With GCSE and A Level exam results days looming, what happens if your child doesn’t get the results they wanted? Naturally we all want them to do brilliantly, but just in case something doesn’t quite go to plan it’s good to be prepared. Amanda Reader, Head of Cranleigh Futures at Cranleigh School, tells us her top tips on what to do and how to cope…

This year has been one of the most unsettling times for the majority of the population. Our teenagers have had to cope with the challenge of remote learning, self-isolation and the certainty of uncertainty.  For the last two years they have worked towards the goal of exams, only to find that this has been pulled from under their feet. The exams have been replaced with CAGs (Centre Assessed Grades) and they now have to wait and trust that all their hard work throughout the years will be recognised in the grades that will ultimately be awarded by their teachers.

We all want our teenagers to work to the best of their ability and to ultimately have their hard work rewarded with excellent results but sometimes life doesn’t always go according to plan. It can be so difficult to watch our children receive disappointing news. So what can we do to help pick them up and move on with their next steps?

Here are a few guidelines to help them through this difficult time:

Don’t Panic
There can be a moment of panic on results day when our teenagers bleary eyed open up the browser, logon to the school portal and receive their results.  When it comes to A Levels, a number of pupils do fall one grade below their expectations, but more often than not, their first choice university will still accept them. This year could well be a little different though. So do make sure that they open up their emails and logon to the UCAS site. So often there is a reassuring email saying ‘Well done, welcome to….’  Calm will soon return.

Unconditional love
Ultimately as parents, we love them unconditionally. Our love for our children does not depend on their academic success. Reassure them of this. It can feel like the end of the world, but show them that your love hasn’t changed on results day.

What helps our teenagers be unique is not their academic ability, but what makes them who they are, their ability to communicate, to show empathy, to lead others, to make us laugh. Yes, results are important, but don’t let academic success define who they are.

Time will heal
I’m not sure that I can think of a time when I was asked what I achieved for my degree, A levels and certainly not my GCSEs. Time is a great healer and probably by the middle of the autumn term, the conversation about exam results will have dwindled into a distant memory.

---

So when you have reassured them of your love and support, then take time to consider the practical steps that your teenager could take.

Appeal
Across the country teaching staff have conducted a rigorous assessment process in order to reward their students with their grades. If students believe that mistakes have been made, then they can appeal to the school. Each school or sixth form college will have their own policy and procedure, so contact your child’s school directly.

Clearing
If your teenager’s A Levels fall short of their expectations and as a result they no longer meet their Firm and Insurance university requirements then they can apply to go through  the university clearing process. Clearing does open on 5th July, so if pupils think that their results might have taken a dip, then it is well worth being prepared. As a parent it can be very tempting to wade in, but do take a step back and let them find the right solution.

A full and useful account of the Clearing process can be found here.https://www.studential.com/further-education/UCAS-Clearing-Guide-2021

Take a gap year
With the population living longer and retiring later, why not encourage your teenager to take some time to reflect? A gap year is an ideal opportunity to really develop those soft skills that help to make our teenagers exciting and fun. Working hard to help to fund themselves before going travelling or volunteering really does develop a good work ethic in them.

University isn’t for everyone
With university tuition fees always on the rise and the cost of university accommodation increasing, why not help your teenager look at their other options?

Degree apprenticeships are increasingly common but do still remain highly competitive, so if your teenager has a great work ethic, why not consider applying? It reduces student debt and helps to give them a great foot on the employment ladder. It can still give them that independence that our teenagers crave whilst enabling them to live and socialise with their apprenticeship colleagues.

World of work
There are some great employment opportunities out there that are not dependent on highly academic results. Gaining a job does not necessarily mean a lifelong commitment to the company. So why not encourage them to work for a while and keep an open mind about university?

---