Over half of children suffer from educational anxiety

School-related stress affects over half of children (61%), and the current pandemic is causing a similar amount (58%) to worry about returning to school.

That’s according to a new parent and teacher study from Explore Learning, supported by Clinical Psychologist Dr Anna Colton.

On average, ‘educational anxiety’ starts around the age of eight. The main sources of concern are identified as: fear over being seen as less intelligent than their peers (17%), test related worries (21%) and homework stress (18%). Boys are marginally more likely than girls to experience some form of anxiety overall (63% vs 60%).

Other fears, including separation anxiety and worries about speaking out loud in an educational setting,  were reported by parents in children as young as two.

Despite the seemingly ‘normal’ nature of many of these concerns, the impact is significant. In fact, pre-coronavirus, the average child has missed out on five days worth of schooling in the past six months as a result of ‘educational anxiety’.

The recent pandemic has intensified stress for six in ten (58%) children. Specifically, one in five (21%) feel uneasy about the upcoming change in routine and close to a third (29%) are worried about catching coronavirus when they return to school.

Teachers are under stress too. Half (50%) agree that educational anxiety is a problem,  believing that school-related stress often stems from issues with the national curriculum’s ‘one size fits all’ approach, which risks leaving students behind.

Worryingly, over a third (36%) also feel they don’t have the resources to properly support children affected by ‘educational anxiety’, despite the majority (53%) having concerns that it could lead to more serious mental health issues.

“It’s certainly the case that educational anxiety can lead to a more serious mental health problem. Unless it’s addressed; it can become overwhelming and pervasive,” explains Dr Anna Colton. This can contribute towards more serious behavioral and mood difficulties. I often describe anxiety like a bully and it’s important that children are given the appropriate support to defeat their bully as soon as signs are recognised.

“Clearly, teachers are hugely stretched and the new demands upon them post pandemic will be even greater than before. Educational divides will be more significant and they simply won't have the resources to attend to 30 + different pupils in every lesson. This is where extra curricular support can be of significant benefit.”