Congratulations – you have completed your GCSE exams and patiently waited for the results. Hopefully, you’ve had an amazing summer, free from school, exams and revision. But all over the country, anxious students are thinking the same thing as you right now: ‘It’s only one week left before exams results day!’ Don’t worry: we’ve got all the advice that you’ll need for the upcoming week.

Tip 1 – Enjoy the week ahead.

Remember, you only have a few weeks of your summer left – the same summer that you awaited with such anticipation during those long hours of revision. While you may be a bit nervous over the next week, make sure that you relax. See your friends, spend time doing the things you love, and have fun! You deserve it!

Tip 2 – Choose positive people.

Choose your company carefully over the next week. Some of your friends will be little bundles of energy and positivity; others may be conductors of stress, fear and negativity. (Think of the dementors from Harry Potter 3.) You may want to give some of the latter kind of friends some space over the coming days. Instead, hang around with people who will put you at ease for the week ahead. 

Tip 3 – Plan your results day.

Get a good night’s sleep on Wednesday so that you are well rested for results day. In the morning, wake up early, leaving plenty of time to eat a hearty breakfast. Then, make your journey to school. During this drive/walk, you will probably feel nervous – that’s OK! Everyone else will feel the same way too.

Choose where to open your examination envelope. We recommend that you open it somewhere in school in case you need to talk to your teachers about your results. If you’re feeling confident and relaxed, you may want to open it in front of your friends and teachers. If you’re a bit more nervous, you may want to go to a quieter place (maybe an empty classroom) and open it in private. You choose.

In some circumstances, you can send a designated person into school for you to collect the results, or you can get them posted to your house. If you have such plans, make sure you make the necessary arrangements with your school.  

Read our next blog to find out how to respond if you are disappointed with your GCSE results.