The Examined Life: Compulsory Resits and the Mental Toll on Teenagers

A new study from University College London sheds light on the impact of compulsory resits on teenagers’ mental wellbeing in England’s education system. The research, set to be published just as students receive their GCSE grades this week, reveals a worrying picture of the effects of forcing teens to retake exams without any clear indication that they’ll improve their chances of success.

The study compared data from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and found that only English students who failed to reach a grade 4 or equivalent in maths or English GCSEs showed significantly lower wellbeing. This is not surprising given the mandatory resits policy introduced in 2014, which requires students who don’t achieve a grade 4 pass in English or maths to continue studying those qualifications as a condition of further education funding.

The research highlights the self-confidence-denting effects of being forced to retake exams multiple times. According to Robbie Maris, a UCL research fellow and one of the authors, some students will simply drop out of education altogether – often those at highest risk of becoming Neets (not in education, employment, or training). This pattern is particularly concerning given the already low motivation levels among many teenagers.

Girls who narrowly missed a grade 4 in maths showed the biggest downturn in wellbeing, while for boys it was those substantially below the threshold for passing English exams. However, boys who failed to get a 4 in maths and girls who failed in English showed little or no decline in wellbeing. This suggests that compulsory resits exacerbate existing anxieties and self-doubt among students, particularly in subjects where there are strong gender norms at play.

The study’s findings suggest that further research is needed to understand why this happens. However, the implications are clear: our current system of mandatory resits is not only demotivating but also damaging to young people’s mental health. The UK government has been aware of these concerns for some time and has attempted to address them with various reforms.

Last year’s skills white paper proposed a new “stepping stone” qualification for resitting students with grade 2 or below, while the Department for Education emphasized its commitment to breaking the cycle of endless resits. However, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will have any meaningful impact on the ground. With record numbers of students retaking maths and English exams this year – about 180,000 and 175,000 respectively – policymakers need to take a closer look at the root causes of this problem.

The relentless pressure to perform well in GCSEs can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a fixation on narrow academic outcomes. By prioritizing more holistic approaches to learning – ones that emphasize student wellbeing, creativity, and critical thinking – we might just begin to see a shift away from the endless cycle of resits. Ultimately, this study serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of our education system’s obsession with grades and exams.

As policymakers and educators, it is essential to ask ourselves what we are truly preparing these students for. By re-examining our priorities and values, we can work towards creating an education system that supports the wellbeing and development of all students, rather than just their academic performance.