For many students, GCSE results day can be quite stressful. Waiting for your results can be nerve-racking, but it might only be the beginning of an emotional rollercoaster, especially if the grades you receive aren't what you were expecting, leaving you confused about what this means for your next steps.
Dr Charlotte Armitage is a child psychologist, who went on to have a successful career despite not doing as well as she had hoped in her GCSEs. Charlotte has some tips and advice to help inspire you to see that you can still achieve your goals, regardless of your grades.
Hi, my name is Doctor Charlotte Armitage. Happy GCSE results day. Now I know this may not be a happy day for all of you, but I'm here to give you some tips, advice and hopefully some inspiration for moving forward from this point onwards. As someone who didn't do very well in her GCSEs and has now gone on to get a number of degrees and have a successful career, I want to tell you that it's all going to be okay. I promise you that. We are taught throughout school that our GCSEs are the most important thing in the world, and therefore if you fail at those GCSEs or you don't do as well as expected, it can feel that your whole future is doomed. And that's just not the reality. Your GCSEs measure how well you do on a particular set of exams, on a particular set of subjects, at a particular time of your life. They don't measure your intelligence across different spectrums, they only measure academic intelligence. There are at least eight different other areas of intelligence which are arguably more important for your future success. There are also a multitude of different ways to achieve your goals, and to find your way into the career that you want to go into. So if you haven't got the GCSEs that you need to go get the A levels you want to get to get into the university you want to get into, fear not, there are other ways of getting into university, of getting into A levels, of doing that job that you want to do.
Your GCSE exams don't measure your intelligence across different spectrums, they only measure academic intelligence. – Dr Armitage
Dr Armitage says: "We are taught throughout school that our GCSEs are the most important thing in the world… but that just isn't the reality."
While GCSEs are important and can play a role in shaping your next steps, they do not define you or your potential. Exam results only reflect how you performed in a specific set of subjects, on specific days, at a particular time in your life.
Charlotte adds: "Your GCSE exams don't measure your intelligence across different spectrums, they only measure academic intelligence. There are at least eight different areas of intelligence that are arguably more important for your future success."
Getting your GCSE grades is a significant achievement for many, however, there’s more to success than exam grades alone. Soft skills such as creativity, communication, resilience and emotional intelligence can be just as valuable, and there are many different routes into the careers and opportunities you may be aiming for.
If you didn't get the GCSE grades you were hoping for and need a reminder that exam results do not determine your future, take a look at these stories for inspiration.
First of all, take some time to feel disappointed, if you do feel disappointed, it is okay to feel disappointed. And it's important that we feel and we process our emotions healthily, so take some time to feel them. Try not to compare yourself to your friends. It is difficult on a day like today where everyone wants to celebrate and talk about things, but try not to compare yourself to other people. You just need to think about yourself and what you want to do next with your life, with your career, with your education, whatever that might be. And you may not even know at this stage what you want to do next. Look at your options. Speak to your parents, trusted adults, teachers, mentors. Do some research yourself. Have a little look online at different ways into the career that you want to go into. You might find that there are various different ways that people can go down that don't involve the traditional GCSEs, A levels, degree route, so have a little look. More often than not, there's a way, we're just not, we're just not taught that there are other ways, alternative ways to get to where you want to go in life. And allow yourself some downtime. You've just gone through a years of studying for these exams, which are very, very stressful, aren't they? And you're now at this endpoint. Whether you receive the GCSEs you wanted or not, now is the time to give yourself a moment to relax, to reflect, to think and consider what it is that you want to do when you move forward. But just remember, there's always a way, and however bad this feels right now, I promise you, in a year's time you won't be looking back.
Dr Charlotte's tips for dealing with disappointment
1. Take some time to feel disappointment
It's okay to feel upset if your results weren't what you had hoped for. Dr Charlotte says that it's important to feel and process your emotions.
2. Try not to compare yourself to others
It can be difficult not to compare your grades to those of your friends, but you need to think about yourself and what you want to do next with your life, career or education – you may not even know what you want to do yet, and that is completely fine.
3. Assess your options
Dr Charlotte recommends you speak to a trusted adult such as your teacher or your parents. You should also take some time to research your options and the next steps you can take to reach your goals in education or your career.
4. Focus on what comes next
Whether you received the GCSE grades you wanted or not, you should take a moment to reflect on what it is that you want to do moving forward. Dr Charlotte says that there is always a way and, however disappointed you feel right now, in a year's time you won't think about your results.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
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