What to do next when you get your GCSE results

Once you have received your GCSE results, it is a good idea to contact the college that you have applied for, whatever your grades.

If your grades are lower than predicted

• Don’t panic.  Talk to school or college staff, your parent/carer and possibly a careers advisor about your options.
• Contact the college, they might still accept you either on your course or another one.
• This year, because of COVID-19, if you’d like an opportunity to improve your grade, you can choose to sit exams in the autumn.
• You might also be able to re-take English and Maths GCSEs in June, studying for them alongside other qualifications.
• Most people don’t re-sit all of their GCSEs, as if there isn’t a really good reason why they didn’t get higher grades the first time, they will probably get the same ones again, so they choose a different course, such as a L2 BTEC, instead.
• This year, you can’t appeal your grade because you don’t agree with the centre assessment grade or rank order position submitted by your school or college.
• You can ask your school or college to check whether it made an error when submitting your centre assessment grade or your position in the rank order. If your school or college does think it made a mistake, it can submit an appeal to the exam board, but it must be supported by clear evidence that an error had been made.
• Your school or college can appeal to an exam board on your behalf if it believes the exam board used the wrong data when calculating grades or incorrectly communicated the grades calculated. You should discuss this with your school or college.
• If you don’t have the grades for your college, contact other colleges to apply for their courses.  Remember, you can get into university with a L3 BTEC or Advanced Apprenticeship, as well as A Levels. See: https://ps16.co.uk/
• Consider other options such as Apprenticeships, Traineeships or part-time study with work or volunteering. See: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship , https://www.gov.uk/find-traineeship and https://do-it.org/

If your grades are higher than predicted

• Well done.  Talk to school or college staff, your parent/carer and possibly a careers advisor about your options.
• If your course is a Level 1 or 2, contact the college, they may be able to offer you a Level 2 or 3.
• Consider contacting other colleges to see if they have a more suitable course for you e.g. A Levels rather than a BTEC. See: https://ps16.co.uk/

If you need further support

This year’s awarding process - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/your-results-what-next

The Exam Results Helpline: 0800 100 900 & https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Ofqual: 0300 303 3344 and https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual

Mental Health Support: Young Minds. Text YM to 85258

Childline 0800 11 11

Careers information, advice and guidance is still available at Loughborough College, just via email, rather than face to face. 

You can contact Careers on: careers@loucoll.ac.uk and ask for assistance with choosing a career; choosing a course for next year at college, university or another training provider; writing a CV or personal statement; applying for a job or apprenticeship; planning a gap year; or anything else related to your future study or employment.  We are here to help you to progress.