Compulsory GCSE resits in England harm teenagers’ mental wellbeing, study finds

Compulsory GCSE resits in England are harming teenagers' mental wellbeing, according to new research from University College London (UCL). The study, set to be published as students receive their grades, found that pupils in England who failed to reach a grade 4 in maths or English experienced significantly lower wellbeing.

This contrasts with students in Wales and Northern Ireland, where resits are not mandatory. The UCL academics compared the mental health of students across the UK who did not meet the required standard in their GCSEs. Their findings indicate that the pressure of repeated exam attempts may be damaging students' confidence and increasing their likelihood of dropping out of education.

The research highlights a potential unintended consequence of the policy, suggesting that the focus on mandatory resits could be detrimental to the mental health of young people during a critical stage of their academic lives.