For many students across Burton, Uttoxeter and South Derbyshire, opening those dreaded GCSE results can feel like a matter of life or death.

After anticipating those marks all summer, 16 and 17-year-olds across the region will now be wondering what to do next if they didn’t receive the grades they'd hoped for.

The national proportion of students achieving good GCSE results fell slightly this year – with those accomplishing at least a grade C - or four under the new system - declining from 66.5 per cent to 66.1 per cent.

GCSEs results aren't the end of the world
GCSEs results aren't the end of the world

Many have blamed the new grading system for the drop, as the country saw a series of changes in exams and grading, including a new nine-point scale in the key subjects of English and maths.

GCSEs are important, but they aren't the only key to success. While you may feel like it’s the end of the world – it's not.

What to do if you don't get the grades you need for sixth form or college

Most sixth forms or further education colleges ask for specific grades in order to be accepted on the courses you apply for.

If you just miss out on a grade, you can speak to the sixth form or further education college to see if they will still accept you with lower grades, or if they may offer you a place but for a different subject or course.

If you think you've been marked unfairly, or you don't think the grade reflects your ability, you can always ask for your paper to be remarked.

Your school will be able to arrange this with you, but you will have to pay a fee which is only refunded if examiners decide to change your grade.

Martin Cain, head teacher at Blessed Robert Sutton Sports College, said: "Our students know that there is always someone in school at this time of year that they can contact.

"We held a one-to-one meeting with every single student when they got their results and it was made clear to them how they could contact the school over the last week or so of the holiday if they needed further advice or support. They were given the names of staff who are available for them to contact.

"We have the added advantage in that we employ our own careers advisor who was on hand to support any student who was disappointed with their results or who, alternatively, had done better than they had expected to do and wanted to revisit their plans from a positive point of view.

"I would strongly recommend that any disappointed student speaks to a careers advisor. The critical thing is to not panic and to take a few days to do some research of your own, talk to friends and family and of course in today’s social media-driven world there are blogs, websites and various relevant online discussion communities which can all provide excellent sources of information and of course the opportunity to share ideas with other students in the same situation."

Re-sits

If you’ve failed and you think you've really blown it, no worries, there is another chance for you to pass.

Retakes for maths and both English and English language are available in November. If you wish to re-sit any other subjects, you will have to wait until next June to do so.

Students at Granville Sports College, in Woodville, Derbyshire opening their results
Students at Granville Sports College, in Woodville, Derbyshire opening their results

Apply to another further education college or sixth form

If the college you had in mind won’t accept your lower grades, it’s worth speaking to other colleges offering the same or similar courses and find out what their entry requirements are.

They may accept the grade you’ve already got and offer you an opportunity to re-sit and improve your English and maths grades.

If I don’t get into sixth form or college, what other options are left for me?

Apprenticeships are a great way to gain paid employment and work experience while studying for a qualification.

There are plenty of schemes on offer and you may find that practical hands-on learning suits you. There is also the added benefit of having money in your pocket each month, which is always nice.

There are so many opportunities to explore – some schemes will offer a starting salary of £14,000.

While the low rates may put some off, it’s worth remembering that you will be getting paid as you learn and the cost of your training qualification will be covered as part of the scheme. These are a potential option if traditional education is just not something that benefits your learning.

Another thing to keep in mind is that an apprenticeship means no tuition fees to pay off later, which is a definite plus.

Traineeships

Traineeships are available to anyone aged 16 to 24 and provide the essential work preparation training that is necessary to secure an apprenticeship or employment in the future.

Apprenticeships are a great alternative to further education
Apprenticeships are a great alternative to further education

An example of this is EDF Energy’s Access to Apprenticeship Scheme which pays your tuition fees and offers the opportunity for you to achieve a Level 2 Certificate in Engineering. If that doesn't take your fancy, Reed.com has plenty of apprenticeship schemes on offer in Burton and surrounding areas.

If you want someone to talk to, these services will help you out:

National Careers Service - You can contact an advisor by phone on 0800 100 900; Online: Use their web chat which is available from 8am – 10pm every day; Email: Simply fill in this form on the NCS website.

UCAS Exam Results Helpline: They will happily give you advice on what to do if you’ve not got the results you’d hoped for; just phone: 0808 100 8000.

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