Your guide to GCSE results day
You’ve put in the work, had a break from them, and now here they are: the Dreaded GCSE Results. Well, don’t worry, we got in touch with some young people who have been there done that, to get their take on results day, the positives and negatives and what it really means for your future.
6 min read
When do GCSE results come out and how do I get them?
GCSE results day 2024 is on Thursday 22 August. For most schools, you’ll collect your results at school, but some may post results or send them digitally, so make sure to check with your teachers.
If you are collecting your results from your school, your teachers will let you know what time the school opens and which classroom to collect your results from. Times vary from school to school, so you might get yours at a different time to friends in another school!
What if I’m away on GCSE results day?
You might not be able to pick up your results for many reasons:
- You’re away on holiday
- Or you just can’t travel into school on the day
If you know you’re going to be away, you can just arrange with your school in advance to send your results to you via email or post. Emails will usually arrive at 8am on results day, and post may take a little longer – but this can vary from school to school so make sure to check with your teachers when you’re sorting it out. They’ll know the process and will tell you what to expect!
And don’t worry. If something unexpected comes up and you can’t make it into school on the day, and haven’t made advanced plans, it’s all good too! The envelope containing your results will be posted to your home address. All you need to do is call your school on the day and they’ll help you out.
If you're on an NCS away from home experience and want to collect your results in-person, you can give our helpline a call on 0800 197 8010 to talk through getting there and back.
You can also nominate someone else to collect your results on your behalf, but you will usually need them to sign a letter and bring photo ID. As with everything else, it's best to check the rules with your school first!
GCSE results explained
Back in the day, GCSE results used to be graded A to E. But they’re now graded numerically, from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest and 1 the lowest. There is also U, which means ‘ungraded’.
A ‘standard pass’ grade comes in at a 4, and a ‘strong pass’ is a 5.
This means that someone who gets nine grade-4’s has, technically, passed all their exams. However, many sixth forms insist on a minimum number of 5’s or 6’s as a condition of entry for further study.
Your results, your rules
So, now that you know how you’re going to get them, now it’s over to the actual moment. The opening of the envelope! And how you do that is, of course, completely up to you.
It’s a good idea to decide beforehand whether you want to open them with your family, friends or by yourself. And remember, you absolutely don’t have to share your results if you don’t want to.
It’s also worth remembering that it’s a big day for everyone in your year, and everyone’s reactions will differ. It’s like Emily says, “my friend and I opened our results together. She squealed…and I fell into a bush! It was not the most graceful of moments, but I remember being too relieved to be embarrassed, happy that my hard work had paid off.”
Check out what else Emily, and others had to say about their GCSE results day!
You open that envelope and feel…
Happy?
Disappointed?
Too stunned to think?
It’s a big moment, so don’t feel pressured to feel anything too quickly! The numbers in front of you are the culmination of so much hard graft, hope and study. Vania says it best, “After opening the email, I was actually shocked, especially with the subjects I had felt weaker at. I was so relieved that it was over, all the tutoring, webinars and revision did not go to waste. I never had to sit through a physics lesson again, but above all else I was proud of myself.”
And, if you didn’t get the grades you wanted, it’s important to remember that it’ll all be alright. “If your results, the day itself, or your choices afterwards aren’t what you imagined, just remember that there are always options.” says Natalia.
Celebrate your hard work
The work is done now and, regardless of the outcome, you did it. You’ve revised and made mind maps and stayed up all night and your GCSEs are over! You’ll never have the day again, and it’s worth celebrating everything you put into it.
So, make sure to celebrate! Whether it’s a picnic in the park with pals, a trip to the cinema, buying yourself a cake and blowing out some ‘I did it’ candles, or simply just sitting and taking a breather. This is your time to make yourself feel good about everything you’ve done.
What to do if you didn’t get the grades you were expecting
It can always feel a bit deflating to not get what you wanted or thought you would get. But it’s not the end of the road. If you want to try and change your grades you could:
- Speak to your school or college
- Look into resitting the exams
Or, you can always look into different pathways, such as:
- Look for other courses with different requirements
- Consider an apprenticeship
Check out this blog which has some really good advice on different things you can do, so make sure to give it a read too.
And don’t forget about your teachers. They’ve been with you from the start, and have loads of experience helping students go on to the next level, whatever that may be. So why not try and have a chat with one of them and see what kind of advice and plans they can help you put in place.
Your results don’t define you
The most important thing to remember, whether you got the grades you wanted or not, is that you have so many different options ahead of you. They might be exactly what you planned, or they might look a little different now.
Either way, this is just the start of your future, and your results, while important, don’t define you.
Imogen says it how it is, “There are so many ways to measure what you have learnt throughout your time at school, and grades are just one way. How many friends have you made? What have you learnt about yourself? How have you changed? Ask yourself these questions the next time you find yourself stressing.” Read more from her to get inspired!
If you need to talk…
If you want to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, you can speak to any of the organisations below:
National Careers Service: You can also speak to a professional careers adviser for free via their helpline on 0800 100 900 or by webchat.
Young Minds: If you need urgent help text YM to 85258
Childline: 0800 1111
The Mix: 0808 808 4994
