VOICES: Exams are horrendously stressful - but have they gone too far?

Of course, exams must be difficult to some extent, their basic purpose is challenging students.

But the new A-levels and GCSEs were introduced specifically to make exams more difficult, a move I oppose entirely.

I don’t see the logic behind putting students under increasing mountains of stress, constantly telling them “your exams will be harder than any previous ones”, and then wondering why mental health amidst youth is so poor.

People I know and am friends with have been gravely effected by the immense pressure the government seems intent on piling upon students.

The summer is no real respite; the looming date of results day is a constant ringing reminder that you may have incinerated your prospects.

The current system doesn’t seem to have been designed for humans, or even anything with emotions.

Heavy modification needs to be made, but sadly no matter how much I write about it here, this opinion article is somewhat unlikely to persuade the government to change the new system.

I just hope that other students don’t have to go through the same horrendous stress that my friends and I have been subjected to.

Arthur Greenhalf