Parents and teachers should 'work together' to tackle exam stress

Parents and teachers need to work together to help young people deal with the stresses of exams, it has been claimed.

Suzie Hayman, a spokesperson for Family Lives and an agony aunt at Woman magazine, said exam anxiety is a serious issue facing young people and something that can cause conflict in families.

"Teachers need to understand and work with the emotional aspects of learning – how problems at home or in pupil's personal lives can affect their ability to concentrate or prioritise learning," she commented.

"Parents need to know more about their children's progress and needs and to be able to confidently offer support and manage boundaries over school work."

Ms Hayman suggested that the key to helping children through their exams is to identify the best way for them to revise.

She added that some students work best alone, while others revise more successfully in groups.

A recent survey carried out by Childline revealed that 53 per cent of youngsters feel pressure from parents to do well in exams.

Posted by Dolcie Thacker

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