What Happens After GCSE Results Day? A Parent’s Guide to the Next Steps
GCSE Results Day can feel like this huge date that’s been looming over the whole summer.
Then suddenly it’s done.
Your teen has opened their results, there have hopefully been a few smiles (and maybe a couple of surprises), and you find yourself wondering… what actually happens now?
For some teenagers it’s fairly straightforward. They got the grades they needed, their sixth form or college place is sorted and they can finally enjoy the rest of the summer.
For others, there might be decisions to make. A grade might be lower than expected, they may have changed their mind about a subject, or perhaps the course they originally planned no longer feels quite right.
The good thing is that GCSE Results Day isn’t an ending. It’s really the point where the next stage starts.
Here’s what usually happens after GCSE Results Day and what parents need to know.
First, give them a bit of time to take it all in
Before getting into enrolment forms, course choices and whether that grade 5 should have been a 6, give them a minute.
Results Day can be a lot.
They’ve spent two years working towards these grades and probably several weeks thinking about what might be inside that envelope.
Some teenagers will immediately want to talk about every grade. Others won’t.
I’d follow their lead a little here.
If the results weren’t what they were hoping for, you don’t necessarily need to solve everything in the first five minutes either.
I’ve written separately about how to support a teenager with GCSE Results Day nerves and anxiety and what to do when GCSE results aren’t what you expected.
If Results Day itself is still ahead of you, my GCSE Results Day guide for parents covers what to expect on the day, what your teen will receive and how you can prepare beforehand.
For now, take a look at the whole results sheet and work out whether anything actually needs dealing with that day.
What happens to their sixth form or college place after GCSE results?
If your teenager already has a conditional offer from a sixth form or college, their GCSE results will usually determine whether they’ve met the entry requirements.
Exactly what happens next varies between institutions.
They may need to enrol online, attend an enrolment appointment, upload their results or take their results with them in person.
Make sure you check any emails or information the sixth form or college sent before Results Day. There may be a fairly short enrolment window.
If they’ve achieved the grades they need, brilliant. They can follow the enrolment instructions and get their place sorted.
But don’t panic immediately if they’ve narrowly missed one.
What if they didn’t get the grades needed for sixth form or college?
Speak to the sixth form or college anyway.
This is probably the most important thing I’d do.
Entry requirements can look very black and white when they’re written on a website, but there may be some flexibility depending on the course, the grade missed and the individual student.
The Department for Education advises students who haven’t achieved the grades they need to contact their preferred school or college because they may still be able to offer a place or suggest another course.
So if they needed a 6 and got a 5, don’t simply assume that’s the end of it.
Call them.
They might:
- accept the student anyway
- suggest a different subject combination
- offer another course
- allow a GCSE resit alongside their new course
- put them in touch with someone who can talk through the alternatives.
If the result is only one or two marks below the required grade, I’d also speak to your teenager’s school about whether it’s worth looking at the paper.
I’ve gone through that process in much more detail in my guide to GCSE grade boundaries and when it’s worth asking for a remark.
If several of their grades aren’t what they were hoping for, I’ve also covered the wider options in my guide on what to do when GCSE results aren’t what you expected.
What if they want to change their A-level subjects?
This can happen even when the grades are absolutely fine.
A teenager might have chosen their A-levels months ago and then spent the summer thinking:
Actually, I don’t want to do that anymore.
Or their GCSE results might make them rethink things.
Maybe they did much better in one subject than expected. Perhaps another subject they thought they’d love turned out to be the GCSE they enjoyed least.
I’d encourage them to talk to the sixth form or college rather than assuming their original choices are fixed.
Whether they can change will depend on subject entry requirements, timetable combinations and available spaces, but Results Day and enrolment are exactly the time to ask.
I’d also think beyond just “What grade did you get?”
Which subjects did they actually enjoy?
Which ones are they interested enough in to spend another two years studying?
And do any future courses or careers they’re considering require particular subjects?
What if they’re not sure what they want to do next?
That’s okay too.
At 16, they’re being asked to make choices about subjects, courses and careers when many adults still aren’t entirely sure what they want to do.
After GCSEs, there are several routes available.
In England, the main options include:
- staying in full-time education, such as sixth form or college
- starting an apprenticeship
- working or volunteering for 20 hours or more a week alongside part-time education or training.
Full-time education doesn’t necessarily mean A-levels either.
Depending on their interests and what is available locally, they could consider vocational or technical qualifications, including T Levels and other college courses.
The National Careers Service post-16 options guide is a useful place to explore the different routes.
The important thing is finding a route that works for them, rather than feeling that everyone automatically has to follow the same sixth form → A-level → university path.
What happens if they failed GCSE English or Maths?
This is one of the areas where there may be another step after Results Day.
If your teenager hasn’t achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and/or Maths, they’ll normally need to continue studying the subject as part of their post-16 education.
GCSE English Language and Maths also have a November exam series for eligible students, while most other GCSE resits take place the following summer.
Their sixth form, college or training provider should explain what this means for them and whether they’ll be working towards another GCSE attempt or another suitable qualification.
Try not to frame this as “you failed, so you have to do it all again.”
For some teenagers, another few months of teaching and a second attempt is exactly what gets them over the line.
Can they resit another GCSE?
Yes.
If there’s a subject your teenager wants or needs to improve, speak to their school or new college about their options.
Most GCSE subjects are normally examined again the following summer rather than in November.
But I’d think carefully about why they’re resitting.
If they got a grade 6 instead of the 7 they’d hoped for but the grade doesn’t affect anything they want to do next, spending another year preparing for the exam may not actually be worthwhile.
