By Kate Hilpern
After all that hard work, when can you expect to get your GCSE results and how can you make sure you’re fully prepared for the big day?
When do GCSE results come out?
For 2019, results day is Thursday 22 August. The GCSE exam boards release the results to schools and colleges, where you can collect them in person, usually from 10am. You can also sign up to receive your results by email. Although schools get the results the day before, 21 August, these are strictly for headteachers and exam officers.
In some schools in Scotland, students study for National 5 qualifications, which are the Scottish equivalent of GCSEs. On Tuesday 6 August, the Scottish Qualifications Authority publishes these exam results online – the same day that your certificate arrives in the post. If you registered for MySQA {insert link}, you’ll be emailed or texted your results by 9am and you can also collect them from your school or college.
How should I prepare for the big day?
If you have an unconditional sixth form place or other unconditional offer to study or work, you won’t need to bring anything with you. But if your place is conditional on certain grades, bring any acceptance letters with you to the school, along with your phone, notepad and pen, some ID and any other paperwork relating to colleges and sixth forms that you’re interested in. Remember teachers will be on hand to help.
What if I’m not available that day?
Just let your school or college know that you’d like to receive your results via email instead – usually from around 8am.
How does the GCSE grading system work?
The new 9-1 grades offer greater stretch for students at the top end, with 9 higher than the old A*, while at the opposite end a grade 1 is equivalent to the old grade G. In between that, the old grade C is like a grade 4 and the old grade A is like a grade 7.
What if I don’t get the grades I need?
If you didn’t get the grades required for your conditional sixth form place, you can request a priority remark from the exam board. If you aren’t continuing with education, you can request a copy of the marked paper, or a clerical check, or review the marking.
GCSE students in England and Wales can call a government-run careers service helpline {insert link https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/contacts-az/careers-service } on 0300 200 7820 between 9.3am-4.30pm, or you can chat online or by email via their website. In Scotland, National 5 students can call a different helpline from 8am-8pm both on results day and the following day on 0808 100 8000.
What if I need to retake my exams?
English language and maths resits take place in November 2019. Some other subjects are available to resit June 2020 – check with your school what’s available. Note that you can’t just retake the part of the exam you didn’t do well in – you have to retake all the exams necessary to pass that particular subject. While some schools cover the costs of GCSE retakes, in most cases parents have to pay. The exact amount depends on the exam board, but generally it’s around £35 per GCSE.
