Rising stress among pupils as new school term begins, study finds

Three in four secondary school pupils say they are more anxious about the new academic year than they were 12 months ago, according to new research.

A survey of 12 to 18-year-olds carried out by revision app SimpleStudy found 75% felt more stressed about returning to school. More than three-quarters said they spent the summer worrying about exams, while 42% reported feeling pressure from parents to revise during the holidays.

The findings also highlight physical and emotional effects linked to exam stress. Nearly seven in 10 pupils reported symptoms such as racing hearts or sweating when thinking about revision, and more than half said they had cried over schoolwork in the month before term began.

Financial pressures appear to be compounding the problem. Some 64% of pupils said they could not afford all the resources needed for revision, and 51% said money concerns affected their ability to concentrate in class.

Parents are expected to spend an average of £329 per child on back-to-school costs this year – up 70% on last year, according to the research.

The study comes after a mixed set of summer exam results, with GCSE pass rates down, resit levels for English and Maths at record highs, and A-level top grades at their highest on record. The survey found 87% of students viewed exams as the most stressful part of school, and 65% feared they would not reach their target grades.

Study habits are also affected. More than half of pupils admitted leaving most of their revision until the week before exams, and 47% said they had cheated on homework to keep up with classmates.

The research found that 88% of pupils now turn to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube for revision tips – despite ongoing debate in Parliament and schools over restrictions on mobile phones.

Phillip McKenna, revision specialist and co-founder of SimpleStudy, said: “Our research shows students haven’t had a carefree summer, many spent their holidays worrying about exams and the year ahead. For parents, small steps can make a real difference in quelling back-to-school nerves.”

Oisín Devoy, founder of SimpleStudy, said teachers could support pupils by easing them back into lessons: “A simple way to ease the transition is to begin with review sessions before diving into new material. It reassures students they haven’t ‘forgotten everything’ and helps them get back into a learning mindset.”