Students’ experiences of studying A-levels prior to, and during, the Covid-19 pandemic: implications for enhancing context-specific support

In light of widespread concerns about adolescent mental health in England, a need for a long-term framework aimed at providing context-specific support to students during each stage of education has been identified. It has been suggested that A-level students (typically aged 16-19-years-old), in particular, may be experiencing a high degree of stress. Stress is normal and can be beneficial, but when it is prolonged or particularly intense, it can aggravate or contribute towards the development of mental ill-health. Given that existing literature on students’ experiences of studying A-levels is scarce and occasionally conflicting, this thesis aimed to generate a better understanding of A-level students’ experiences and how they were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Using data collected via task-based, semi-structured interviews and surveys prior to and during the pandemic, this thesis explores A-level students’ experiences of post-16 education, mental health and coping strategies. The findings indicate that, although studying A-levels can be an enriching experience, it is also uniquely challenging and can be both stressful and overwhelming. Moreover, the findings indicate that the Covid-19 pandemic detrimentally affected some A-level students’ mental health and capacity to learn. Further research aimed at understanding what could be done to help students to minimise or manage experiences of stress that arise from the demands of studying A-levels is needed, as is research aimed at determining what proportion and type of students find studying A-levels particularly challenging.