38 per cent of students ‘reaching their limit’ when it comes to exams

April 2017: A recent survey of 15-17 year olds has revealed that 86 per cent of students feel some level of stress during revision season, with 36 per cent saying they’re reaching their limit or feel completely overwhelmed.

Over 46 per cent of students also said they revise for five or more hours every week, yet one fifth of students said they don’t feel supported by their teachers.

With the latest GCSE results showing the sharpest decline in the percentage of students achieving C grades or above since 1988, and school leaders saying that pupils are bringing more worries into school than they did five years ago, these statistics highlight the concerns for students’ mental wellbeing and suggest that today’s students are struggling to cope with the increasing demands placed on them by exams.

Doing something creative such as listening to music, has been proven to help to reduce stress and improve focus. This survey found that 90 per cent of students listen to music while revising to help cope with the mounting pressure, and yet, many parents and teachers still believe it to be a hindrance to effective studying.

The survey, carried out by Studytracks, reviewed the revision habits of 500 GCSE students.

Ivor Novello Award winner and founder of Studytracks, George Hammond-Hagan, said: “Today’s students are under increasing pressure to achieve and it’s frightening that such a large percentage of students say they are reaching their limit or completely overwhelmed when it comes to revising for their exams. In my view this issue is something that needs addressing by school leaders.”

For more information, visit www.studytracks.education/