The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Testing times
Scottish children are increasingly seeking the aid of counsellors due to excessive stress during exam season, say charities. Michael Alexander reports
It’s that time of year when schools, colleges and universities across Scotland put up the “Quiet. Exam in Progress” signs and students grapple with the accompanying anxiety. Worrying about tests is nothing new but could changes to the education system be contributing to a surge in the number of Scottish children contacting a counselling helpline about exam stress over the past year?
According to the NSPCC’s Childline, counselling sessions for girls who gave their location as Scotland more than doubled from 53 in 2015-16 to 108 in 2016-17.
Contacts from boys were less frequent but they also rose from just five in 2015-16 to 20 last year.
The total number of counselling sessions delivered to children in Scotland increased from 106 to 150.
Many of those pupils told counsellors they were struggling with subjects, excessive workloads and feeling unprepared.
Children aged 12-15 were most likely to be counselled about exam stress but this year saw the biggest rise – up 21% on 2015-16 figures – among 16 to 18-year-olds.
Problems
Worryingly young people are consistently telling counsellors that exam stress can contribute to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, excessive crying, low self-esteem, selfharming and suicidal thoughts.
The Scottish Government has acknowledged it must do better academically after being criticised for its record on literacy and numeracy over the past 10 years.
However, it also describes the wellbeing of pupils as “vitally important” and says this is a top priority for the new Curriculum for Excellence.
Teachers have mixed views on whether the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, coupled with changes to the exam system, is contributing to pupils’ stress levels. Exam stress counselling sessions in England are also on the rise, say some, suggesting the issues go far wider than the Scottish system.
One Fife-based secondary school teacher, who asked not to be named, told The Courier: “My first thoughts are that in general the exams aren’t any more stressful.
“However, the continual assessment component can be daunting.
“In my catchment – where there is a high rate of free meal allocation, an indicator of deprivation and social mobility issues – it seems a common coping strategy (from pupils) is to put down the shutters, bury their heads in the sand and truant classes.”
A different view was taken by another Fife-raised secondary school teacher, who now works overseas.
He said the new Scottish exam structure could be at least in part to blame for the added pressures.
“Firstly, the number of assessments for N5 and Higher which current pupils have to go through is much higher than under Standard Grade and the previous Higher,” he said.
“Assignments also add an extra degree of pressure. These need to be completed by about March, with the write-up in exam conditions in school before being sent off for marking.”
The teacher added that he does not think today’s children are as “well drilled” in exam preparation as they were 30 years ago.
He said: “I wonder also if the added stress of so many people going to university is equally great, and the fact that some jobs are now requiring Highers, where maybe 20 years ago they didn’t?”
Pressure
David Farmer, Fife publicity officer for Scotland’s largest teaching union, the EIS, said it was clear from members that pressure on pupils has risen markedly over the last four or five years.
He said: “A lot has to do with the perceived value of certain gold standard qualifications like Higher Maths and Higher English which a lot of entrants to higher education depend on.
“The other thing I would say is that kids have not always developed the strategies of adults to cope with pressure.
“There are also so many other pressures on teenagers – especially for girls. ‘Body fascism’, or image pressures, portrayed through the media, do not help.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The wellbeing of school pupils is vitally important and we recognise the impact that anxiety about school work can have on children. That is why health and wellbeing is a key priority of the Curriculum for Excellence.
“All adults working in schools are responsible for supporting and developing mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing to support successful learning and happy lives.
“In addition, opportunities should be available through the school year for every young person to have regular conversations about their learning and progress.
“This should include discussing any stress a young person may be feeling as they prepare for examinations, and support around how this can best be managed.”
My first thoughts are that in general the exams aren’t any more stressful