Is there a hand holding thread for Y11 parents and GCSE results yet?

Just wanted to pop in to spread a bit of results day joy. If your DCs don't get the results they wanted - it will all be ok!

7 years ago I picked up my results to find that I only got 4 GCSEs – a couple of Bs in English, a B in Media and a C in French. No maths, no science. I needed 5 GCSEs to get into the college I wanted to go to, and I truly thought that my life was over........ for the best part of 2 hours.

DM forced me to go into the college and speak to them regardless of my results ('dazzle them with your sparkling personality', she said between reassuring sobs). I wanted to study Media, Film and Photography, so I asked to speak to the head of Media Studies who sat me down and asked if I'd work hard. I told her I would and she said she'd give me a chance as long as I re-sat my maths GCSE (which I did that year, and have almost every year since and I still can't bloody pass it.)

I got 3 Bs at A-level and went on to study at Goldsmiths, which was the best university for my course at the time. I interned for free at every magazine/website/newspaper that would have me every single day of my summer holidays, then when I graduated with a 2:1 in 2012 and walked straight into a job at a big magazine publishing company, then came to Mumsnet.

Failing my GCSEs wasn't all that bad – it made me realise that I actually had to work hard to make sure I didn't suffer the same gut-wrenching disappointment again. I've achieved all I wanted to and a bit more and I still don't have a maths GCSE. It will be ok!!

Talk

Is there a hand holding thread for Y11 parents and GCSE results yet?