Amy: 0:03

Hello and welcome again to the Bench Report, where we discuss recent debates and briefings from the benches of the UK Parliament. A new topic every episode. You're listening to Amy and Ivan. Today we're unpacking the recent parliamentary discussion on reforming the educational assessment system. We really want to get into how you know the whole structure of exams might be impacting young people's well-being.

Ivan: 0:26

Yes, and there's some compelling data that came up. The backdrop is quite stark, actually. NHS figures were cited showing that one in four young people now struggle with their mental health.

Amy: 0:37

One in four? That's high.

Ivan: 0:38

It is. And for the 16 to 24 age group specifically, that figure is apparently shot up by more than a third in just the last decade.

Amy: 0:46

Wow. And the debate drew a direct line from those kinds of figures to exam pressures, didn't it? I was struck by the story of Patty, the young minds activist.

Ivan: 0:54

Oh, yes, that was powerful testimony. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

Amy: 0:56

He talked about having a complete breakdown, essentially the night before an A-level exam and uh still having nightmares about it two years on.

Ivan: 1:04

And sadly, that experience seems to reflect a wider issue. Other data presented suggested over 60 percent of GCSE and A-level students found it hard to cope during exam season.

Amy: 1:14

60 percent? What did that look like?

Ivan: 1:16

Things like panic attacks, even reports of suicidal thoughts in some cases. It's not just older students either. Apparently, even 11-year-olds doing their SATs reported, you know, losing confidence, trouble sleeping.

Amy: 1:27

So the human cost seems undeniable. Let's look at the system itself then. What's creating this pressure? A key criticism seemed to be just the sheer amount of testing.

Ivan: 1:37

Exactly. Reforms actually increase the total exam time for GCSEs by eight hours. And all these final end-of-course exams are concentrated into one intense six-week summer term.

Amy: 1:49

Eight extra hours. How much does that mean in total?

Ivan: 1:52

Well the figure given was that 16-year-olds in England are now spending about 31 and a half hours actually sitting GCSE exams.

Amy: 1:58

31 and a half hours? How does that um compare internationally?

Ivan: 2:02

It makes England quite an outlier, it seems. For comparison, students in Victoria, Australia sit around four hours of similar centralized exams. Canada, maybe ten hours. The Republic of Ireland, closer to 16 hours.

Amy: 2:15

So significantly less elsewhere.

Ivan: 2:17

Much less. And this heavy focus on memory recall, on performing in that specific exam window, it naturally leads educators to, well, teach to the test. Deeper understanding can sometimes take a back seat.

Amy: 2:29

And this issue starts early, right? With the primary school SATs, there was mention of secondary schools often retesting students when they arrive in year seven.

Ivan: 2:38

That point was raised, yes. It suggests perhaps a lack of confidence from secondary schools in what those SATs results actually tell them about a student's ability. Maybe they're seen more as measuring school performance rather than individual potential.

Amy: 2:51

Which leads to the question of reform. What were the alternatives being suggested?

Ivan: 2:55

The main push was to reduce the dominance of these sort of big high-stakes final exams. Ideas included more diverse assessment methods, things like modular systems where you're assessed throughout the course.

Amy: 3:06

Right, breaking it up.

Ivan: 3:07

Or more coursework, learning journals, project-based work, spreading the load, essentially.

Amy: 3:12

And there was evidence suggesting this is possible without grades becoming unreliable.

Ivan: 3:17

Yes. A Cambridge OCR report was mentioned, which apparently found that you can reduce the sheer volume of exams without sacrificing the reliability of the final grades.

Amy: 3:27

But it's not just about reducing pressure, is it? There's an inclusivity angle too. The attainment gap for students with special educational needs and disabilities, SEND, seems quite stark.

Ivan: 3:38

Extremely. The figures quoted were that only about two in ten students with send achieved a grade five or above in English and maths GCSEs. Compared to compared to over half of students without Send. It raises questions about whether the current, very rigid system works for everyone.

Amy: 3:55

Hmm. Of course, there's always another side to the argument. What about the defense of the current system?

Ivan: 4:00

Absolutely, and it's an important point. The argument for the current linear terminal exams centers on consistency, transparency, and comparability across the whole country. Everyone takes the same test under the same conditions.

Amy: 4:11

So it's seen as fairer in that sense.

Ivan: 4:14

That's the view. And proponents also argue that look, assessment will always involve some stress. Reducing the number of exams might just make the remaining ones feel even more high stakes.

Amy: 4:25

That's a fair challenge. Consistency versus well-being and inclusivity. It's a difficult balance. So where does this leave us?

Ivan: 4:32

Well, the context is that there's an independent curriculum and assessment review underway.

Amy: 4:36

Ah, so there's an opportunity here.

Ivan: 4:38

Exactly. An opportunity to potentially design a system that better prepares young people for, you know, work and life beyond exams, and crucially puts well-being right at the center alongside academic achievement.

Amy: 4:51

Aaron Powell Moving beyond just optimizing for those few intense weeks of exams.

Ivan: 4:56

Precisely. Maybe fostering more curiosity, critical thinking, perhaps even a love of learning itself, rather than just the ability to recall facts under pressure.

Amy: 5:05

A lot to think about there. As always, find us on social media at bench report UK. Get in touch with any topic important to you. Remember, politics is everyone's business. Take care.