If the grade is preventing them from taking a particular course or progressing towards something they really want, that’s a different conversation.
What if their GCSE grade looks wrong?
Don’t automatically assume that a disappointing result needs a remark.
First, find out the actual mark and how close it was to the grade boundary.
Then speak to the subject teacher or exams officer.
Schools can request access to marked exam scripts and may be able to look at the paper before deciding whether a review of marking is appropriate.
And it’s worth knowing that a review can result in the mark going up, staying the same or going down.
I’ve put together a separate guide explaining GCSE grade boundaries, remarks and reviews of marking, including what to do if your teenager is only one or two marks away from the next grade.
What happens if they ask for a GCSE remark?
What most of us call a “remark” is officially usually a review of marking.
For most students, the school or college requests this from the exam board and the student has to give their consent.
There are deadlines, and these change each year, so speak to the school’s exams officer sooner rather than later if you’re considering it.
If the disputed grade affects a sixth-form or college place, tell them that a review is being considered or has been requested rather than waiting silently for the result.
What if they change their mind about sixth form or college after GCSE Results Day?
I’d say this is more normal than teenagers probably realise.
Plans made during Year 11 don’t have to become permanent just because Results Day has arrived.
Maybe they applied for A-levels and now think a college course would suit them better.
Maybe an apprenticeship suddenly sounds much more appealing.
Or maybe they’ve realised the A-level subjects they chose aren’t actually the ones they want to spend the next two years doing.
Talk to their school, college or careers adviser and see what’s available.
There may be practical limitations – courses fill up and timetables have to work – but it’s much better to ask now than start something they already know isn’t right for them.
What should parents actually do after GCSE Results Day?
Once the initial excitement or disappointment has settled, I’d keep the practical list fairly short.
Check their next place is confirmed.
Make sure they’ve completed whatever enrolment steps their sixth form, college or training provider requires.
Check their subject choices.
Are they still happy with them and have they met any subject-specific entry requirements?
Deal with anything time-sensitive.
If a grade affects their place or you think there may have been a marking problem, speak to the relevant people straight away.
Keep an eye on emails.
There may be enrolment information, induction dates, timetables or requests for documents over the next couple of weeks.
Then let them enjoy what’s left of the summer.
After months of revision, exams and waiting for results, they probably deserve a bit of time where nobody asks them about GCSEs.
Do parents need to do anything with the GCSE certificates?
The results sheet your teenager gets on Results Day isn’t their final GCSE certificate.
Official certificates are issued later through the school or exam centre.
Make sure your teenager actually collects them when they’re available and then keep them somewhere safe.
They may be asked for evidence of their qualifications in the future by colleges, universities or employers, and replacing lost certificates later can be a faff.
This is one of those jobs that’s very easy to forget once they’ve moved on to sixth form or college.
What happens in the weeks after GCSE Results Day?
For most teenagers, things settle surprisingly quickly.
They’ll enrol, confirm their subjects or course and then start getting information about the new term.
There may be:
- induction days
- timetable information
- summer or transition work
- reading lists
- equipment requirements
- travel arrangements to sort out
- bursary or financial-support applications.
Then September arrives and GCSEs suddenly start feeling like something that happened ages ago.
The National Careers Service also has information for young people who are still unsure about their next step after receiving their results.
What Happens After GCSE Results Day? FAQs
Do you have to tell your sixth form your GCSE results?
Your sixth form or college will need to confirm that you’ve met its entry requirements. How this happens varies, so follow the enrolment instructions you’ve been given. Some institutions may receive or verify information differently, while others will ask students to provide their results.
What happens if you don’t get the GCSE grades for your A-levels?
Contact the sixth form or college rather than assuming you’ve lost your place.
They may have some flexibility, particularly if you’ve narrowly missed a requirement, or they may suggest a different subject or course.
Can you change A-level subjects after GCSE Results Day?
Often it’s possible to ask, but it depends on the sixth form or college, available spaces, subject entry requirements and whether the timetable works.
Results Day/enrolment is a good time to raise it rather than waiting until several weeks into term.
Can you change sixth form after GCSE Results Day?
Potentially, yes, if another sixth form or college has places available.
Contact the institution directly and explain the situation. Your current school or careers adviser may also be able to help you find alternatives.
Can you resit GCSEs while doing A-levels?
It can be possible, depending on the subject and your sixth form or college.
English and maths resits are particularly common. For other subjects, talk to the institution about whether a resit is necessary and how it would fit alongside the student’s new course.
What happens if you fail all your GCSEs?
It doesn’t mean there are no options left.
Speak to the school, local colleges and a careers adviser as soon as possible. There are different levels of courses and training available, and the right next step will depend on the teenager’s results, interests and circumstances.
The National Careers Service exam-results support is also a useful starting point.
Does my child have to stay in education after GCSEs?
In England, young people must remain in education or training until they’re 18, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay at school.
They can continue in full-time education, start an apprenticeship, or combine sufficient work/volunteering with part-time education or training.
Looking for more GCSE advice? I’ve got more advice covering Results Day, revision, exams and supporting teenagers through GCSEs in my GCSE support for parents section.
Results Day is a stepping stone, not the finish line
We spend so much of Year 11 talking about GCSEs that it’s easy for Results Day to feel like the final verdict on everything.
It isn’t.
Some teenagers will get exactly what they hoped for. Some will do better than expected. Others will have a grade or two that disappoints them.
There might be a few phone calls to make or plans that need tweaking.
But once those practical bits are sorted, they’re moving onto something new.
And hopefully, after all those months of revision timetables, exams and “how did it go?”, GCSEs can finally stop dominating family life for a while
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