(Image: Image submitted)
TODAY, for young people across the district, their anxious wait for their GCSE exam results comes to an end when they discover their grades.
Amid the fun and relaxation of the summer holidays they will be cautiously waiting to see the outcome of their hard work at school and what impact that will have on their future plans.
Last year, the NSPCC’s Childline service delivered more than 700 counselling sessions to young people whose main concern was linked to exam result worries.
Our Childline staff and volunteers have heard from young people who have been worried about the impact exam results could have on their mental health; some feel under pressure from their families and teacher to achieve high grades; and some said they were unable to focus on anything else because they are waiting for exam results.
One girl, 18, said: “I finally finished my exams but I’m so worried about the grades I’m going to get. I really want to go to university, but I don’t think I’ve done well enough. I get so stressed thinking about the future, I just don’t want to get stuck in a dead-end job with no options.”
Another girl, 16, said: “My exam results are so much worse than my friends’. We all go to the same school, take the same classes. I studied hard, harder than some of them did. I can’t help but feel jealous and it has really hit my self-esteem and self-worth.”
Results day, the period running up to it and the days after can be tricky for children and young people as they deal with the anxiety and uncertainty of what their results could be.
Therefore, it’s vital that young people who are experiencing anxiety to know that they are not on their own. Parents and carers must not be dismissive of their children’s concerns about their exam results.
Some children who contact Childline about exam results say that a lot of the pressure they experience comes from their family. So, when talking to them about this make sure you reassure them and remind them that they do not need to be defined by their exam results and that there are many options available to them.
Encourage your child to talk about their feelings and share any worries that they might have. And it’s important to remind them that you are there to help them, no matter what their results may be.
Talking through the different pathways which might be open to them if they don’t get the results they were hoping for can also help your child to feel more in control of the situation.
It is also important to celebrate any successes and acknowledge the hard work and effort that they have put into their education.
Young people are advised not to compare themselves with others, focus on their own achievements rather than comparing their results to friends or those on social media.
And it’s important for them to look after their wellbeing - make a list of the things they enjoy doing and take some time to do them. Focus on eating well, sleeping well and taking time to relax.
More advice and information on how to support children during exam results time can be found on the NSPCC website: nspcc.org.uk
If a child or young person has any worries or concerns they can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or go to www.childline.org,uk
Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk
l THROUGH its Speak out, Stay safe and Talk PANTS programmes, the NSPCC delivers interactive safeguarding workshops to primary school children across the country.
Using age-appropriate language and colourful characters like Buddy and Pantosaurus, our teams help children aged between 5 and 11 to understand what abuse is, that it’s never their fault, and where they can turn for help.
We aim to visit every school in Yorkshire and the Humber every three years, to ensure young people feel empowered to speak to safe, trusted adults and the NSPCC’s Childline service if they’re worried about topics such as bullying, neglect and abuse.
Primary schools can get in touch with us and find out more about the NSPCC’s Schools Service and how we can work with your school in the new term to help keep children safe.
For more information or to book a visit to your school, visit the ‘working with schools’ section of the NSPCC website.
l Debra Radford, Assistant Director NSPCC Yorkshire