RESULTS DAY
Results day can be a nerve-racking time for your child and you! In the run-up, take time to listen to their anxieties and engage with any specific worries they have – just saying‘ it will all be fine’ could seem dismissive. Discuss alternative plans so that they are prepared if their first choice doesn’ t work out.
THE PRACTICALITIES
Most young people get their results by going to pick them up from their school; check with the school what time results will be available. Some exam boards make results available online – again, check with the school to find out whether this applies to your child’ s exams. Results can also be delivered in the post, or if you are away you may be able to arrange with the school for a friend or family member to pick up the results on your child’ s behalf.
The benefit of going into school is that teachers will be around to offer your child advice if they need it. However, it can also be a very public way for them to find out their grades. You could chat with them beforehand to see how they feel about opening their results in front of friends and teachers. They might prefer to find a quiet corner at school and open them alone, or do it at home.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
If they got the grades they need … Time to celebrate! If they are disappointed because they didn’ t do as well as they were expecting in some subjects, focus on the positives. With the exception of maths and English, one or two lower grades are unlikely to affect their future plans.
You’ ll need to confirm your child’ s place at their chosen sixth form or college. Check whether you need to send a copy of your child’ s results, as some institutions require this.
If they didn’ t get the results they wanted … Try to reassure them that it’ s not the end of the world and support them as they think about what to do next.
• It’ s worth phoning their first choice of sixth form or college to check whether they can be flexible about their entry requirements. They may agree to your child retaking a GCSE while studying for their A levels or BTECs, especially if the grade they achieved was a near miss. Encourage your child to make the call rather than doing it yourself, as this will demonstrate their initiative and maturity.
• If not, they could contact their second-option schools / colleges.
• They could retake one or more of their exams later in the year to try to improve their grades.
• They could look at other course options with lower entry requirements, or think about doing an alternative qualification or an apprenticeship.
If they missed a grade very narrowly, or did much worse in a subject than predicted, they could talk to a teacher about making an enquiry to the exam board. The school can ask the exam board to check whether there has been an administrative error and to ensure the paper was marked correctly.
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