GCSE Results Day: How to support your daughter during her academic journey

The build-up to GCSE exams

Your daughter’s GCSEs are more than just an exam; to complete her modules successfully, she will have completed coursework at the same time as mock exams, practice revision, actual revision and homework deadlines. The build-up to completing a GCSE certificate is intense, and this can add a lot of pressure and anxiety to your daughter’s day-to-day workload. It’s common for pupils to compare themselves to their peers, wanting to keep up or stay ahead of them, and often the tales they will tell each other around GCSE exams pile even more pressure on.

It’s important, therefore, that your daughter is encouraged to take regular breaks, to sleep well and often and to plan time away from revision into their timetables as well as studying periods. Recharging her mind is as important as cramming information in, and if studying and recharging are well-balanced, your daughter will be better prepared to adapt to the increase in pressure.

Your role is to help your daughter manage the pressure and expectations. Regularly checking in to see how she’s feeling means you can detect small changes in her behaviour rather than irregular big check-ups that might lead to even more anxiety and miss the significant step changes closer to exams.

Try to avoid making the GCSEs the sole topic of conversation with your daughter too; it’s a big milestone in both your lives, but home should be a place of solace as well as study. Give your daughter the chance to think about other things, and the flexibility will be rewarded with greater preparation rather than burnout.

During the exams

Once your daughter starts sitting her final GCSE exams, then she will be entering a cycle of revision, exam, post-analysis, revision, and so on – until she has finished the final session. Depending on her attitude, your daughter will either need encouragement to keep going or respite from the pressure she puts herself under.

The long wait for GCSE results

Once your daughter has finished her final exam, then it’s time to celebrate! Whatever the results, she has succeeded in completing one of the most important milestones in her academic life. She will want to let off steam, and this should be encouraged (within reason!).

Once the initial excitement at finishing has receded, comes the long wait until GCSE results day. The pressure on your daughter will begin to increase again. Often the biggest source of pressure will be from your daughter’s own expectations, with anxiety increasing from post-exam over-analysis, comparisons with her friends and social media.

Be positive during this period. Your daughter may want to talk about results, or may try to put it to the back of her mind. Don’t force the issue, but keep the door open so she can talk whenever she needs to. Make sure your daughter is fully aware that whatever the results, she has your support. She should feel that the results aren’t the beginning and end, but another step in the journey towards adulthood. Remember that not every pupil is an academic grade 9 student; set your expectations close to the maximum your daughter can achieve, rather than the maximum grade achievable.

GCSE Results Day finally arrives

GCSE Results Day is often a tumultuous mix of excitement, trepidation and anxiety for students. Even the most confident pupil feels a spike in nerves before the results are released, and this will manifest itself in many different ways until she gets an answer.

Plan the day with your daughter

A timetable of events, with results as just one aspect, will help provide much-needed structure on a stressful day. Try to include a reward or celebration with family, and she will want time with friends to download and process what has happened.

Collecting the results

Your daughter can choose to view her GCSE results by email or come in person to collect her physical copy. She will be very nervous, excited and may panic a little beforehand; let her know she has support while giving her the time to tackle this momentous moment in her own way.

What to do next

Once your daughter has her results, you will know whether she has fallen short, met, or exceeded her target grades. How you respond next will mean a great deal to her and provide her with the right support moving forward.

Celebrating achievement

If your daughter has exceeded her expected grades, then celebrations are easy to enjoy. Make sure she has a chance to tell everyone she needs to, and give her time in the spotlight. She’s earned it, and the experience she has of achievement now will impact her attitude after A-Levels and potentially University.

If your daughter is disappointed with her grades, then you will need to ensure her hard work and determination are recognised and celebrated. She will need you to provide solid ground that she can rebuild her expectations on. Girls, in particular, can be very hard on themselves even when they’ve performed extremely well. If you notice she seems deflated, then discuss the positives and move on from the subject; be proactive and help her find activities that will focus her mind.

Whatever her results, your daughter has now completed her GCSEs and can move on with the next phase in becoming an adult. Celebrate her effort and progress with family and friends.

Pastoral care and Support for her, and for you

EHS’s pastoral care and support doesn’t end with the GCSE exams. Key members of staff are available on results days for both students and parents to talk about the grades received, the next steps, and what options are open to your daughter in the next phase of her life.

We can also provide support and care for you, too. Often, parents are so focused on their daughter’s wellbeing that they forget this is a momentous day for them too. Passing exams is a team effort between pupil, parents and school, and we ensure you have access to the care you need, when you need it.

Pastoral Care and Support is a core tenet of EHS’s education. Find out more here

Needing further questions answered

Often GCSE Results Days create more questions than they answer! Excitement about the future, disappointment or confusion at unexpected grades; if you have any questions after you’ve collected your daughter’s results, then speak to the school and arrange a time with teachers or support staff. At EHS, we are always available for pupils or parents to chat through their results and how they feel about expectations, anxiety or what they can do next.

GCSE Results Day: Frequently Asked Questions