GCSEs 2015: Expert advice

Rachel Locke of the National Careers Service answers your questions about GCSE results

GCSE results day has finally arrived and many teenagers will be celebrating success, but what happens if your grades are not what you were expecting?

Places on many school sixth form or college courses depend on achieving minimum grades at GCSE - so if your marks did not meet expectations, getting good advice is crucial.

Rachel Locke of the National Careers Service is on hand to advise readers about what to do about unexpected results.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

I didn't get the results I was predicted and it has affected what I can take for A-levels. I was predicted As but got B in maths and Cs in sciences.

I wanted to follow a career in medicine but I can no longer take chemistry and biology A-levels. BTEC science isn't accepted for entry for medicine. So now I don't know what route I can now take and none of the staff I have asked can advise me. Charlie, Bolton.

I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the results you were predicted, Charlie, but it's great that you have chosen to explore alternative routes.

It can be possible to get onto a medical degree through a pre-medical year, in which you would spend the first year of a six-year degree studying sciences, as preparation for the remainder of the course. Exact entry requirements vary between medical schools, so it is important to check the criteria carefully with individual universities.

There are many roles you could pursue in the medical field with a BTEC so it may be worth having a look over the job profile pages on the National Careers Service website. The Step into the NHS website also provides useful information on the various job roles on offer and the NHS have a careers helpline - 0345 60 60 655 - where you could discuss your options with an adviser.

I was successful in my results. What I want to know is why GCSEs can have such a huge impact two to three years on? I could get 3 A*'s at A-level but still not be able to study something like philosophy at a university I want to go to, simply because I got a single B in a totally unrelated subject that requires different skills, such as French, three years earlier. I'd love to hear what your experts have to say regarding the fairness of this, and why it's the case. Joe, 16, Chichester.

Congratulations on your success, Joe.

It may seem unfair that decisions can be based on the subjects you studied and the grades you achieved in your GCSEs, particularly when considering university and career prospects seems so far in the future. Many people may not have decided fully on their futures at this stage.

The good news is that most GCSE subjects enable you to keep your options open. GCSE results can be very important if you are looking to study something competitive at university. In this instance GCSE subjects and grades are often considered alongside A-levels, but often other factors such work experience and volunteering can have an impact too.

Universities set different entry requirements so it could be that if one university won't accept a student on the basis of their GCSE grades, another will. This is why it pays to explore your options as there may be alternative routes that do not necessarily focus so heavily on GCSE results.

Ultimately, depending on what you would like to study and where, and what career you wish to pursue, the level of impact of your GCSE results will vary.

I have recently retaken my maths at college as I got an F-grade GCSE at school. I have just got my pass certificate in this. Is this pass equal to a C grade and would it allow me to now do A-level maths if I wanted to? Leah, 17, Chichester.

Congratulations on passing your maths, Leah. Well done!

It depends on the type of qualification you have received a pass grade in. A functional skills qualification is usually on a scale so you would need to find out what level the pass is at.

Some colleges and sixth forms may require you to achieve a specific grade to study a subject at A-level. It might be an idea to speak to someone at college about your options.

You could also consider other types of qualifications, for example a BTEC or an apprenticeship. The route you take will depend on what you want to do in future. There is a course search facility on the UCAS Progress website which you might find useful. You may also find it useful to talk through your options with an adviser at the National Careers Service by calling 0800 100 900.

I am due to get my GCSE maths result today. As an adult learner who had only 26 weeks to learn all that was required for the higher tier Edexcel exam, I feel at a disadvantage when Year 11s have had five years of secondary school to learn it. I am unemployed and am hoping to get a respectable grade to help me get a job. Kirsty Gleeson, 47.

I'm sorry you feel as though you are at a disadvantage, Kirsty, but it's great that you have taken GCSE maths to further your career prospects and hopefully you will achieve a pleasing result today.

It can be difficult to study as an adult who may have been out of a traditional learning environment for some time. The fact that you have managed to get through all the course material in 26 weeks is a real achievement, one that many employers will look favourably upon.

