A Level Results Day

Howdy peeps,

If you or someone you know has A/S or A level results today, please accept my congratulations. 🎉🎊👏🙌👨‍🎓👩‍🎓

I’ve heard a lot of GCSE and A level students being fearful of not getting the grades they need (understandable given the news in Scotland the last few days), but they also seem reluctant to celebrate ‘unearned’ grades if they do well.

Obviously there will be no huge parties (because Covid) and it must be hard to know how to feel when you didn’t sit an exam so have no ‘I did well/badly in that’ indicator. However, you should still celebrate!

1. You worked hard for almost 2 years. 👏👏

2. You coped with this lockdown craziness. 👩‍💻👨‍💻

3. You are moving on to the next phase of your life. 🎉🎉🎉

Number 3 is probably the one you’re most scared about; fear of not getting grades to progress is always the biggest issue on results day…. so here’s what to do:

1. Get calm: it’s pointless to say stay calm because it is pretty important to you, but get calm ASAP and start contacting people….

2. Know your stuff: your school and next place (uni/college/work) will have a plan, so ask them what to do. Many colleges and universities have leniency plans and extended clearing times this year so ask them if you’re in before assuming you’re not.

3. Know how to complain if you’re not happy:

If you think your grades are wrong/unfair you can request a regrading from the exam board, same as any other year… however, this year I would tell your current school or college first because if they can request bulk regrading of lots of people are unhappy and the school have more authority so you may get them back more quickly. Also worth telling your next place if you intend to appeal as they may not officially accept you until they come back.

4: Remember there is alaays a plan B: if you haven’t got one already, see what your results are and then plan based on that.

There may be a way through (see above) or there may be the opportunity to resit while at your next placement (something else you can ask them).

You could go on a clearing list through ucas or contacting alternative colleges/universities directly.

You could pause everything and have a gap year (for leisure or work). It’s OK to take time to explore other options.

Be proud of yourself for being the only generation to go through this in the history of exam-taking and cut yourself some slack. Give yourself time to collect your thoughts (whether that’s an hour or a year) and get the facts.

Please message me if you are stuck, but I promise it’s solvable.

Well done for getting this far! I’m proud of you all.

Anna x

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