FAQ GCSE Results Day 2022: Be Prepared Ahead of Time

Contents

1. When is GCSE results day?
2. What time do GCSE results come out?
3. How are GCSEs graded?
4. What can I do in the run-up to GCSE results day?
5. What does my child need to take on GCSE results day?
6. When can you retake GCSEs?
7. How can I appeal if I don’t agree with my GCSE results
   

GCSE results day. Feelings of excitement and fear as your future seems to hang on what is written on one piece of paper. Your results can influence whether you can eventually apply to Oxford or Cambridge, whether you will enrol on a vocational course or apply for an apprenticeship.

While exam results aren’t everything, after two years of hard work, GCSE results day is an exciting and nerve-wracking time. It's time for you to find out how you fared against the rest of the country and use your grades to move on to the next step of your education.

Not much has changed in the way of emotions but are you clued up on the process? Are you armed with all the information to get yourself through this new experience? Find out all you need to know before, on and after the big day so that you can navigate through the experience with ease. 👊

When is GCSE results day?

This year's GCSE results day is the 25th of August 2022. 

This is the time when those who are at GCSE-exam age will find out how they’ve done.

In 2021, results day was a bit different. Due to the pandemic, students didn’t take physical exams but were given grades by their subject teachers based on mock exams, coursework and tests in class. Despite this, students still received their results for every subject on the same day: Thursday 12th August. 📅

The date will return to normal in 2022 as (pre-pandemic) results are published on the third Thursday in August. Last year, when grades were entirely teacher-assessed, results fell a week earlier to the second Thursday to leave time for appeals. Uniquely, it’s the first summer we’ll be returning back to proper, externally-examined grades since 2019.

In 2022, GCSE results day will be on 25th August, following exams in May and June. This is later than it was in 2021 because it had to allow for pupils to appeal the grades their teachers had given them. As pupils will once again be taking traditional, pre-pandemic exams in 2022, this extra time is no longer necessary. 

What time do GCSE results come out?

Depending on your school, results will come out as early as 8:00 am. Your school may ask you to come in just after that. 

It’s important to arrive on time on GCSE results day, to give yourself time to read and process your results, share with your peers and talk with your teachers. It’s at this stage that you might even start thinking of appeals if you need to, read on for information on what to do if this eventuality arises.

How are GCSEs graded?

The grades for GCSEs go from 9 to 1. This replaced the old system of grades from A to G in 2017. The Ofqual numerical system in relation to the alphabetical system is shown in the chart below:

A pass mark is considered to be 4, which is the equivalent to a C under the old system.

However, 2022 will be a transitional period to allow for the disruption the pandemic has caused to children’s education. As a result, in the interests of fairness, grades will generally not be as high as those in 2020, but higher than those in 2019. Ofqual also states that some exam boards will give information in advance regarding exams and that study aids will be permitted in some exams.

In autumn, there is the usual chance for you to do maths and English GCSE retakes. In autumn 2021, there is also the opportunity to retake if you aren’t happy with the results you received in summer 2021 or if you weren’t able to get a teacher-assessed grade at that time for some reason.

Be aware that IGCSEs are still graded under the old alphabetical system. If this applies to you, you can find more information here.👈

Not sure exactly how grades work? Remember to check out our previous information and advice on this topic, we have it covered 👍🏼

And why does it all matter? Well, GCSE grades can be the main indicator of what happens next after school ends at the end of Year 11. Lots of students want to go onto colleges or sixth forms, which tend to be selective. They rely on schools to provide predicted grades for their students before they’ve even sat their exams. Then when GCSE results day comes around, these institutions can confirm their places.

Apart from sixth form (where you’d usually sit academic A-Levels, BTECs or the IB), students can take on vocational qualifications at Further Education (FE) colleges or apprenticeships (a job with nationally-recognised training). You can even go straight into work, with part-time education or training alongside it. 

As always with results day, grades can be appealed after GCSE results day. This is called a ‘review of marking’ where examiners will check how the paper was originally marked and if it was within ‘tolerance’. Depending on their decision, papers might go up or even down in marks and grades. Remember to check out our GCSE Grades Explained for 2022 for a more in-depth breakdown of what all the grades signify. 

