The new leader of the Girls’ School Association has stated that England’s school exam system needs an overhaul to lower the mental burdens they place on teenagers striving for the “holy grail” of results. The existing pressures of achieving top grades for university admissions was exasperated by the highly disputed algorithms last year during the pandemic. Combined with continued disruptions to assessments due to isolation and lockdowns, research from MyTutor, the UK’s most trusted tutoring platform, reveals that 42% of parents said their child had the highest levels of stress they have observed in their lifetime.

To address issues with stress and anxiety around exams, post-qualification offers and applications have been suggested as a fairer system for young people, as it would reduce the pressure placed on their final year of school. Further research from MyTutor shows that 43% of parents agree their child’s self-esteem is linked to the grades they achieved at school, shedding light on the pressures felt by teens in attaining top grades and being accepted into their first-choice university.

Key statistics:

43% agree their child’s self-esteem is linked to the grades they achieved at school and university

62% agree that university is not the only path they are recommending to their child after their school career, as it is not essential for them to get a good job

31% agree that pre-Covid, their child disregarded coursework and class time in favour of putting greater effort into their exams

44% agree that post-pandemic, their child now prioritises their coursework and class time rather than cramming revision before exams

46% agree that having experienced teacher graded assessments, their child actually prefers this way of learning and grading

54% agree their child feels they learn and retain more due to being graded throughout the year rather than end of year exams

42% of parents said their child has the highest levels of stress they have observed in their lifetime

Based on the negative impact that exams can have on teens’ mental health, questions around whether GCSEs and A-levels are appropriate for pupils in their current form have been raised. This comes as over half of parents across the nation – 54% – said their child feels they learn and retain more due to being graded throughout the year rather than end of year exams. Changes to the structure of assessments in the wake of the pandemic could therefore be made in the future.

Bertie Hubbard, co-founder of MyTutor, comments on the impact of exam stress on teens:

“The last 18 months has been tough for teens. And after months out of school, exam cancellations, not seeing friends and worrying about Covid-19, it’s no surprise that 26% parents feel their child’s mental health has declined. With schools open again, catching up on lost learning and prepping for retakes and mocks this term brings another set of challenges.

Teens are in more need than ever for some support and reassurance with their studies, and that’s exactly what our tutors offer. Our tutors are all from UK unis, and because they’re just a few years older they can easily relate to what teens are going through. With their dedicated one-to-one support, teens get some much-needed reassurance and come out with a stronger self-belief – 88% say that lessons made them feel more confident.”