Moving to Secondary School in England Increases Stress and Reduces Enjoyment
Two separate studies conducted in England have revealed a significant decline in pupils’ sense of school engagement during the transition from primary to secondary school. In particular, a sharp drop in enjoyment was observed as pupils moved from the final year of primary education to the first year of secondary school. According to the findings, the average satisfaction score among pupils in their final year of primary school was 6 out of 10. This score decreased to 3.8 in the first year of secondary school and fell further to 3.2 in the following year. A study carried out by the ImpactEd Group involving over 100,000 pupils indicated a general decline in enjoyment, trust, sense of belonging, and self-perception. The sense of safety declined more sharply among female pupils compared to their male counterparts. Furthermore, pupils eligible for free school meals reported significantly lower levels of trust and belonging than their peers. Another study, published by the charity Axiom Maths, supported these findings. According to the data, 73% of pupils described school as “fun” at the end of primary education, whereas this figure dropped to 58% by the end of their first year in secondary school. Meanwhile, the proportion of pupils who found school stressful increased from 42% to 50% over the same period. Experts warn that such declines may have a negative impact on pupils’ mental health and academic performance. They stress the importance of early intervention and the implementation of supportive programmes to address these challenges effectively.
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