Got your GCSE results? What next?

So, its exam results season.  And just when the sun has arrived, and there is still plenty of sport to participate in or watch!  This blog will look at your options, and what to do next!

Writtle University College

    Firstly, regardless of what your results are this week, well done on having got through your GCSE years.  There will have been highs and lows, friendships made and experiences to remember. With the ‘raising of the participation age’ a few years ago, you'll be continuing your learning one way or another, through 6^th form, college or an apprenticeship - and with better qualifications meaning more money, who wouldn’t want to carry on learning?

If you get the results you expected, or better and now want to change your ideas about what to do next, or if you don’t know what to do, its not too late!  There are a few things you’ll need to do to get everything organised. 

- Talking your ideas through at home with your family/carers

They know you well and might have some ideas.  Just remember that qualifications and options might have changed a bit since other family members did them, so its worth getting information that’s as up to date as possible as well.  

- Talk to the careers adviser at school, your local college or at the National Careers Service about what your options. 

Image sourced from Wikimedia
Author: Diego

There are always some students who do not do as well as expected.  This can happen for a variety of reasons.  The first reaction might be to panic, and assume that its ‘life over’.  It is definitely not the end of the world, even if it feels like it!  Understanding why this has happened will be the first step.  There will be a range of college courses, apprenticeships and traineeships that will help you ‘catch up’ to where you had expected to be. 

This could be a very good chance to take a moment and reconsider what you want to do next.  Don’t forget it may have been 6-8 months ago you applied to 6^th form or college, in which time actually your thinking about future courses and careers could have changed.

So, what practically do you need to do if you didn’t get the grades or have changed your ideas about your future?

Talk to your family

Talk to the careers adviser at school

Talk to the careers adviser at college

Contact the National Careers Service staff about your options

Find out about vacancies on local courses you might be interested in (a college admissions team, training provider or 6^th form office will know what their vacancies are!)

Check the difference between courses, e.g. a sport science course will be different to sport studies

Talking to your school careers adviser, or a careers adviser at a local college will be a very good idea. They will be able to talk all the options, and won’t push you towards one option, they will help you decide what’s best for you, even if its applying to another institution.

Keep an open mind about how to get to the ‘end destination’ of your career.  For most industries there will be several routes and entry points into them.  Over the next 40 years, your ‘career’ is likely to take several unexpected twists and turns, so taking some advice now will help your career path off to a good start.



After all, your career is likely to look more like a game of snakes and ladders than in the past.  So taking some advice from family, school staff and careers advisers will all help!

Image sourced from Wikimedia Author: Druysts.t