Students taking A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are preparing for results day. Save the date for Thursday, August 14! This day marks a significant milestone for thousands of students as they await their AS and A-level results, determining their next steps in education or career paths. Students in Scotland will receive their results on Tuesday, 5 August, a day earlier. Secondly, the Scottish qualification system behaves differently than other places.
A-level students are just finishing their season of exams. Exams begin on 12 May and finish by the end of June. Throughout this entire process, students have to be focused, composed, and collected as they work through their last big set of tests. Students who are unable to sit for an exam because they fall ill have very little time to react. They need to reach out to their high school or university as soon as possible to explore their options.
On results day, A-level students can typically collect their results in person from 08:00 or may receive them via email, depending on the arrangements made by their respective institutions. To avoid disruptions, it’s best for students to review these plans in advance so they’re prepared.
After the time of results release, students are at risk of being forced to defend their grades. If any student believes their grade does not reflect their performance, they should first reach out to their school or college to explore possible next steps. This kind of communication can be key in mitigating any concerns with grading.
In Scotland, students are in the midst of the Higher exam process, their A-level equivalent. These testing, which started much earlier than in previous years, are scheduled to end at the start of June. The outcomes from these interrogations will inform the Scottish student as they navigate their own course of study.
If you missed out on the required grades for your university offers, fear not! Our Clearing process begins on July 5th and will be open until October 20th. Clearing provides an invaluable chance for students to find a spot at a university of choice after the June 30 cut-off date. If they do get grades they weren’t anticipating, they have time to look into other universities.
A-level grades are given point values that are used to rank applicants for university slots. As just one example, an A* award is worth 56 points, a D grade’s value is 24 points. Knowledge of these point values can assist students in better measuring their current performance against what is required for entry into their chosen university.
A-level results day is one of the biggest moments of choice for young people. It functions as an important bridge as they enter post secondary education or the workforce. We need to do right by students and set them up to succeed. They must be aware of their collection options and contact their schools when they need to.
