Standardized testing is an integral part of the English and American education systems. However, the use of high-stakes testing has unintended consequences, one of which is test anxiety. Over the last 50 years, increased attention has been directed to developing tools to identify students experiencing test anxiety. However, many test anxiety…

Spatial thinking predicts Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics achievement, yet is often absent from educational "policy." We provide benchmarks of teachers' usage and perceptions of spatial activities "in practice" in the reception classroom (first year of primary school). In this questionnaire study of…

Students' attitudes can be influential in the emotions experienced in mathematics learning and achievement at school. Two important judgements, according to Control-Value Theory are degree of control a student has over, and the value attached to, learning activities or outcomes. Appraisals of control and value are believed to play a central role…

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surfeit of information and misinformation in the media about it. The lockdown in England meant that schools were closed from March to June, meaning that students had limited access, in school, to ask questions and discuss the biology of the novel virus (SARS-CoV-2) or the impact of the…

Autistic people experience high rates of mental health problems. A tendency towards behavioural repetition in autistic individuals could contribute to repetitive negative thinking, which is a transdiagnostic risk factor for mental health problems. Our research aimed to add to the literature by using transdiagnostic measures of both mental health…

Obsessive-compulsive disorder commonly co-occurs with autism. Research characterising the interplay between restricted, repetitive behaviours, activities and interests related to autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms has used theory-driven, bottom-up methodology. This study aimed to interview autistic adults about the subjective…

Can environmental education help to mitigate learners eco/climate anxiety? Anxiety surrounding climate change has drastically risen in youth in recent years. This paper aims to answer the call from Pihkala's (2020) previous review for more concrete information on educational approaches to support learners in processing eco/climate anxiety. As…

The power of process drama as a dynamic tool for exploration and learning is well documented. Far less is known about its potency as a qualitative research methodology. This article aims to address that deficit, drawing on lessons learnt from a collaborative project investigating the causes of dental anxiety in children. It argues that process…

Approximately one in three people worldwide suffers from mathematics anxiety, with scholarly literature demonstrating that it has significant consequences for both individuals and wider society. While underlying related concepts, such as self-efficacy and emotional regulation, have been studied, there has been less research into accessible,…

Background: Difficulties identifying anxiety disorders in primary-school aged children present significant barriers to timely access to support and intervention. This study aimed to develop a brief assessment tool that can identify children with anxiety disorders in community settings, with a high level of sensitivity and specificity. Methods:…

Background: Achievement emotions are important for mathematical achievement. However, it is currently unclear how specific combinations of emotions--and their associated control and value appraisals--relate to mathematics performance, especially in younger students. Aims: The aims of this study were to (i) identify heterogeneous profiles of…

A recent meta-synthesis study with a sample of >12 million participants revealed that the male advantage in mental rotation (MR) is the largest cognitive sex/gender difference found in psychological literature. MR requires test takers to mentally rotate three-dimensional cubic figures under time restrictions. Previous studies have investigated…

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) has been the qualification by which students' attainment at age sixteen has been measured for the last thirty years. Despite the longevity of GCSEs, relatively little research has explored the views and experiences of those undertaking them. Using a…

Background: Adolescence is a period of profound developmental change during which the prevalence of mental health problems starts to increase. It also typically coincides with a school transition. Understanding mental health trajectories through school transition is important to inform interventions to support young people's mental health during…

Increasing school choice has been an active objective of policy in England but not in Scotland. Whereas in England all families are expected to list a rank ordering of schools, in Scotland the vast majority of children attend their catchment school by default. This article reviews the differences in approach, family experience and outcomes between…