Sunderland headteacher gives her top six tips for pupils ahead of GCSE results day

With thousands of teenagers set to receive their GCSE results on Thursday (August 24) it’s a nervous time for the city's youngsters.

After 17 years teaching in secondary schools results day was always an outpouring of a cocktail of built up emotions; joy, relief, anxiety, excitement, and sadly for some students, disappointment.

Whatever a pupil’s results, it's important for youngsters to maintain perspective and not see it as a definitive moment which will dictate their success in life.

Employers and academic leaders want to see people displaying an array of skills, characteristics and qualities, not just a list of numbers alongside an individual’s name. 

Ahead of this Thursday’s results, Sandhill View Academy headteacher, Jill Dodd, has been giving her top six tips for pupils.

1 Don’t Panic

Results day is often a day for assessing options and making decisions and so it’s important to be able to approach it with a clear head.

Mrs Dodd said: “You cannot change the outcome of your results now and so it's important that you eat well, get a good night's sleep and stay as positive as you can.”

2 Be prepared

Receiving your GCSE results is stressful enough and so it’s important not to add any unnecessary stress or worry.

Mrs Dodd said: “Make sure you know where you are going to collect your results and from and what time you need to be there.  

“It's also helpful to communicate to those around you about who you would like to be there with you when you open your results and where you would like to open them.  

“My advice would always be to open them at school as you'll have access to instant support and guidance from teachers and the careers team, if you need it.”

3 Understand your results and the possibility of remarks

If you have not achieved the results you wanted or expected, then applying for a remark on an entire exam or a particular paper is a possibility. Schools will also want to maximise their outcomes as well and so it’s important to speak with your teachers to look at your papers and how close you are to grade boundaries. For my geography students, submitting for a marking review was normally an option for a student who was within three marks of a grade boundary.

It’s a sentiment shared by Mrs Dodd who said: “You should already have some idea on the results that you're expecting, so when you've opened your results check your grades.  

“If there's anything you're not sure of, or a result that you didn't expect, then ask.  If you do achieve a grade less than you were expecting, then you may be able to send your paper back for a remark. 

"There will be paperwork that you need to complete in order for your school to do this, so make sure you speak to someone before you leave.”

There will be an exam review submission deadline for each exam board but remarks are normally completed before the end of September. It’s important to be aware that marks can go down as well as up when a paper is remarked.

4 Don’t compare yourself to others.

Students are given individual GCSE target grades based on a statistical calculation from previous academic attainment. However all students will face their own set of circumstances and individual personal and academic challenges which can impact on outcomes.

Mrs Dodd said: “It’s important for pupils not to compare themselves to others as this can make students feel worse.

“Every student will get a different set of results. We are all unique and the results will be too.  

“Employers look for a range of skills and qualifications, so there will always be something to celebrate.”

5 Next steps

Whether pupils get the results they need or not, choices will need be made on the next step in their education and so it’s important to make an informed decision.

Mrs Dodd said: “There should be teachers and careers guidance available to pupils at all schools in the city and so if your results are different to what you expected then speak to them about the next steps.  

“Even if you didn’t get the results you hoped for, you should always speak to the college, sixth form or apprenticeship provider about your results as there may be flexibility that will still enable you to pursue the courses you want.”

6 Resits

The thought of having to resit a whole year can often be a big turn off for pupils, but if you need a certain grade in some subjects, particularly maths and English, then resits are available in the autumn. Some colleges and sixth forms may also allow you to study for your resits alongside your new course.

Mrs Dodd said: “If you didn't get the grades you needed or wanted in maths and English, then you don't need to wait until next Summer to re-sit, you can do this in November.”