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

UCL researchers warn repeated exam attempts may dent students’ confidence and raise risk of dropping out

Forcing teenagers who fail GCSEs into multiple resits has a negative impact on their mental health, according to research to be published as pupils receive their grades on Thursday.

The study by academics at University College London (UCL) compared the mental wellbeing of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who failed to reach a grade 4 or equivalent in maths or English GCSEs – and found that only those in England, where resits are mandatory, showed significantly lower wellbeing.