Quick summary: Exam stress negatively impacts 51% of UK households by disrupting sleep and family routines, with nearly half of parents reporting higher levels of anxiety than their children during revision periods. Significant disparities in household responsibility and financial pressure highlight a critical need for public policy to support mothers and lower income families who often manage the primary emotional burden of academic season. Integrating positive psychology into healthcare practice and educational support is essential for protecting parental well being, as evidence suggests that managing domestic stress levels is directly linked towards improving both student mental health and academic performance.
A new survey has found that exam stress is significantly affecting parents across the UK, disrupting sleep, household routines, and family life.
More than half of households, 51%, report being negatively impacted by exam stress. The research also found that 45% of parents say they are more stressed about their children’s exams than their children are.
1 in 4 parents (24%), say they lie awake at night worrying about exams. Nearly 1 in 5 (17%), have cancelled social plans in order to stay at home, manage stress, and support their children during revision periods.
The findings suggest that exam season is reshaping everyday family life. 41% of parents said exam stress has changed how they parent, while 28% admitted they try to motivate their children to revise using rewards or bribes.
The strain is also reflected in sleep disruption and household dynamics, with broader patterns of emotional pressure reported across families during GCSE and A-level exam preparation periods.
The survey highlights a clear difference in how exam responsibilities are shared between mothers and fathers.
More than a third of mothers, 39%, say they take primary responsibility for managing revision, compared to 15% of fathers. However, 36% of fathers believe the responsibility is shared equally, compared to only 15% of mothers.
Exam stress is especially pronounced in lower-income households. More than 1 in 5 parents (22%) with a household income of less than £25,000 per year say their stress levels during exam season are comparable to the stress of paying bills.
The Censuswide survey, commissioned by online learning platform MyEdSpace, questioned 1,000 parents whose children are sitting exams this year. It highlights growing concern about the emotional strain on families during peak exam periods.
To help address this, MyEdSpace has partnered with Clare Martin, founder of Goldcrest Training, a positive psychology consultancy, as part of its Easter Revision Course, a two-week schedule of live lessons supporting students with revision.
Clare Martin will run a free webinar for parents on Thursday 26th March, offering practical advice on managing stress and supporting children. She will also run dedicated student webinars on Tuesday 31st March and Monday 6th April.
Sean Hirons, co-founder of MyEdSpace, said: “It’s well known that students suffer from stress during exam season, but far less attention is being paid to the parents who are suffering in silence.”
“Parents across the country are lying awake at night worried about their child’s exams but they’re given little to no support, and families across the UK are suffering as a result. What’s even worse is that grades inevitably take a hit as a result of this.”
“That’s why we thought it was important to give free support to parents when we were developing our Easter Revision Course. Exams are important, but it’s even more important that parents and their children look after their mental well-being so they have all the tools to get through this period.”
Clare Martin, founder and programme director of Goldcrest Training, said: “I’m really excited to be partnering with MyEdSpace to deliver well-being sessions for students and parents. Exam season can be an intense time and a small shift in how we understand and manage stress can make a huge difference.”
“These sessions will give students practical tools to stay calm, focused, and confident, while also helping parents look after their own well-being and feel more equipped to support their child through the revision and exam period. This approach is grounded in positive education research, which consistently shows that well-being and academic performance go hand in hand.”
Parents can sign up for the free webinar and access 26 hours of free revision content for their children, including the student webinars, over the Easter holidays.
The findings underline that exam pressure affects not only students but also parents, shaping sleep, parenting roles, and household well-being, particularly among mothers and lower-income families.