If you aren’t happy with your results on GCSE results day, you can apply to resit the examination the following summer (2023). English and maths even have an opportunity for resits in November right after the summer (with those results coming out in January). 

How can I deal with anxiety in the run-up to GCSE results day?

GCSE results day is a turning point. It’s a great day to reflect on what’s passed (years of hard work and exams) and what’s next (higher education, an apprenticeship, work). If you haven’t done as well as you’d hoped it’s important you stay calm. 

Here are some things you can do to stay calm on the big day:

• Stay calm: What’s done is done at this point. Stressed and anxiety won't change your results, try to stay calm
• Eat healthy food: 🍲 This will help you feel at your best when the big day comes around
• Get enough sleep: Poor sleeping habits can affect your mental health and will make you less able to cope with the day and what might follow
• Be positive: In the days leading up to results day, why not discuss a plan B as well as the best outcome? Hopefully, you will get the results you want but disappointment is much easier to deal with if you’ve thought of a plan B in advance
• Keep your options open. Make sure you are open to thinking about various  fields of study 
• Work out how you’re going to receive the results: find out about arrangements for collecting the GCSE results - is it only in person from the school or is it possible and/or preferable to receive them via email? Do you want to go alone or with a friend or family member?
• Have something fun planned: The chances are you’re going to want to celebrate your achievements. Organise something nice to do together with people who make you feel good. 😀

Not sure exactly what to do when results don’t go as planned? Work through some or all of the following:

• Speak with your next place of study: the likelihood is, that they’ll accept you if your grades are just a little lower than expected. Everybody’s human, and they’ll have accounted for this in their placements. Remember to save the contact details of more than one school or sixth form or college in case they still retract your place. 
• Consider another option: if grades are a lot lower than expected, the likelihood is you will struggle with ongoing academic study or at least study in that particular subject. You might want to think about a backup college or sixth form, or an apprenticeship.
• Figure out if some subjects need retaking, or reviewing (previously remarking). You can do this independently or through your school. Remember to ask for help from the experts: your teachers!

What do I need to take with me on GCSE results day?

Your school should tell you all about how the day will be organised. Each school has different arrangements. Most schools encourage students to come in person to collect their results, but some schools publish them via email or on an online portal. 

When can you retake GCSEs? 

With any luck, you will have received the grades you wanted and will be looking forward to the next exciting stage in your educational journey. ⭐

In some cases, you may have failed an exam that is required to progress further with your plan. If this is the case, try to stay calm and consider your next steps. 

If you have failed to get the required grade 4 in maths and/or English, speak to someone. Teachers are present on results day for this reason. They have experience with what to do so they should be your first port of call.

Contact the college who will also be able to advise you. Sometimes you will be able to do retakes at the same time as starting your A levels so it’s certainly worth checking. If you were due to start an apprenticeship, contact the provider to see if you will still be able to start or if you’ll need to achieve the required results beforehand.

With the exception of 2021, when you could retake any subject, maths and English are the only resits you can do in November this year. Many schools and colleges will help you prepare for these.

The good news is, you won’t have to wait too long to do so. It may be worth hiring a tutor to give yourself the best chance of passing the second time around. Why not book a free trial lesson with GoStudent today! 💪

If the autumn is too soon to retake, you could always wait until the summer exams to try again. Some people just need time to process or prepare.

Without a grade 4 in maths and/or English, you will need to keep studying these subjects until you’re 18. The type of study depends on what grade you got:

If the thought of having to study for these subjects again gets you down, it might be worth trying out a new revision method. Without maths and English, your options will be limited but it's not the end of the road. If you are lacking in self-confidence, sport is a good way to help and has a knock-on effect on your motivation and learning.

How can I appeal if I don’t agree with my GCSE results?

In a small number of cases, a result that you achieved may seem wrong. If this is true for you, there is a procedure you can follow:

1.  You can contact your school and ask them to review the grade they have awarded
2.  If the school sticks to the grade they have given, you can ask the school to appeal to the exam board
3. If you think the exam board hasn’t achieved a satisfactory outcome, you can ask for a review from Ofqual

You can find more information here.👈

GCSE results day is a time to come together to either celebrate the results of your hard work or problem-solve and find the next positive move forward. Whatever you do, try to remember that not everyone is academic but everyone is good at something. Keep focussing on your strengths. Good luck! 🍀