MORE than eight in 10 headteachers say their pupils are more stressed and anxious about exams this year than they were pre-pandemic.
A survey by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) found that nearly 80 per cent of schools and colleges had also had more requests than pre-pandemic for pupils to take their exams in separate rooms away from the exam hall because of anxiety and stress.
In the poll of 527 headteachers at schools in Northern Ireland, England and Wales, heads reported that exam anxiety was causing high rates of pupil absence, with some saying that they were seeing more challenging behaviour from pupils as a result of anxiety.
Some heads said there had been a rise in self-harm incidents, with several reporting that A-level pupils, who will have never taken a full suite of public exams before, experiencing the worst anxiety.
Schools and colleges have put in extra support such as more counselling and revision technique tips but are struggling to cope because of the pressure on available space and the number of invigilators, the survey found.
More than a third said that they had not been able to hire enough invigilators for this summer's exams, with a combination of high demand and fears from invigilators - many of whom are retired teachers - about the Covid risks of exam halls.
In total, 14 per cent of heads said that the level of Covid infections is already worrying, and a further 60 per cent said that infections were not currently an issue but they were worried this could escalate.
Geoff Barton, ASCL general secretary, said: "This survey reveals the extremely challenging circumstances facing students, schools and colleges as they embark upon the first full set of public exams in three years.
"It shows that this is far from being a return to normal, and we are particularly concerned about the impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people."
"It is clear that schools and colleges are doing everything possible to support them.
"However, their budgets are extremely tight because of years of government underfunding, and the government has simply not shown enough urgency in improving mental health support for young people going back long before the pandemic began."
