Published on: 14 August 2023
This week and next will be an anxious time for many parents and teenagers, with both A-level and GCSE results being published: A-levels on 17 August and GCSEs on Thursday 24 August.
If a young person you care for or know is set to receive their results, please try to stay positive.
Some may feel frustrated that they have not received the grades they wanted, others may be relieved that they are over and many may feel uncertain as to what the future may hold.
Remember that no one is defined by a grade on a piece of paper. They have worked hard and deserve their success; but if the results are not what they hoped for, there are other ways forward.
A-level students may be looking towards university, they may be planning a gap year, they may have an apprenticeship place or a job. If university was planned and grades are not what was needed, there are options, including sitting the exams, appealing or applying through clearing.
GCSE students may need particular grades for a college or sixth-form place, or for an apprenticeship. If these grades are not achieved, again there are options, such as sitting the exams this autumn, appealing or retaking the year. In the first instance students should talk to their school or college about this.
There is some good advice and links to explore, that can offer support on how to deal with issues around results day stress on the Samaritans and Young Minds websites.
