At the beginning of Year 10 the work load gets heavier, homework is constantly set as the GCSE syllabus commences, with the aim to push students to the max and retrieve the best results possible.
Many teenagers spend hours slaving over increasing amounts of homework without any time to relax and take a break. With little time to socialise, they can become withdrawn leading to feelings of isolation and depression. Tests are often and hard and require lots of preparation; learning key terms, facts and figures but when you go to sit the test paper your knowledge disappears and your mid goes blank. Students in their examination years are being taught to achieve and are constantly set goals. Many are finding it harder and harder to obtain information due to the rewiring of their brains and the fear of failure playing on their minds. Stress is piled high and the real exams are near, yet the push for perfection is still apparent. Maintaining revision, classwork and homework can become a problem when support is not given, stress and anxiety levels soar and some use smoking, drug taking and self-harming to cope. A Childline National Exam Stress Survey reported that 14% of people drink alcohol to relieve stress, 96% of the people felt anxious about exams and 64% never received and support in dealing with exam stress.
A local secondary teacher explained: homework is used to retrieve skills in a short space of time, eliminating shock and panic in the real test as well as raising aspirations for future careers. A new more rigorous GCSE format has been introduced by the Government to drive up pupil performance, aimed at improving standards of education to compete with high achieving countries such as Finland. Finland creates more highly skilled students by inflicting pressure to be the best. It is proven that girls perform better than boys under pressure. By pushing students as hard the expectation is that they will achieve the expected levels. Teacher are under pressure to ensure students perform well and become fearful and pressured when they don’t. Head’s want the school to maintain a high achieving reputation, persuading parents to send their children there.
To help cope with exam stress, sharing is the best way to relieve it. Speaking to a trustworthy adult or peer lifts a weight off many teens shoulders, enabling them to relax and successfully manage revision. Taking breaks little and often after small bursts of hard work helps you concentrate more. Fill you time up with exercise. Exercise releases stress and endorphins making you feel happier giving you a positive mindset. Thinking positively helps during revision, allowing you to accomplish much more with an optimistic view on life. Believing in yourself lets you think that ‘I can do it’ and you truly can! Always remember not to measure yourself against anyone else, instead, spend time focusing on your own performance and improvements will be made!
By Lucy Nolan
