Hello Future – Lisa Capper MBE, Principal and CEO reassures young people on GCSE Results
Students up and down the country will be returning to schools later this week to collect their GCSE results, with many hoping to have obtained grades high enough to secure a place at a Further Education or sixth-form college.
But for those who may not get the results they’d hoped for, what’s next?
Here, Lisa Capper MBE, Principal and CEO at Stoke on Trent College reassures young people that even if results are not what were expected, there’s still an abundance of options and plenty of help available, whatever the grades.
GCSE results day is a nerve-wracking time for young people but whether you (or your young person) receive the grades you wanted or not, there are options to move forward into the future you deserve. There is a course, Apprenticeship, training, or work experience placement out there that is right for you. If you have just missed out on the critical subjects, there is an opportunity for you, along with an opportunity to re-sit your GCSEs in English and/or maths, all at Stoke on Trent College.
Keep in mind these simple top tips as you approach GCSE results day so that you can make the best decision for you, once you know your grades.
Top Tips
- Don’t panic: If you don’t get what you hoped for, whilst you’ll inevitably be disappointed, you should take some time to acknowledge all your hard work to get this far and feel good about completing this stage in your life.
- Be ambitious: Stop and think about what you’d like to do next. Ask yourself, what will help you achieve your career goals? As well as choosing a course, are you excited about gaining work experience or developing a specific skill or specialism?
- Be realistic: Reflect on what you really want to do, build useful, transferable skills, ask for or take part in projects to give you opportunities, ask for work placements as well as a course so you are in a prime position to get a foot in the door.
- Think outside the box: Continuing in a traditional education setting might work for some people but for others, more vocational or technical practical and hands-on training would suit them better. Now is a great time to think about an Apprenticeship or a T Level or a course that can prepare you to take up a T Level next year.
- Talk to someone: Find the right person to talk to about your next move – it could be a parent or carer, a teacher at your school, or a careers advisor or teaching staff at a further education provider, like Stoke on Trent College.
Support and Advice
Talking through things with your support network will help you to decide what the best option is for you. They can also help you tackle barriers such as transport, getting to know others, or understanding the options.
Always remember that nothing can stop you from getting where you want to be. You have what it takes to aspire, achieve and progress and there are still ways to get where you want to be and fulfil your potential.
The most important thing is to stay positive. It’s not the end of the world and in time you will come to realise this. It’s vital to pick yourself up and, most crucially, take action. Just because you didn’t get the results needed for the course you wanted, it doesn’t mean the door is closed. You can still enrol, but will either need to retake English and maths if you didn’t get the required grade or do a different English and maths qualification. These core subjects are incredibly important for work and further study so achieving these is essential.
At Stoke on Trent College, those who don’t achieve grade 4 in English and maths, but show a passion for a particular subject, are still given the opportunity to access the courses they want by building a pathway to achieve this.
The College offers personalised Study Programmes, Apprenticeships, T Levels and short programmes for those aged 16-18 as well as provision for adult learning and English for speakers of other languages. With a wide range of courses including construction, health and social care, engineering, business and digital and creative subjects to name just a few. Courses are available at varying levels to meet all abilities and ages providing young people and adults with the skills they need to move into employment or further education or training. This includes work placements and accredited support with careers information, advice and guidance.
Enrolment starts from Thursday 24th August and our Careers advisors and teaching staff will be on hand to help advise on the next steps and options. Whatever your results you can be sure of a warm welcome and a brighter future at Stoke on Trent College.
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