Mental Health Support During Exam Season
In recent years there has been a particular focus on student’s mental health, made even more abundant during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, how much support are we offering to students during exam season, when they need it most?
Exam Stress
Exams have always been considered a stressful time within the school year, both for students and teachers. However, in recent decades the pressure to do well in exams has increased, with such a focus on your future being placed on that time in a silent hall. It’s understandable that it is taking its toll on the mental health of students with 66% of students admitting exams cause them stress.
Aiding Mental Health
This year, schools are being encouraged to help ease the strain of exams on the mental health of their students. And many schools are looking at intuitive ways to reduce this stress.
A selection of schools in the country are looking at adapting how they encourage revision, turning this into more fun and interactive sessions, rather than solo and quiet reflection.
Others have opted to continue lessons as normal, without “revision periods” but rather presenting old content in new ways to help students remember or understand it better.
There are also a number of schools that have questioned the “exam leave” that many schools offer students at exam time. This is because while students should use this time to revise, many do not, meaning that when they arrive at their exams they are more stressed and underprepared than if they have still been in school.
We have also seen reports of schools that have brought in additional mental health support for this stressful time. From additional trained staff, to “dog therapy”, these additions have been seen as the new way to combat mental health in young people with universities having used this approach for a number of years.
How will your school look at easing exam stress this, or even next year?
If you require your Teaching Assistants and Support Staff to have further knowledge and understanding around mental health within schools, The Learning College offer an online qualification in Understanding Mental Health. This level 3 qualification is nationally recognised and updated regularly with the latest findings.
For more information, please contact the team today.