Ever since the General Certificate of Secondary Education or GCSE’s were introduced in 1988, it has been a major cause of stress for pupils aged 11 to 16.
The time leading up to GCSEs are stressful, hectic and time consuming. This can be a lot for a child, especially as their bodies are changing and emotions never experienced before start to arise. Learning multiple formulas and poems by heart simultaneously can be a big strain on teenagers, especially since we are not taught how to deal with it effectively. This causes their mental health to often be neglected and spiral out of control.
Since the new GCSE curriculum was introduced, the levels of stress and anxiety subsequently have increased. This is linked to having to memorise more content, student having to sit more exams and the exams themselves being more difficult. Stress is also caused by the new 9-1 grading system, which has had an air of confusion surrounding it since it was implemented into the school system. There are also no past papers to practice with, meaning that students have no resources at their disposal to prepare for the exams, therefore making the transition from letter to number grades even harder.
Some tips often used to combat exam stress are getting enough sleep, this is important as it boosts your attention span when studying and during class and getting organised. Much like the saying goes, a healthy space leads to a healthy mind, and getting organised or having a schedule means you can make time for yourself and put your mental health first.
