not to teach the content. It is to guide, reassure, and notice when your child needs a little extra help.

Common Challenges IB Students Face During Revision

The IB Diploma is demanding, and understanding what your teen is experiencing makes it much easier to support them. Although many students love the variety of the course, the workload can be intense, especially in the final year.

Here are some of the most common challenges IB students face:

• A heavy workload across six subjects which each have their own content, skills, and exam styles.

• Internal assessments that run alongside revision and often overlap.

• Extended Essay pressure, especially in Year 12 when many students are still developing research and writing skills.

• TOK essays or presentations, which require abstract thinking, can feel very different from other subjects.

• Long-term revision fatigue, as students have to manage two full years of content.

• Burnout, often caused by balancing schoolwork with sleep, activities, part-time jobs, or social life.

• Comparisons with high-performing classmates, which can create unnecessary pressure.

Many IB students feel they need to excel in everything. This can be overwhelming, especially during exam season. Understanding these pressures helps you respond with calm, steady support.

How You Can Support Your Child With Their IB Revision

Here are some simple strategies that can make revision healthier and more manageable. 

Help Them Build a Realistic Revision Schedule

A clear routine helps your child feel more in control during a very demanding course. The aim is to create an IB revision plan with them, not for them.

Here is how you can help:

• Start with a weekly or monthly planner that they can put somewhere visible.

• Block out fixed commitments first, such as school, clubs, meals, rest, and family time.

• Add revision in short, focused sessions, rather than long blocks that feel overwhelming.

• Encourage them to rotate subjects. Switching between topics keeps revision fresh and helps the brain process information.

• Support them in setting small, achievable goals like “review a topic”, “complete a past paper section”, or “work on my IA for 30 minutes”.

Ask your teen what kind of support they want before suggesting changes. You know them best. But I’d vouch after many years of working with teens that they’re far more likely to follow a plan they helped create.

Create a Calm and Distraction-Free Study Space

A quiet, organised space can make a big difference to how well your child focuses. It doesn’t need to be a separate study room. Making small improvements to their usual environment can help them settle into revision more easily.

You can support by:

• Clearing surfaces so the area feels tidy and less overwhelming.

• Keeping essentials like pens, notes, and water within easy reach.

• Making sure the space has good lighting and a comfortable chair.

• Agreeing on simple phone boundaries, such as keeping devices in another room or using apps like Forest (opens in a new tab) to limit distractions.

• Reducing background noise where possible, or offering headphones if your home is busy.

For further advice, consult our handy guide to creating the perfect study space.

Encourage Healthy Habits and Balance

Healthy routines are one of the strongest foundations for effective IB revision. When students are tired, stressed, or skipping meals, their ability to concentrate drops quickly. Your support helps them stay steady during demanding weeks.

You can encourage balance by:

• Protecting sleep, especially during busy periods. Most teens need around eight hours to think clearly and remember what they have revised.

• Promoting regular breaks, such as a short walk, stretching, or time outside. Movement improves mood and focus.

• Offering balanced meals and healthy snacks, so they have steady energy throughout the day.

• Encouraging time away from work, including seeing friends, relaxing in the evenings, or doing a hobby they enjoy.

• Modelling calm behaviour, such as taking your own breaks, switching off devices in the evening, or managing stress in healthy ways. You set the tone in a more powerful way than you might realise.

Keep Them Motivated Without Adding Pressure

IB revision is a long journey, and your child’s motivation will naturally rise and fall. See your role as steadying the ups and downs, not pushing harder. 

Small, positive interactions from you can help your child stay confident and focused.

Try:

• Praising effort rather than results, such as “I’ve noticed that you’ve stuck to your revision plan every day this week”.

• Asking supportive questions, like “What would help you feel more in control today?” or “Which task feels most manageable to start with?”

• Celebrating small wins, whether they complete an IA section or understand a tricky topic.

• Avoiding comparisons with siblings or classmates. Even when well-intentioned, these often increase pressure.

• Keeping check-ins light, for example, asking how their day went or if they want help organising tomorrow.

Steadily boosting their confidence helps far more than reminders or warnings. Gentle encouragement keeps them motivated without overwhelming them.

Understand When to Step In and When to Step Back

Finding the right balance between helping and giving space can be one of the hardest parts of supporting an IB student. Too much involvement can feel like pressure. Too little can leave them feeling lost. Watching for key signs helps you decide what they need.

