The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August 2026 issue. - Magazine - Page 62
Navigating GCSE anxiety:
How educators can help students through exam season
By Ryan Lockett, Headteacher and Director of Studies at TLC LIVE Online School
A recent report highlighted that 71% of students report exam weeks
as the most stressful point in their academic year, building on Young
Mind’s earlier report that nearly two-thirds of exam sitters struggled
to cope in the run-up to GCSEs and A-levels.
Over the last decade, the conversation around student mental
health has grown significantly, and teachers and parents are doing
their best to respond. There will always be some pressure attached
to exams, and that's entirely understandable given how much
rides on them. But there is a clear tipping point when that pressure
becomes something more harmful, and as educators, we have both
the responsibility and the opportunity to recognise it. So, how do
we actually help?
Recognising the signs
The first step is knowing what to look for. There's a difference
between healthy exam nerves (which are normal) and anxiety
that has crossed into something more problematic. Some signs
are subtler than others, but keep a close eye on students who
seem persistently tired or disengaged from lessons, or those
whose personality seems to have shifted. It's also worth watching
for the opposite - students who seem unbothered to the point of
recklessness, adopting an attitude that can sometimes mask
deeper worry.
What makes this particularly difficult is that one study found 69%
of students have avoided asking for help due to stress, anxiety or
embarrassment. Creating low-barrier, open-door moments for
honest conversation is essential, and concerns should be flagged
and escalated where relevant.