Prospective employers will recognise such commitment, particularly during a period of unemployment, and there will always be options available to you whatever grade you achieve today. Employers will take many aspects into consideration, including previous work experience, written applications and performance at interviews, as well as your qualifications.

If you would like to talk through your options about getting back into work you can speak to an adviser at the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900. Good luck!

The C-grade boundary for the GCSE higher maths paper has gone from 57 (out of 200) to 65. This has resulted in a drop in the number of our students gaining this crucial grade. This year's exam was no harder than the year before and this "moving of the goalposts" is unfair on the pupils and teachers who worked so hard. C Hordern, head of maths in a London school.

I'm sorry to hear that this increase in the grade boundary has resulted in a drop in numbers of students achieving C grades, but it's important to remember the hard work of your pupils and teachers will not go unnoticed as a result of this change in marking.

Students must meet exact boundaries set by the exam boards to achieve a particular grade. It's difficult to say how these changes in grade boundaries have affected students' overall grades from a wider perspective. More changes to GCSEs will take place over the next few years which will result in further amendments to the grading system.

Achieving a grade C in GCSE maths is important for young people, with many learning providers and employers seeking a C or above in GCSE maths and English or an equivalent qualification. For those students who did not achieve a C or above, there are plenty of alternative options available, and it could help them to talk through their options with someone.

You can find out more about marking and grading on the Ofqual website.

My son receives his GCSE results today and, all being well, plans to study maths, further maths, physics and computing for his A2 exams. I understand that the AS in these subjects will not count towards his A2 results, so what is the point of taking these exams next year? Caroline Hall, Surrey.

With the gradual phasing of changes to A-levels it can be difficult to understand the decoupling of AS- and A-levels.

Physics and computing are among the first subjects to be taught under the new system from September 2015, whereas maths and further maths will be phased in at a later date.

Students sitting AS exams will gain a free-standing qualification at the end of the first year, but the results will no longer count towards a full A-level.

Some schools and colleges can choose to teach AS-levels alongside the first year of A-levels, so your son could study the first year of his A-level with AS students. Students may decide after one year of study that they would like to change direction and those doing so would still have a standalone qualification.

AS results can be viewed as a predictor of success at university so they will continue to hold value, particularly in terms of Ucas points, for students not looking to complete a full A-level.

As the changes have not yet come into being, it can be a tricky concept to grasp - so you could talk through any concerns you have with your son's school or college. You may also find it helpful to look at the Ucas page on changes to A-levels.

My son received a B in maths today but was predicted an A. This means he cannot now take maths A-level at his school. Is there any option open to him which would allow him to take maths at A-level? Teresa Comley.

It can be disappointing to receive a lower grade than expected, but a B in GCSE maths is great so congratulations to your son, Teresa.

A B grade does not necessarily mean he cannot study A-level maths at his current school. It could be useful to speak to them directly as they may be willing to consider this grade. The number of places on the course may also affect any decisions. It's worth considering the precise mark your son achieved as there could be a degree of flexibility if, for example, he was only a few marks off achieving an A grade.

Alternatively there is the option of other schools and colleges with different entry requirements. The Ucas Progress website contains some useful advice and details of possible alternatives in your area.

I am a bit confused about my son's results grades as for two subjects his grades were "Pass 2".

These were for Edexcel's "Application of Science" and OCR's "National Certificate of Sport", although on the results slip it said "Sports Studies". Debbie.

These results do sound quite confusing!

Is the Edexcel result for a BTEC? "Pass 2" could refer to a Level 2 Pass but BTEC Firsts and Nationals have slightly different grading systems so it depends on which type of qualification they are. The Ucas tariff table may be useful in establishing this.

As for the confusion over the results slip, it's difficult to say why the subject title appears differently. The exam officer at school should be able to clarify this so it would be a good idea to speak to them as soon as possible.

The OCR and Edexcel websites could prove useful too, and if you or your son would like to discuss this further with an adviser at the National Careers Service we are open from 08:00 until 22:00 every day.