Pupils' stress and self-harming

Exam stress and family break-ups are causing more school pupils to self-harm, a survey has suggested.

A poll by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) also found that stress is affecting pupils' diets, with teachers reporting an increase in cases of anorexia in their schools.

The findings were presented at the teaching union's annual conference in Torquay.

Nearly half of teachers (46 per cent) said they are aware of pupils self-harming. And 18 of the secondary school teachers and two of the primary school teachers polled said there have been an increasing number of anorexia cases in their schools.

Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of teachers questioned said they thought children are under more pressure now than ten years ago.

Testing, exams and family break-up were cited by teachers as the biggest causes of stress in their pupils.

One secondary school teacher in Berkshire commented: "Self-harm seems to be a growing problem. In my first 30 years of teaching I was aware of only one case.

"In the last eight years, there have been at least ten cases. The youngest pupil I know is 14-years-old."

The survey also revealed that just 18 per cent of teachers said they believe local services to support children with emotional and behavioural problems are sufficiently joined up.

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