North East kids struggle with exam stress

As exam season approaches the NSPCC have told us hundreds of North East and Teesside kids are being counselled over stress.

The charity say youngsters are struggling to cope and many tell them they are overwhelmed with excessive workloads.

New figures from the NSPCC-run service reveal that it delivered 3,135 counselling sessions on exam stress in 2016/17 - a rise of 11% over the past two years.

More than a fifth of all the sessions from across the UK took place in May as pupils faced upcoming exams with many telling counsellors they were struggling with subjects, excessive workloads and feeling unprepared.

12-15 year olds were most likely to be counselled about exam stress but this year saw the biggest rise - up 21% on 2015/16 - amongst 16-18 year olds, many of whom will have been preparing for A-levels to determine university places.

Worryingly young people are consistently telling counsellors exam stress can contribute to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, excessive crying, low self-esteem, self-harming and suicidal thoughts, or even make pre-existing mental health conditions worse.  

One teenage boy who contacted Childline said:

“I'm really feeling the pressure of A-levels; I've been having panic attacks and difficulty breathing. I am so afraid of not getting the right grades and I'm stressed about the future.

“My life could turn out so differently depending on what I get.”

Another teenage boy said:

“I am about to take my GCSEs and I am under so much pressure as my parents are expecting me to do really well. I am going to revision classes and trying really hard but I feel like it is not good enough for them.

“My parents don't allow me to do anything else apart from revision and if I try and talk to them it always ends up in an argument.”

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC said:

“Every year we hear from thousands of children who are struggling to cope with the pressure to succeed in exams.

“For some this can feel so insurmountable that it causes crippling anxiety and stress and in some cases contributes to mental health issues or even suicidal thoughts and feelings.

“Exams are important but worrying and panicking about them can be counterproductive, leaving young people unable to revise and prepare. “