GSCE results day: What you can do next if you didn't get your grades
Teenagers in England must stay in education until they're 18 - but this doesn't have to be at school. Vocational qualifications and apprenticeships are among the paths you can take after your GSCEs.
Thursday 22 August 2024 11:12, UK
Students up and down the country are getting their GCSE results on Thursday.
Emotions can run high as pupils open their envelopes, with some passing with flying colours and others not seeing the grades they expected.
Read more: Top GCSE grades fall
Teenagers in England must stay in education until they are 18. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they can go straight into employment.
But this doesn't just mean going to school - here we look at what else you can do if your results weren't what you'd hoped.
Can I resit - if so, when?
To progress to further education, most schools and colleges require at least a four (pass) in English language and maths on the one to nine grading system.
If you need to resit English language or maths you can do so this autumn. For other subjects, you will have to wait until summer 2025.
Sixth forms and colleges may be flexible on their entry requirements, however, so it's worth checking whether you should re-take first.
What are my options?
A-levels
For most people who want to go to university, A-levels are the next step.
Students will choose three subjects and complete their qualification over two years at a school or sixth form college. Some people decide to leave their current school and choose a different one for sixth form - or opt for college instead.
If you have a degree in mind, you may already know which subjects you need to choose to get onto that course. For example - sciences and maths to study medicine.
T-levels
T-levels were introduced in 2020 as a more vocational equivalent of having three A-levels.
Completed over two years, they consist of a technical qualification and a work placement of 315 hours - or 45 days.
Students who don't have grade four in English and maths will be expected to improve those skills within their T-level course. They can then be used to secure a job or move on to higher education.
Read more on Sky News:
Number of top A-level grades rise
A-level results day as it happened
Can universities make their sums work?
Vocational qualifications
Sixth forms and colleges are increasingly offering vocational qualifications for those who want to keep learning outside of the core academic subjects.
BTECs, NVQs, and TechBacs are A-level equivalents in practical subjects with assessments throughout the course as opposed to end-of-year exams.
Popular subjects include business and management, health and social care, food and catering, and construction.
Lower level vocational qualifications have lower grade requirements, allowing people to start at Level 1 and progress.
Apprenticeships
For those who want to get into the world of work as soon as possible, apprenticeships allow you to "earn while you learn".
They take between one and five years and combine qualifications with on-the-job experience.
You are likely to begin at Level 2 and can progress up to Level 7, which is the equivalent of a bachelor's or master's degree.
People aged between 16 and 18 will earn at least £6.40 an hour and are also entitled to holiday pay.
Most entry-level apprenticeships require two or more GCSEs at grade four.
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Traineeships
Traineeships combine a work placement with a practical training course.
They are open to anyone aged between 16 and 24 who either don't have the grades, skills, or experience to secure an apprenticeship or have an education or healthcare plan.
Those with an education or healthcare plan can apply for a traineeship up to the age of 25.
They are paid or unpaid and will last between 70 and 320 hours.
Supported internships
Supported internships are designed to help people with learning difficulties or disabilities get into work.
They are unpaid work placements that last between six months and a year.
Many supported interns are given the chance to study for qualifications that compliment their role and are given a personalised study plan.
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Volunteering
You can also volunteer after your GCSEs as long as you combine it with study.
Volunteers that are under 18 must do so for at least 20 hours a week as well as one day a week of part-time learning.
Volunteering is unpaid but can help you obtain valuable work experience at a charity, community project, or other organisation.