Albert Einstein once said, "Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid." From the curious age of 4 to the insightful age of 16, students experience a relentless array of exams that are designed to serve as "progress checks" but instead project unwavering issues of self-confidence.

The failure of our examination system to eliminate the fixation on academical achievements and remove the persistent projection on perfection has led students to feel unsupported and unheard instead of being backed by an education system that allows them to nurture each of their individual talents and flourish.

Our current system continually perpetuates rocketing anxiety and emotional disorders in our children, as supported by recent studies conducted by Ofqual, unshockingly revealed that 16.4% of students aged 14–16 in England face test-based anxiety. Students at this age are too young to get a job, too young to drive, too young to vote, but not too young to live with a psychological fear of failure?

But why not hear it first-hand from a GCSE student themselves?

Year 11 GCSE student Sukhjit Kaur acknowledged that "Systems relying solely on memory are impractical and are definitely not feasible in the long term. In professional environments, you will be expected to collaborate with others and draw from the resources around you, and not in the controlling conditions that examinations follow."

The same viewpoint is communally shared by the many students sitting their exams next summer, who feel that exams are not a clear indicator of success and do not accurately reflect a student’s ability or progress.

World-renowned philanthropist Nelson Mandela stated that "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," but simply what is the use of that weapon if it is not being manufactured and tailored to your needs?