Primary school children are smoking cigarettes, eating junk food and drinking energy drinks to prepare for their exams, new research has found.
A poll of more than 1,000 youngsters who took Key Stage Two SATs last year found eight had smoked before the tests, while 37 ate chocolate and 30 used high-sugar and caffeine drinks.
The survey also revealed some 55% of youngsters feared getting bad results would affect their future lives. Three in five children (60%) said they had been told by teachers that SATs were important for the school league tables, while 68% admitted feeling pressured at exam time, according to the research by Kellogg’s.
Meanwhile, a second poll of more than 1,000 parents found 20% believed their child was too nervous to eat before SATs exams, while one in eight said their youngster had refused food.
Child psychologist Dr Claire Halsey said: “It’s troubling that children are expressing so many worries about their exams. It’s natural to experience some pressure to perform before any test, even at age 10 and 11.”
John Coe, of the National Association for Primary Education, said: “A decent breakfast should set children up for success in their exams, and eating breakfast with friends at a breakfast club - and calming each other’s nerves about the tests - is a happy way of meeting the challenge to come.”
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