Senior school leaders, the NSPCC and Childline are concerned that the new format exam only GCSEs are too stressful and will lead to mental health crises. Students in 2019 will be subjected to more exams and spend longer in the exam hall. Whereas a GCSE student in 2016 had an average of 18 exams to prepare for, totalling 24 hours and 30 minutes, the examinee in 2019 will sit 22 exams – the total length of which will be 33 hours. Students are aware that their futures will be determined in those 33 hours.