Page 4 | GCSE results day 2021 support thread

HappySonHappyMum · 2021-08-02T15:22:14+00:00

10 days to go until results day. Thought I'd start a new thread for parents who are getting the heebie jeebies and are probably more stressed than their DCs. I personally am trying not to mention it AT ALL, so it would be really good to have a thread where I can worry along with everyone else!

thestudybuddy · 11/08/2021 16:50

@AChickenCalledDaal

Just marking my place for Thursday. I have no idea what her results will be and I'm very worried about getting my reactions right, so as not to compound her general anxiety about all things school related. It's been a very hard couple of years and the chances of her getting the grades she'd have got in normal times seem remote. Hoping for (a) enough to get into sixth form and make a fresh start and (b) a maths grade that will not require her to resit, which would be the end of the world as far as she is concerned.

@AChickenCalledDaal I'm with you entirely about getting the reactions right, it can feel like a minefield. Over the last few months I've been lucky enough to chat to different experts about wellbeing and studying and teens, and the two things that keep coming back to me is that 1) We know our children better than anyone and instinctively know what they need us to be and 2) we should cut ourselves some slack and stop being hard on ourselves. Not least of all because this can be picked up and adopted by our DCs (one more thing to worry about?!).

For what it's worth, I think your 2 point plan is spot on. Look to the future and deal with roadblocks. From experience that's the kind of supportive they need right now.

All the best!

CrustyBuns · 11/08/2021 18:02

DD is more stressed out about her History mock tomorrow than getting her results. She is convinced she has failed Maths anyway so isn't planning on finding out until after the exam is over so we will be waiting until at least 11am.

HairyMaclary · 11/08/2021 18:10

Oops, I accidentally caused an upset. I should probably have left it and trusted him but wanted to check he was prepared for possibly not making the grade in maths to do it at A level. I think I uncovered his well hidden anxiety. He has a plan…I’m leaving well alone now. Off to collect results between 9-10.30 tomorrow morning. 😬

TheShriekingCrow · 11/08/2021 18:14

Nervous here too. I don’t think ds will have done amazingly. We’re just hoping he’s able to do the a levels he wants and carry on at 6th form.
Fingers crossed. Good luck for tomorrow to everyone.

Original poster

HappySonHappyMum · 11/08/2021 20:01

Couple of posts here about reactions so I thought I'd share. My DS passed his GCSEs a few years ago with a raft of 4s and 5s - I told him I was proud, gave him a well done gift and celebrated BUT he'd missed the grades he needed for college and it took a week of sorting out with interviews and such to get him a place doing something he wanted. It tempered his achievements and it stressed us both out - it wasn't a good experience and I wish I could do it over. So tomorrow with my DD I will. I'm going to give her a well done gift before she gets her results to show her I'm proud of her efforts regardless of the results and then once she has them we'll move forward. I'm determined to be excited about the opportunities to come rather than be disappointed about what has gone. It's going to be a better results day tomorrow - fingers crossed!

OP posts:

ClaudiaAndTheCauldron · 11/08/2021 20:35

Just marking my place too. Very nervous for DS for tomorrow but I am trying to hide it! He has worked so hard all the way through lockdowns and the weeks of continual assessments at his school. I have Long Covid and he has been helping to take care of me as I have been so ill. He is amazing and I pray he gets the grades he deserves.

Toobuktim · 11/08/2021 20:39

Joining in too, DS has just told me it’s 12 hours and counting….I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight at all! Good luck to all of our kids.

loofah2 · 11/08/2021 20:49

Another one waiting for results. DS told me exactly the same thing -12hrs.

Titsywoo · 11/08/2021 20:59

Feeling ok here but think I will be pretty nervous in the morning! DD veers between thinking she has done ok to remembering exams that went wrong and feeling very nervous! She is collecting at 9 - fingers crossed!

ineedaholidaynow · 11/08/2021 21:03

I'm joining you all. Feeling very nervous. Think this is worse than waiting for my own results many years ago! DS worked so hard, but not sure how that will translate into grades. Not sure if he wants to go into school or ask them to email the results. He is then going into work later in the day

Toobuktim · 11/08/2021 21:09

Silly question, but do they actually get certificates these days or just a run of the mill email or printed letter?

