Summary

  • Hundreds of thousands of you in England, Wales and NI have picked up GCSE, BTec Tech Awards and other Level 2 results today

  • The pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen for a third year running – with 67.6% of all grades at 4/C and above

  • In England, there’s a big regional divide - four out of five regions in the North and the Midlands have a lower pass rate this year than they did in 2019, while every region in the South has a higher pass rate

  • Ukrainian student who fled country following Russia’s invasion achieves a 6 (B equivalent) in GCSE English, after not speaking the language when she arrived

  • "I’m really, really happy now," says another student in Manchester, who heads to college to study law, combined English and history

  • Students in Scotland had their results earlier in the month, when pass rates dropped back to pre-Covid levels or below

'Three, two, one!' - The countdown to results

Live Reporting

Edited by Alice Evans

  1. 'There’s life beyond GCSEs – even if you don’t pass'

    Joanna Kent
    BBC South Today

    A boy in a classroom wearing a hi-vis jacket

    They call themselves the Brickie Boys. The group is one of the winners of the BBC’s Young Reporter Competition.

    On GCSE results day, the boys are on a mission to show other young people that you can be a success even if you do not get the grades.

    Riley, Remus, Muhammad, all aged 17, and Heath, 16, met for the first time a year ago when they enrolled on a summer course in bricklaying.

    Following the course, all of them enrolled in a Level One course in bricklaying.

    None of the group did well in school and they did not take the course too seriously either at first, says Remus.

    "At the start, everyone was messing around and then, I don’t know, out of nowhere it grew on us and we realised that this is life," he says.

    The course was run by ACE Training in Oxfordshire, a not-for-profit provider that takes young people from school - or those who or are not in education, employment or training - and teaches them construction skills.

    Read more here.

  2. Do I have to go into school to get my results?

    Most you of you will be heading into school this morning to pick up your results.

    Some schools prefer this as it gives you a chance to see your classmates, and also get advice and guidance from teachers on your next steps - especially if things haven’t gone to plan.

    But there is a growing trend of students getting their results remotely, including by email.

    You should already know how you are getting your results and what time to arrive but if not, double check with your school or college.

  3. 'I’m aiming for straight 9s to kickstart my T-level'

    Kate McGough
    Reporting from Wright Robinson College, Gorton, Manchester

    Cheryl is stood in a classroom and smiling at the camera. She wears a white shirt, red school tie, black sweater and a blazer with colourful badges on it. She has black hair tied up in a bunElaine Dunkley / BBC

    Cheryl, in Year 11, has high hopes for her GCSE results today. She’s aiming for 9s across the board including in statistics, computer science, history and Spanish.

    Next year she’s going to do a T-level in computer science, and is excited about the chance of getting workplace experience while she studies.

    She’s hoping it’ll help her to kickstart a career in software development or cyber-security.

    Like most of you getting results today, Cheryl had only done one full term of secondary school when the first Covid lockdown was announced in England.

    “In Year 7, I’ll be honest, I was really scared,” Cheryl says.

    “I honestly didn’t imagine myself now actually wanting to come to school and being happy and socialising with people.

    “I'd say it definitely gets better as you grow up - I feel school is such a big reward.”

  4. What’s happening today?

    Here’s what to expect:

    • Results are released from 08:00 BST
    • Your grade boundaries will be announced slightly after this
    • From 09:30, we’ll bring you more detail on what the results look like across the country
    • From 11:30 we’ll host a Q&A session to get to the bottom of anything you are unsure about - email yourquestions@bbc.co.uk to ask our panel a question

    A-level and other level 3 students are probably relaxing today as they got their results last week and students in Scotland received their results at the beginning of August.

    But today it’s your turn - not long to go now.

  5. Welcome to our live coverage on GCSE results day

    Alice Evans
    Live reporter

    Today’s the day - how are you feeling?

    The wait is almost over as hundreds of thousands of you in England, Wales and Northern Ireland get your GCSEs, BTec Tech Awards and other Level 2 results.

    Our reporters and correspondents are in schools across the country to bring you live reaction and analysis, from the moment you open your envelopes.

    And if you’re unsure about your next steps, don’t worry. Later this morning, we’ll have a panel of experts on hand for a live question and answer session.

    But for now, good luck!