Supporting Mental Wellbeing in Academically High-Achieving Schools

Please note: this content was originally produced for international schools but is relevant for practitioners working in any school.

Many children and young people feel under pressure to achieve at school. That pressure may come from their parents and carers, other family members’ expectations, or their own personal ambitions.

Students in academically high-achieving schools may find it particularly challenging when there is an expectation that they will achieve academic success. Whether the pressure is from internal or external sources, it can sometimes take its toll on students’ mental wellbeing, and lead to distressed, anxious behaviours.

So, what can we do to protect and enhance their mental wellbeing?

What do we mean by ‘academically high-achieving’ schools?

Typically, when we think of academically high-achieving schools, we might think of independent fee-paying schools. In some ways, parents could be considered customers.

This transactional model can then create high expectations – for staff, as well as for the child or young person – around academic outcomes and performance. Parents may feel that, due to the financial commitment they are making, they are entitled to expect exceptional results.

However, this phrase is not exclusive to fee-paying schools. With league tables comparing academic achievement and the pressure to showcase high exam results to prospective parents, any school can feel pressured where there is a weight of responsibility on the staff to ensure that students achieve to a high level academically. This pressure is sometimes projected onto the students themselves, resulting in deep-rooted feelings of stress and anxiety, often driven by the fear letting their parents or teachers down.

The impact of high pressure on students’ mental wellbeing

Some students cope well with high demands and may thrive when exposed to pressure. Others, however, can find it incredibly hard to manage. For these children and young people, pressured school environments, with their intense academic demands, can make it feel difficult for them to balance onerous workloads with personal wellbeing. This is often exacerbated by the expectation to partake in multiple extra-curricular activities after a long day at school.

The pressure to perform and achieve, meet parental, staff and personal expectations, and secure future opportunities can, unsurprisingly, have an adverse impact on children and young people’s wellbeing, affecting them mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Students may experience feelings of low self-worth and inadequacy, have trouble sleeping or eating, and may engage in distressed behaviour. They may drop out of creative and sporting activities they enjoy, and, as a result, experience increased social isolation and withdrawal from friendship groups. In the most severe instances, students may also consider self-harming as a way to relieve stress.