The GCSE results day is memorable for you because the GCSE grades determine the next steps you should take in the course of your education and future career. Students usually have mixed feelings on the results day. It is stressful because they know what to expect on GCSE results day. But at the same time, it is thrilling, too.
That aside, you don’t want to be caught off guard on one of the most important days of your life. So let’s go over the GCSE results day to get you ready for what’s to happen on this day.
GCSE Results Day 2025
The results of this year’s GCSE exams became available on Thursday, 22 August 2024. Next year’s exam results will be announced on Thursday, 21st August 2025.
Depending on the exam board, you can collect the GCSE test results by going to the school or checking them online. The results are usually accessible from 8 AM, but again, it can be different. So you should check the announcement specifications with your individual school. You can click here to find more details on GCSE results dates 2025.
What Happens on Results Day GCSE?
Let’s start from the night before. You might experience some restlessness and excitement about what is to come tomorrow morning. Then the morning comes, you have a thoughtful breakfast or no breakfast at all, and wait for the clock to strike 8.
Next, depending on how the results will be released, you head to the school or sit behind your desk, open up your laptop and log into the exam board’s website. If you have to collect the results in person, check the timing with the school because they might have a specific timetable to avoid overcrowding.
When you see the results, you either need celebration or consolation (I will get back to this point in a bit). If you achieve the required entry grades, you can confirm your place in the desired sixth form or college.
On the other hand, if your GCSE grades do not meet the entry requirements for college or university, you can consult your teachers or career advisors (who are present at the school on the results day) and discuss further education options like GCSE resits or other alternatives to GCSEs.
In the afternoon of the results day, you can expect some informal gatherings with family and friends. Reflecting on the exam and planning for the future are the hot topics of these gatherings. Don’t forget to take some selfies with your friends and classmates; these photos will bring a smile to your face later.
Preparing Yourself for the GCSE Results Day
In order to prepare for the results day, you first need to find out the date and the place where you can receive the results. If you need to go to the school to collect the results, do not forget to take a form of identification with you. If the results will be released online, make sure you have the login information to check the grades.
Be Ready for Good News and Bad News
The GCSE results either meet, go beyond, or fall short of your expectations. In the first scenario, everything is under control, and you are happy with what you got. In the second case, which is the happiest scenario, the results surprise you as you have achieved higher grades than expected. In the last scenario, which is the saddest one, you will feel disappointed with the results. Let us elaborate more on the second and third scenarios.
Satisfying GCSE Exam Results
This calls for a celebration! Treat yourself to an activity you enjoy. Good GCSE results are the green light to higher education, and you deserve to have some fun before taking the next step and applying for college or sixth form.
This is a moment of appreciation and thankfulness to yourself for the hardships you endured to achieve these results. This is also a good opportunity to thank your supporters, especially your parents and teachers, who played a significant role in your success.
Bad GCSE Exam Results
When you see unfavourable results, the first thing you need to do is keep your composure. You should make every effort to focus on the future rather than get stuck in the past. It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but these feelings must not linger.
You should reflect on what might have caused the poor exam performance and try to make up for it; learn from your mistakes. You can also ask a counsellor to provide advice on the exam paper.
Remember, bad GCSE grades are not the end of the world. You can retake the GCSE exam next time. So, do not beat yourself up.
Also read: How To Get Good Grades in GCSE
In another article, I’ve elaborated on how you can have an effective study plan and introduced hands-on resources to help you move those bad grades up. Make sure to take a look at it if you plan to retake GCSEs. Let’s make it count this time.
Don’t forget to download our “GCSE Revision Timetable Template” to stay organised.
How To Get Yourself Through the Results Day
You’ve got the results now, no matter good or bad. It’s time to move on. Here are a couple of tips to help you survive the results day.
Cultivate a Growth Mindset
Academic success (or failure) does have an impact on your life, but life isn’t just about that. No matter the results, they shouldn’t stop you from self-development. So, don’t be embarrassed to get help from others and thrive on their feedback or criticism.
If you’ve got good grades, aim for excellence, and if the results don’t meet your expectations, make an extra effort to get there. Read these ten tips to develop a growth mindset and believe in your potential.
Talk to a Tutor
Private tutors thrive on transforming challenges and limitations into opportunities and strengths; basically, that’s their job. Getting help from a tutor is the best instance of studying smart instead of studying hard. Personalised lessons, focused attention, and direct and immediate feedback are only a few advantages a tutor can offer you to get your grades up.
Ostado’s GCSE tutors can offer everything you expect from a private tutor. Book a free trial session now to see how our tutors can help you make a difference in your academic performance.
Get Social Support Get social support
Most of you are blessed to have that one friend with whom you share everything. If I were you, I would ask that friend to accompany me in collecting the results. If the results are satisfactory, you deserve a hug, and if everything goes down the hill, you can use a pat on the shoulder. Overall, this is an emotional day, and you need your loved ones to be around.
Also, if you need to talk to a professional, don’t hesitate to contact advisors at the centre for Student Support Services.
Practise Some Stress-Relief Techniques
We often take simple things for granted. For instance, a deep breath or a sip of water is sometimes the only thing standing between you and your emotional breakdown.
Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique you can use to release stress. It involves tensing and relaxing different muscles in your body to reduce stress levels.
There is also another technique which I personally recommend. In the visualisation technique, you imagine your utopia and allow your best personality to come to the surface. I usually do this with the help of music, and frankly, sometimes, I cannot get enough of this imaginary perfect world. So be careful not to get too attached to this technique.
Write down Your Experience in Your Journal
There is a voice inside of us that sometimes taunts us and sometimes encourages us. Although this is acrimonious and exhausting, we need to listen to this critical and scolding voice.
One of the ways to let this harassing voice express itself is through keeping a journal. As a writer, I guarantee that you will be surprised by the calming effect of pouring your thoughts as they are on a piece of paper.
Read more:
Journaling for Emotional Wellness
“When you were a teenager, you might have kept a diary hidden under your mattress. It was a place to confess your struggles and fears without judgement or punishment. It likely felt good to get all of those thoughts and feelings out of your head and down on paper. The world seemed clearer.”
Why Is the Results Day Important?
Results day is a pivotal day in students’ lives in the UK. The results day marks the end of the secondary school year and is a milestone in the student’s personal growth and development. Many post-16 education providers require GCSE qualifications, and if students aim to proceed to further education, they should get good GCSE grades. Also, if the students desire to enter the workforce directly, most industries demand high GCSE grades as entry requirements. In summary, the student’s future depends on the GCSE results. That is the reason why this day is very important for the students and parents.
Key Takeaways – What To Do on GCSE Results Day
- Try to enjoy the suspense before getting the results.
- Check how you can collect the results with the exam board (online or in person).
- Prepare the identification you need to collect the exam results.
- Be prepared for both good and bad news.
- Celebrate if the results are satisfactory and take the next step.
- Reflect on your performance and ask for advice if the results are bad.
FAQs - GCSE Results Day
- Do parents go to GCSE results day?Parents can accompany their children on the results day, but it is not mandatory for parents to be present at the school to get the results.
- What to do if you are away on results day?If the results are accessible online, being away on the results day is not a problem, given that you have access to the internet. But if you have to get the results in person, you must authorise someone, prepare a permission letter, and give them the necessary documents to get the results on your behalf.
- Is grade 3 GCSE a pass?The lowest passing grade in the GCSE grading system is 4, so 1, 2, and 3 are failing grades.