Stacey Solomon has opened up about the pressures faced by schoolchildren, particularly in light of her son Zachary's recent experience with his GCSE results. The discussion unfolded during the latest episode of the BBC documentary series "Stacey and Joe," which offers viewers an intimate look into the lives of Solomon and her partner, Joe Swash, at their home, Pickle Cottage.
The episode, broadcast on the evening of April 8, centred on Zachary as he awaited the outcome of his GCSE examinations. Solomon explained that the stakes were high for Zachary, stating, "If Zach passes his maths and English, he gets to go straight into the apprenticeship he wants to do. But if he doesn't pass, he can only do his apprenticeship so many days a week, and he has to do his maths and English the rest of the time," as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Amidst the anticipation, Zachary expressed his feelings about the education system, remarking, "I don't like how the school system works - I don't think it was for me. I revised for like six months. My memory is not very good with these types of things." He exhibited a level of acceptance regarding the impending results, stating, "There is no point being nervous, I can't change anything. I just want to pass maths and English so I can get an apprenticeship, that's about it."
When Zachary ultimately received his results, he opted to examine them privately, away from the cameras. Following this moment, Solomon shared that he had achieved a grade three in English literature. She offered words of support, telling him, "Well, I think you did your absolute best, and it didn't work out. I personally don't believe these results reflect how intelligent you are." Solomon expressed her empathy further, acknowledging the effort Zachary had put into his studies, and reassured him that he would have another chance, saying, "It just means that next year you'll have to do maths and English again, hopefully pass and then get on with doing what you actually love."
Reflecting on her own educational journey, Solomon recounted how her GCSE results did not lead to substantial opportunities, stating they "got her nowhere" and had not been relevant in any job applications she made. In a segment designated for her thoughts, she pondered the challenges of supporting a teenager, saying, "Being there for a teenager is difficult for any parent. It's their prerogative to tell you they don't care and everything is fine, and it's you as a parent who has to unpick their behaviour and work out if they are OK and if there is any way you can be there to support them."
The topic of academic pressure was further explored as Solomon contrasted her school experiences with those of today’s youth. She noted, "When I was at school, if you weren't academic, you were able to leave at 16 and go into a job. There was none of this, 'If you don't pass, you can't start an apprenticeship'. You were able to go out and get started and get working."
Concluding her reflections, Solomon emphasised the importance of allowing Zachary time to process his results, saying, "I think it's important to give Zachary his space to process his exam results. I don't want to overwhelm him. It takes them a while to reflect on their feelings."
Source: Noah Wire Services