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Radio review: Taking the classic approach to exam revision

Eileen Macken said she never gave up hope during her 62-year hunt for her mother; they were reunited thanks to help from Joe Duffy's Liveline
Eileen Macken said she never gave up hope during her 62-year hunt for her mother; they were reunited thanks to help from Joe Duffy's Liveline Eileen Macken said she never gave up hope during her 62-year hunt for her mother; they were reunited thanks to help from Joe Duffy's Liveline

Classic FM Revision Hour, Classic FM

Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4

Liveline, RTÉ Radio 1

THE sun is blazing down; perfect exam weather.

But before anyone asks - no, you can't take the papers outside and do them sitting on the grass.

Nevertheless, Classic FM is offering music to soothe the savage beast and useful tips about last minute cramming, exam stress and the pain of procrastination.

On hand to hold your hand if you need it are singers Lewis Capaldi and Dan Smith as well as Vick Hope from Capital radio.

They'll be chatting to experts from the Students' Room.

The show is on a Saturday night at 9pm. Will many students be buried deep in the books at that time?

It's a hard call... but a stress reliever for all, including the parents.

Some students face an extra challenge as the holy month of Ramadan falls during the exam period.

There are concerns about how fasting from dawn to dusk could affect students' concentration.

Woman's Hour interviewed students from Muslim families who are affected by fasting.

One young woman brushed it off - on the contrary, fasting can improve your concentration and your mental stamina, she pointed out.

Another talked about the excitement and a sense of togetherness at Ramadan.

It's tough and difficult, she admitted, but she did 23 exams - GCSEs - all in Ramadan and she got nine A stars and three As - so it was okay.

The story of Eileen Macken (82), who was reunited with her birth mother who is 104 years old, went viral on Twitter.

She had been given up for adoption and grew up in an orphanage.

It was with the help of a genealogist whom she met through Joe Duffy's Liveline that she managed to find her mum in Scotland.

She's so happy that she hasn't done any house work since, she told Joe.

You can listen again to Eileen on the website - it's truly heartening.