Since 1992, Stress Awareness Month has taken place annually in April.
April also marks the start of exam season for schools and colleges all over the country, with stress levels so high this year that teachers are having to give significantly more support to pupils compared to five years ago, according to reports.
A survey conducted by the National Education Union found that 56% of 700 surveyed school staff said that they knew young people who were self-harming or considering doing so. When asked what was contributing to mental health problems in school pupils, 81% blamed examinations and testing.
Additionally, a survey of 3,300 school students in Islington conducted by Public Health found that 28% of primary school and 20% of secondary school students were worried about a family member’s mental health, while 20% of secondary school students were concerned about their own mental health.
“I do think there’s a lot of pressure nowadays, especially in school and college to not fail your exams,” said Georgia Johnson, 21, a beauty therapist from North London.
“I think there is pressure, but there always has been,” said Karen Oakford, 55, a local resident. “When I was at school we were definitely all stressed, it’s never not existed.”
Some, however, are trying to tackle this problem. Earlier this month, The Independent reported that parents across the country were withdrawing their 10 and 11-year-old children from sitting their SAT tests after concerns for their mental health.
“Let Our Kids Be Kids”, a campaign group set up by parents in 2016, published a template letter outlining reasons why children shouldn’t sit their SAT tests, which has been downloaded more than two thousand times.
The National Education Union also recently voted to try and block the government’s new plans for numeracy and literacy tests for four-year-olds.
Last month, the Duchess of Cambridge opened the mental health charity Place2Be’s new HQ in Clerkenwell, with hopes of training more professionals to be able to speak to children who feel they’re suffering in silence at school.
For more information on Stress Awareness Month, visit: https://www.nopanic.org.uk/stress-awareness-month/
For advice on dealing with exam stress, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/coping-with-exam-stress/
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