In April 2022, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) partnered with Professor John Jerrim, UCL, to host a webinar on testing, exams and wellbeing: ‘Do exams have an impact on pupil wellbeing?’
The announcement that pupils will sit exams for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic this year will have reignited the debate over their impact on the wellbeing of children and young people. In light of these debates, there is a need to properly assess the existing evidence concerning accountability and wellbeing and understand whether there is a definitive link.
Opening with a keynote speech from Danielle Cartwright, Associate Director for General Qualifications Policy and Strategic Relationships at Ofqual, the webinar featured a presentation from Professor John Jerrim of UCL on his latest research, which considers the evidence on the link between exams and pupil wellbeing. A panel discussion followed to discuss what further evidence is needed to understand the connection between exams and wellbeing, possible alternatives to key stage two testing, and the impact of accountability on pupils and teachers in the context of the pandemic.
We were delighted to be joined by Andy Bell, Deputy CEO, Centre for Mental Health; Brenda McHugh; Consultant Systematic Psychotherapist, Teacher and Co-Head of Anna Freud Service for Schools; Mojisola Omole, Deputy Headteacher and Safeguarding Lead, Kensington Primary school and Nana-Hasia Asankomah, Members and Communications Youth Intern, Fair Education Alliance on the panel. EPI Chief Executive, Natalie Perera, chaired the discussion.
