EXAMS
Supporting students with autism through GCSE exams
Thousands of students across the country will be undertaking a milestone moment in their academic career this month – sitting their GCSE exams. With compressed workloads and a desire to perform at their best, is it any surprise that nearly 20% of young people are highly test anxious? Autistic children are even more susceptible to anxiety at a neuronal level than non-autistic children and are proven to have increased levels of anxiety. As educators, we know the impact that exam anxiety can have on overall performance. In fact, test- based anxiety can escalate into school-based anxiety, which can prevent some students from being able to attend school during an important period of their lives.
Given that many students will study up to 10 GCSE subjects, which often have a series of exams lasting for multiple hours, how can we help autistic students perform at their best during the exam period?
Reduce anxiety before focusing on revision
S
tephanie Smith, Head of School at The Cavendish School and Executive Director of SEND, Eastern Learning Alliance, shares three key ways to help autistic students navigate their GCSEs.
Preparing for exams isn’t just about revision. Reducing anxiety and uncertainty will break down some of the barriers that anxiety presents for autistic students and enable them to achieve their personal and academic aspirations. At The Cavendish School, our approach to exams is rooted in a tiered
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approach that aims to make assessments less daunting for our students. This starts with smaller weekly and end of unit tests and builds up to entry-level qualifications in Year 9 that are administered in the familiar environment of the classroom. These exams at a primary cognition level enable our young people to feel a sense of achievement, which can reduce the fear of failure. Building on this in Year 10, our students sit functional skills exams, which are equivalent to lower grade GCSEs. Not only does this allow them to gain familiarity with the challenge, language and environment of exams, it also allows them to gain a qualification that alleviates some of the pressure of GCSEs in Year 11.
Language plays an important role in how students perform in their exams, and autistic children may be more likely to interpret exam questions literally. By reviewing past papers and ‘translating’ what questions mean, you are setting them up to succeed. Similarly, helping autistic students to identify ways to transition from their usual learning routine into the revision period can reduce feelings of anxiety that can be caused by changes in routine.
Provide practical support and strategies In fact, predictability and feelings of safety enhance exam performance. For some autistic children, this is rooted in routine. For
May 2026
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