Dutch school restricts parental access to student performance data to alleviate academic stress

A Dutch secondary school has restricted parental access to information regarding their children’s academic progress for a period of ten weeks to alleviate student stress. Administrators at the Montessori school in Utrecht discovered that an application sharing student performance data was causing pressure among pupils.

Research conducted among students indicated that children whose parents frequently checked the app experienced higher levels of academic stress compared to their peers. A teacher at the school noted that students felt significant pressure to achieve high grades and perform well academically. Previously, report cards were sent home four times a year, but now, with the app’s introduction, parents have constant access to their children’s progress, often receiving daily updates.

School officials believe that focusing excessively on grades and academic success detracts from essential life values such as empathy and resilience. They assert that children need the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, and that ongoing parental demands for high performance can be overwhelming.

Educational experts in the Netherlands emphasize the necessity of reforming the education system to reduce stress on students, arguing that there is too much emphasis on grades and performance overall.