Feelingoktoday · 11/08/2021 21:10

@HappySonHappyMum

Couple of posts here about reactions so I thought I'd share. My DS passed his GCSEs a few years ago with a raft of 4s and 5s - I told him I was proud, gave him a well done gift and celebrated BUT he'd missed the grades he needed for college and it took a week of sorting out with interviews and such to get him a place doing something he wanted. It tempered his achievements and it stressed us both out - it wasn't a good experience and I wish I could do it over. So tomorrow with my DD I will. I'm going to give her a well done gift before she gets her results to show her I'm proud of her efforts regardless of the results and then once she has them we'll move forward. I'm determined to be excited about the opportunities to come rather than be disappointed about what has gone. It's going to be a better results day tomorrow - fingers crossed!

Exactly the same here. My son got his GCSEs a couple of years ago. We were really pleased with them. 4/5/6 and a 7. Then he told me that he didn’t have the right grades to do the A levels he wanted. So an appointment had to be made for the next day to see head of exams to sort out his As. He had to appeal to do one particular A level. All this really put a downer on his results as we were not sure he was going to be able to stay on at the school.

drivinmecrazy · 11/08/2021 21:15

Joining in anticipation of the results. My DD2 is still only 15 and two weeks away from her 16th birthday.
She has an academically very able sister so we have to be very cautious about managing expectations and not comparing.
We'll be overjoyed at a mixed bag of between 4's & 6's.
Fingers crossed for all the kids, we're hoping for the best and planning for the worst and praying it'll be somewhere in between.
I know these results are not hugely important in the scheme of things but to the kids they are.
Just looking forward to tomorrow being over and planning for the next step, wherever that may take us.

LynetteScavo · 11/08/2021 21:24

@Toobuktim

Silly question, but do they actually get certificates these days or just a run of the mill email or printed letter?

On results day they get a slip of paper or email- in the Autumn (I think November/beginning December) they receive actual certificates.

Toobuktim · 11/08/2021 21:30

Thanks @LynetteScavo I still remember opening my certificate envelope and seeing my results - in Scotland we didn’t go into school to get our results, they were posted out, so this is all new to me!

Imapotato · 11/08/2021 21:32

I’m joining. Dd1 will get her results tomorrow. Her slot to pick up her results isn’t until 12pm so she’s got a long wait to find out.

She’s a bit nervous, but ok ish. We will celebrate whatever, but she is hard on herself and I really hope that she has the grades she needs to go on to do the A levels she wants.

NewYearNewTwatName · 11/08/2021 21:37

Hello.
Nervously waiting here too.
normally very chilled laid back DS was asking me to make sure I wake him incase he misses his alarm, as he wants to be there for doors opening.

ineedaholidaynow · 11/08/2021 21:38

DS has just told me he doesn't want them mentioned anymore in the house and he is concentrating on the fact that it is payday tomorrow!

Ekofisk · 11/08/2021 21:46

In my day, O level and A level results were put up on the front doors at school for everyone to see. Even degree results were put on the department notice board.

beigebrownblue · 11/08/2021 22:09

Yes, I'll join you all with a probably fairly sleepness night here from DD.

However I'm relieved it's tomorrow and I'll be on hand to pick up the flack if needed.

Good luck all. (As you can tell I've hit the vino...)

Lowther · 11/08/2021 22:15

Joing in too please! Just back from London theatre trip. I booked today especially to take our minds off results day but there was a medical incident which delayed the end of the show. We were close by and DD feeling very upset. Now she intends to stay up all night watching films! I'm to old/ tierd to join but will happily fall asleep on the sofa. Email at 8:30. She ebbs between confident and meltdown. I think it will be a long night. All the best for tomorrow

QueenofLouisiana · 11/08/2021 22:24

Checking in. Like many others, I really couldn’t guess how DS has done. Praying for good enough for the A Levels he wants to do.
Congratulations gift was given last week- not linked to results, we are proud of him for just getting his head down and getting on with it all. Meal out tomorrow to celebrate next steps- whatever they are.
Best wishes to all your teens tomorrow. They’ve been amazing just to get to this point!

pinkpip100 · 11/08/2021 22:33

DS gets his results tomorrow. He is naturally quite academic (target grades were 8s & 9s) but really didn't work hard at all, despite all of my attempts to motivate/cajole etc. I'm just thinking ahead to how to react if he hasn't done particularly well - I totally get that it's the effort that counts rather than the results - and that's what we should be focusing on - but I don't feel that he put anywhere near enough effort in! He's a lovely boy, but just quite lazy!!

poorremus · 11/08/2021 23:08

Hi all - a bit late in the day but I am joining in. Youngest gets their results tomorrow and it has felt an interminable wait for them.

poorremus · 11/08/2021 23:10

@beigebrownblue me too