Today’s the day! Have you been waiting anxiously over the summer holidays to find out your child’s GCSE results? Here’s everything you need to know about the big day:

Keep calm (and carry on)

GCSE results day can be a nerve-wracking time for everyone but try and keep as calm as possible and reassure your child. Keep it as normal a day as you can by following the usual morning routine (for example having breakfast etc.) before heading off to school. It will help keep everyone’s nerves intact. Remember to check with your school about what time you can pick up the results before heading off.
Pack your bag

Your child will need to bring a few things with them to school. Needless to say if they haven’t followed tip number one above, you might need to bring these things for them:
Tissues (for happy tears, of course)
Mobile phone
Pen
Notepad
Money
College/Sixth form paperwork
Remember the grading system has changed

There’s been a great deal of confusion over the GCSE grading changes ever since they were announced. A* to G has been replaced by 9-1, with 9 being the highest mark and 1 being the lowest. Make sure you keep this handy guide with you to minimise any confusion on the day:

What to do if you think a result is incorrect

If your child was expecting a 7 (an A) in Maths and they have been awarded a 1 (a G) then you will almost certainly want to appeal the result. Talk to your child’s subject teacher as soon as possible and ask them to submit an “enquiry about results” to the examination board. Examination boards don’t have different rules for how they regrade GCSE papers but they may follow different rules when it comes to how they charge you for remarking a paper. “My son appealed his English result and he got an upgrade to A…”

What to do if your child needs to resit an exam

GCSE exam retakes for English and Maths will take place in November 2017 and all other exam resits will take place next summer. If your child does need to retake in November 2017, firstly make sure to check with your school about their arrangements for the exact subject, as it will differ between examining bodies. Secondly make sure you have a proper conversation with the school and your child about the amount of work to be done in order to pass the exam. This will help determine whether November is the right time to resit.

We wish everyone the very best of luck with their GCSE exam results!​ from Osborne and Cawkwell, contact them here