You and your mates are taking the long walk to the front of the school hall to get those all-important GCSE results.
You want good grades to get to the next level in your education: that apprenticeship, college course or A-levels.
You want them so that you can chill with your mates all summer without stress.
You want them to shut your mother up. (She’s already called twice while you’ve been on your way to school.)
But when you slide that envelope open, and see the GCSE results… pain, horror, dejection. You have not obtained the marks you required.
Before you allow yourself to fall into a pit of despair, we’re here to tell you that all is not lost. There is a path forward.
First of all, remember that you have your whole life ahead of you. No matter whether you barely picked up a pen in the run-up to your exams or whether you were squirrelled away in your bedroom for those long spring months, you can improve on these GCSE grades if necessary.
Some people go to college to take GCSEs in their twenties, thirties and even beyond. It may be that subjects that you have found really difficult over the past two years would be much more manageable then. It is never too late to gain the GCSE grades you long for.
However, it’s also important to remember that GCSE grades are only important insofar as they get you to where you need to be. Really, the question is: can you still do what you planned next year with these results? Because once you have a college diploma, A-levels or a degree, those marks will generally be more important than GCSEs.
The first step (perhaps after the grief and self-recrimination) is to talk to the adults concerned about the implications of your disappointing GCSE grade or grades.
Although the world doesn’t revolve around these subjects, and they may be far from your favourites, a pass grade in English and Maths is more vital for your future than the rest.
Many jobs expect a pass grade in these subjects, whether they seem relevant to the career or not. Employers want workers who are literate and numerate. Therefore, a grade 3 or below in Maths or English could haunt you later in life.
But there is hope. Though this may not feel like a cause for celebration, students who don’t obtain a pass at GCSE in year 11 must study the subject in years 12 and 13 until they do pass. That means that wherever you study, you will have another shot at improving these GCSE results.
It is likely, though not definite, that your school or college will enter you for a resit in the November of year 12 for English and Maths. These exams offer a chance to tackle the papers again while the details are still fresh in your mind. If you missed out on the pass by a few marks, a little revision and another shot may be all you need.
But beware…
If you swap from the school where you studied your GCSEs, you may have to sit your exam with a different board than the one you are used to and have been learning for the past two years.
Whilst this is frustrating, this is a practical reality for many resitters. Be ready to revise hard and learn new exam techniques ASAP.
You may have just a handful of lessons before the November exam, so it will be up to you to work hard on revision to ensure you are ready. Of course, don’t worry. November may be too soon for you to improve. If the exam in November doesn’t work out for you, there are further resits later in year 12 and again in year 13.
Once you know you are resitting English or Maths, and you know the exam board, try the following:
Whilst you will have to study English and Maths for resits if you don’t pass, that’s not true for other subjects. Even for English and Maths, resits will likely only be offered for those who have failed, rather than underperformed. (Do speak to your schools and colleges, though – you might get lucky!)
If, after speaking to colleges, schools and careers advisors you do need higher grades at GCSEs to enable you to progress, you can sit GCSEs at college or use private exam centres to resit individual exams. Tutors and Exams, for example, allow you to sit exams for a fee. You would need to study at home or with a tutor, but there is a chance to raise those GCSE grades.
So, when you look down at those GCSE grades and feel the world falling around you, don’t. Talk. Talk to your teachers, friends, and careers advisors, and think about the future.
You can find a path to your dreams. It’s time to start planning for it.