Step in when you notice:

• persistent stress, panic, or worry

• disrupted sleep or skipped meals

• refusal to take breaks

• missed deadlines or a lack of any clear plan

• signs of burnout, such as exhaustion, irritability, or losing interest in normal activities

A calm conversation, a reset of their revision plan, or encouragement to speak to a teacher can make a big difference.

Step back when:

• they are working steadily, even if their method differs from what you would choose

• they want more independence

• they have a clear routine and feel in control

• your involvement is increasing tension rather than helping

If anxiety becomes overwhelming, remind them that support is available at school. You can also download Save My Exams’ free Exam Anxiety Relief Kit.

Supporting the Core Components: EE, TOK and CAS

You do not need deep subject knowledge to help with core IB components.

Extended Essay (EE)

The Extended Essay is a 4,000-word research project that many students find challenging. You can support by:

• Asking them to explain their topic or research question. Talking it through helps clarify ideas.

• Encouraging mini deadlines so the project stays manageable.

• Offering a calm, quiet space for longer writing sessions.

• Praising progress, not perfection, especially during early drafts.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

Theory of Knowledge encourages students to think about how knowledge is built and questioned. You can help by:

• Showing interest in their examples or the issues they discuss in class.

• Asking simple questions like “Why is that example important?” or “What made you choose that argument?”

• Encouraging them to practise explaining ideas aloud if they are preparing for a presentation.

CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service)

IB Creativity, Activity, Service encourages students to learn through experiences beyond the classroom. Your support can include:

• Helping them organise their time so CAS activities fit comfortably around schoolwork.

• Providing transport or equipment if needed.

• Celebrating their achievements, whether it is volunteering, sports, music, or a creative project.

With all three components, your curiosity and encouragement matter more than subject expertise. A supportive home environment helps your child stay motivated and on track.

Revision Resources

The right revision tools can make IB study more manageable. Save My Exams offers IB resources designed to help students stay organised, practise effectively, and feel more confident in the run-up to exams.

Your child can use Save My Exams to access:

• Structured revision notes that break down tricky topics into clear, easy steps.

• Exam questions with model answers that demonstrate how strong responses are structured.

• Past papers and mark schemes, which show exactly what examiners look for.

These resources all help students to revise using active recall methods, which are far more effective than endlessly rereading notes. All Save My Exams resources are exam-aligned and created by teachers and examiners, ensuring your child is covering the exact materials they need to be exam-ready.

You can also find plenty of revision advice in our Learning Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Hours a Day Should My Child Revise for the IB?

There is no single rule. Most IB students revise 1 to 3 hours on school days, then 3 to 5 hours on weekends as exams get closer. The key is steady, focused work rather than long cramming sessions. Short, regular study blocks with breaks help information stick.

What If My Teen Is Falling Behind or Burning Out?

Look for signs such as exhaustion, frustration, missed deadlines or emotional withdrawal. Gently help them reset their plan, speak to teachers if needed and encourage rest before restarting revision.

How Can I Encourage My Child Without Nagging?

Try gentle, supportive check-ins instead of daily reminders of looming deadlines. Questions like “What would help you today?” or “Do you want help planning tomorrow?” open conversations without pressure.

Remember to praise effort and progress, and keep communication calm and consistent. Treat your child as you would have liked your own parent or carer to have treated you at that stage of your own school career.

When Should IB Revision Start?

Most students begin structured revision in January of Year 13, once much of the course content is complete. 

Earlier in the year, you can encourage light review, organisation, and regular work on internal assessments to prevent last-minute stress. Read our guidance on how long students need to revise for IB.

Helping Your Teen Feel Confident and Prepared

You don’t need expert subject knowledge to support your child through the IB Diploma. Their teachers are the leaders in that department. What matters most is your calm presence, steady encouragement, and a home environment in which they feel able to work hard and relax in their free time.

By appreciating the demands of the IB and helping your teen build healthy routines, you’re giving them the support to manage their revision without feeling alone or overwhelmed. 

With your backing and the right resources, your child can approach their IB exams with confidence and take pride in their progress. Your support helps them feel capable, resilient, and ready for success.

References:

• Forest (opens in a new tab)