Stress Awareness Month: How DSLs can spot exam stress

Exam stress is common for most students, particularly those taking their GCSEs and A-Levels, and with exams returning following the pandemic, it’s likely that stress will only be intensified in 2022. With April being Stress Awareness Month, we look at how DSLs can spot exam stress and help students navigate through it.

GCSEs and A-Levels are (avoiding too much repetition of ‘exams’ intense for everyone, even during an average year. But the last two years have been anything but average, seeing the cancellation of exams during the pandemic. As things return to normal in 2022, DSLs can expect to see an increase in stress levels amongst students as they prepare and sit life-altering tests. It’s not just the result that can cause anxiety and worry for them, however. There are a few different types of stress that can impact students during this time.

Here, we have broken these types of stress down, highlighting how they can affect students and how DSLs can support them.

Time-related stress

Stressing about running out of time is a common feeling for students as they’re coming up to an exam. Whether they feel like they need more time to revise or have built up anxiety at the thought of returning to exams following a two-year break, panic may set in and cause students to spend more time worrying than preparing.

Anticipatory stress

Students, like adults, can often feel stressed about the future. This type of stress can either be temporary, such as in the lead up to exams, or it can be broader and more frequent, such as being concerned they won’t be able to land a job after school or have enough money to get by when they do.

For those who worry about this regularly, it can become exceptionally overwhelming and not only impact their exam performance but their life outside of exam time.

The stress of making their family proud

Feeling not good enough can be particularly scary around exam time. Many students are concerned their exam results won’t make themselves or their families proud. Being able to spot these children using safeguarding technology means DSLs can reassure them that their best is enough while helping them identify any additional studying or tutoring they feel they might need. Doing this will help them build confidence in their work and hopefully, help reduce this type of stress.

Using Smoothwall monitoring technology, DSLs can spot those dealing with different types of stress and get them additional support such as time with a school counsellor or careers guidance to help them feel more prepared for the future.

Interested in finding out how digital monitoring can help spot the signs of exam stress?

For anyone who is interested in finding out more, we offer a free Smoothwall Monitor walkthrough and Q+A session, which is led by one of Smoothwall’s friendly monitoring experts. Click here to book your free one-to-one session.

Alternatively, why not check out Smoothwall’s free ‘Complete Guide to Monitoring in Education’ whitepaper, which is available to download here.