Exams bring rise in counselling sessions

THE number of counselling sessions over exam anxiety led by charity Childline has almost doubled in seven months, figures show.

More than 200 counselling sessions about exam worries took place in March, nearly double the number of sessions in September 2021.

In 2021-22, Childline practitioners delivered 1,734 counselling sessions to pupils who are worried about exam stress and revision, a 62 per cent increase on the previous year.

Over 200 of these were in March, nearly double the number of sessions delivered seven months beforehand in September 2021, reflecting increasing levels of anxiety as exams draw nearer.

A 15-year-old girl told Childline: “My GCSES are coming up soon and I’m extremely stressed out about them.

“I missed so much school the last few years because of the pandemic and I worry this will reflect in my results.

“I’ve been pulling all-nighters to revise but then I can’t sleep when I try. I can tell this is taking a toll on my mental health.”

The NSPCC figures from 2021/22 also revealed a two-month spike in exam-related stress during May and June last year, as pupils went back to school in March and learned that full public exams would be cancelled for a second time because of the pandemic.

Alex Gray, service head at Childline, said: “Our latest stats on exam stress highlight the mounting concern felt by children and young people as they look to sit their exams this month.

“Children are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and with exams due to take place as normal following two years of cancellations, it is really important they get the support they need.”