Teach Secondary Issue 14.3

From panic TO PREPARATION Ryan Lockett sets out what teachers can do to stop GCSE anxiety in its tracks H ere’s a scene many teachers will knowwell – students are sat at their exam desks, the silence occasionally broken by the shuffling of papers or the nervous tap of a pencil. They shift in their seats, brows furrowed in concentration, occasionally stealing quick glances at the clock on the wall. Formal exams are an integral part of every student’s academic journey, but many students continue suffer during the intense pressure of exam periods. Exam anxiety is something every teacher will have seen before, but in recent years it seems to be more prevalent than ever. So what can we do to help those students who are overly sensitive to the demands of the exam room and perhaps prone to catastrophising? Everything became harder The pressure on students has intensified in recent years, mainly due to the GCSE reforms introduced by former Education Secretary Michael Gove. These included the introduction of a numerical grading system, as well as the removal of traditional coursework, meaning the entirety of a student’s grade would henceforth be based purely on their exam performance. These modifications subsequently raised the stakes for secondary students in England, with their academic performance nowwholly centred on a series of exams taking place across a fewweeks in spring and summer. On top of these systemic changes, students have also faced mounting pressure from external sources. Societal and parental expectations for academic success have never been higher, withmany young people now struggling under the weight of what’s become an increasingly demanding and aspirational culture. A 2022 study found that children in the UK exhibited the lowest levels of life satisfaction, and most pronounced fear of failure relating to their education compared to 24 other European countries. Other complicating factors have included the pervasive influence of social media and the assorted challenges that have followed in the wake of the pandemic. The current cohort of GCSE students had to adapt to remote learning amid major disruptions to their education, only to find themselves now navigating the uncertainties of a profoundly altered world. These upheavals have inevitably taken a significant toll on their mental health and academic confidence. Recognising the signs According to The Children’s Society, the likelihood of young people experiencing a mental health problemhas increased by 50% over the last three years. This sharp rise has caused significant concern among educators, parents and mental health professionals regarding the links between exam-related stress and a general decline in youthmental health. Even in supportive and nurturing classroom environments, many students will still experience intense pressure to achieve top grades. The setting of high academic goals puts pressure onmany students, despite them receiving otherwise helpful ongoing support from their teachers. Similarly, many parents, while naturally hoping for the best for their children, may be setting high academic expectations that can be challenging to meet consistently. Then there’s the omnipresence of social media, and the ways in which it invites students to draw constant comparisons between their own outcomes and those of their peers – “Societal and parental expectations foracademic success haveneverbeenhigher” 32 teachwire.net/secondary