5 Tips to Guide Your Students through Exam Results Day

It’s that nerve racking time of year again, exam results day is nearly here where students will be collecting their A Level and GCSE results, up and down the country. 

It can be a stressful time for students but also for teachers and parents. No doubt you’ve provided countless hours of support and reassurance to your class so as the big day approaches nerves and emotions may be running high.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the emotional roller coaster that is exam results day:

1. Check out the clearing process

You may be confident that your class will achieve their required results to get into their chosen university, but there’s no harm in doing some prior research on the Clearing process just in case. That way you can provide some initial advice and signpost your pupils to the correct place.  You can also find a handy Teacher’s Guide to Clearing here.

2. Have a backup plan

Not everyone will achieve the results they need to get onto their chosen further education course or to study the A Level courses they wanted. Therefore, it’s useful to encourage your class and their parents to have a backup plan; don’t worry it’s not tempting fate! Encourage them to check out different apprenticeship opportunities available in the local area as there are often some great employment opportunities for young people. It’s also a good idea to look into alternative qualifications such as BTECs which provide recognised qualifications, often in more practical subjects, which can still allow students to progress and attend university. 

3. Signpost to advice

Provide all your students with the exam results helpline: 0808 100 8000. They can also be contacted on Twitter and Facebook and this will help reassure them that there are additional bodies of support in place if needed.

4. There’s no such thing as failure 

Although students may not achieve their required results, not reaching grades can still have positive outcomes and may lead the individual on another path, or they may just need to take another route to reach their goal. Many famous entrepreneurs are not educated to degree level and they have still led extremely successful and fulfilling lives. Interestingly, the BBC have recently reported that a man who did not pass his A Levels became a millionaire, proving that traditional qualifications are not always the passport to success. 

5. Celebrate success

Research suggests that positive statements made by teachers have a direct impact on how students talk about themselves, so get celebrating by praising your pupil’s successes and your own! Remember, you’ve done a great job getting your pupils through a tough stage of their lives, ensure you take pride in their achievements.  

If you or your students are finding exam season stressful check out these 7 tips to help destress. 

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2017/aug/14/results-day-tips-students-teachers-gsces-alevels 

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/oct/12/the-problem-of-perfectionism-five-tips-to-help-your-students