Don’t panic about GCSE results - advice is available

Thousands will collect their GCSE results this Thursday

It’s important to remember that a recent change in the law brought in something called Raising of the Participation Age which means that anyone finishing Year 11 this year will have to remain in some form of education or training until their 18th birthday.

This could include taking an Apprenticeship, Traineeship or Supported Internship, going to college or remaining at school in the sixth form.

Many students will get the grades they need to follow the course of their choice this Thursday 20 August. For anyone whose results were not as good as they hoped, the first thing to do is to contact your preferred school or college and see if the grades might still allow you to do the course for which you have a conditional offer.

There may well be help at your school on or after the results day and local arrangements may well have been developed which your school should have told you about. The Citizens Advice Bureau in Boston will have specially trained advisers available all day on Friday to offer help and information.

If you do need to change your plans and consider other options there is a lot of information available to help including Lincolnshire County Council’s website for young people: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/teeninfolincs

Staff from Careers Lincolnshire are available over the summer to offer support - phone 01522 782116 and ask the call centre to send your details through to Careers Lincolnshire. An adviser will call you back and provide help.

Information about courses available at schools, colleges and other providers across Lincolnshire can be found at: www.ucasprogress.com

Don’t forget that as well as courses at schools and colleges, for those who would rather learn on the job with an employer you can also consider Apprenticeships and Traineeships. Information on these can be found at: www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

For young people who have an Education Health and Care Plan there may also be the option of a Supported Internship. For information about how these work and how to apply, contact the county council’s Promoting Employment team: [email protected]