Tackling the issue of exam stress - how to find help
It’s the time all students and parents dread in equal measure.
Exams and the stress they bring on are now part of life for children passing through school – from primary school sats through to GCSEs and A-Levels.
The pressure is fuelled by teachers who push their pupils both for their own good and for the standing of their school in exam league tables.
Today Childline in the West Midlands revealed the issue of exam stress is one of its biggest challenges, with calls from teenagers rising sharply as Sats take place and GCSE and A-levels loom.
Childline’s West Midlands base, which covers Shropshire, has delivered a total of 850 counselling sessions on exam stress over the last two years.
Peter Wanless, of Childline, said extreme cases have involved young people with severe mental health issues and even suicidal thoughts, adding: “Exam stress for many we speak to can feel so insurmountable.
How to access help
Childline offers round-the-clock help, with expert help and advice either by phone, email or through online one-to-one counselling. All calls are treated confidentially. Call 0800 1111 or visit its website at childline.org.uk to speak via email.
Revision tips are also available through the free BBC Bitesize service. Visit bbc.com/education and search for sections dealing with exam revision advice.
Schools across Shropshire and Mid Wales say they are aware of the issue of exam stress. Pastoral care is provided for those who need help and practical help through revision lessons and advice on learning techniques are also on offer.
Neil Church, curriculum team leader at Ludlow College, said: “This is a really busy and quite stressful time for both students and staff at Ludlow. We’ve done everything we can do to prepare our students for their exams, including running extra revision sessions and additional help. We have every faith in them. There’s no point stressing over upcoming questions that you can’t foresee – all you can do is prepare as best you can, and try your hardest to relax on the big day.
He added: “Around three quarters of our students will go on to further education at university, and therefore are looking to achieve certain grades so there is lots of pressure on our young people to do well. Our exam period ends around the third week of June, then everyone can look can take a deep breath and look forward to summer.”
Last year saw the introduction of a new GCSE grade system, where the traditional A*-U letter grades were replaced by a new 1-9 tier system. The system was put into place by the Department of Education in order to make the exams harder and more challenging, it has been said that the new system will now see less students achieving A* grades.
It has also placed an extra emphasis on exams and placed teachers in a difficult position in that they are teaching a new curriculum without being able to refer to previous exam papers.
Parents are being encouraged by Childline to talk to their children about their workload and upcoming exams in order to alleviate anxiety, as well as giving them the space and time to revise and not apply any unnecessary pressure at home. They also stressed how important it is for children to have regular breaks from revision, and to keep active and eat healthy during exam time.
The staff at Haberdashers’ Adams Grammar School in Newport have recommended techniques to their students, which may be helpful and worth putting into practise over the next few weeks. They also offer advice to parents on steps they can take to help their child.
Dr Peter Pack, deputy head of curriculum at Haberdashers’ Adams, said: “We encourage pupils to develop sensible and effective revision skills right from when they first join us. Pupils need to find revision techniques which suits them; we are all different and what works for one of us won’t necessarily work for another.
“There are, however, some general tips that can help everyone. For instance, we recommend breaking revision down into smaller sessions rather than one long session, and trying to create a routine for the day with planned breaks for meals and other activities.
“We don’t recommend simply re-reading text or highlighting important points; it is better to create flashcards with bite-size pieces of information. Some pupils find they can work with music others can’t, so each needs to discover what works best for them, although all should definitely keep phones switched off and out of reach during revision sessions. Pupils now need to remember the 3Ps: practice, practice, practice.”
Six messages for students and parents
Taking preventative action: Schools are advised not to wait until students are stressed out and not coping before embedding strategies for planning revision and combatting stress. Teachers are encouraged to build mindfulness strategies into lessons or assemblies.
Promoting extracurricular interests: During the exam period, it is important to make students aware that they should not be revising 24/7. Both teachers and parents and encouraged to persuade children to continue to pursue hobbies they enjoy and adopt a culture of valuing the arts or taking part in sport and physical activities.
Encouraging a ‘growth mindset’: If students have a fixed mindset and believe that they are ‘bad at maths’ they are likely to get a mental block when it comes to maths revision. However, if students feel it is worth their time working on it, revision becomes more purposeful and much less frustrating.
Helping students to get excited about their future: If students are able to see exam stress as short-lived and as a stepping-stone to where they want to go, they are more likely to be able to put feelings of anxiety into perspective. A positive focus relating to their career goals is key in enabling students to positively frame their exam stress.
Avoiding ‘catastrophising’: Although a minority of students might be motivated by messages such as “How you perform in your exams will affect the rest of your life”, this is catastrophising. It can paralyse hard-working students and stop others from coming forward when they need help.
Opening a dialogue with parents: Schools increasingly educate parents about exam stress, including the importance of eating well, sleeping well and exercise. The message is that while exams matter, they are never worth risking their health over.
