Could the smell of rosemary make a difference to pupils’ exam performance?

The herb is commonly used in cooking but has long been associated with enhancing the memory.

Scholars in ancient Greece wore sprigs of the herb to improve their recall during exams while Shakespeare enthusiasts will remember Ophelia’s famous words in Hamlet. “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” she says.

Now researchers at Northumbria University have found that pupils sitting exams may be able to enhance their memory with the scent of rosemary.

The academics’ original study involved volunteers over the age of 65, but they were then keen to discover if the smell of rosemary could help school-aged children too.

They asked 40 children aged 10 and 11 to take part in a range of mental tasks in class. The youngsters were randomly assigned to two rooms – one with rosemary oil diffused into it and one with no scent.