Students have received another set of record GCSE grades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Exams were cancelled for the second year in a row because of the pandemic
Top grades (7/As and above) rose 2.7 percentage points to 28.9%
This year teachers have been given the responsibility to award grades
Pupils were assessed using mini-exams, mock exams, homework or coursework
Labour is calling for the education secretary to be sacked over the gap in A-level results between state and private schools
Exams watchdog Ofqual says the system is fair and each centre had its assessment policy reviewed
That's all from us today. Thank you for reading, sharing your exam result stories and putting questions to our experts.
Your writers on Thursday's live page were Eleanor Lawrie, Victoria Lindrea, Becky Morton and Mary O'Connor. The editors were Emma Harrison and Hamish Mackay.
Image source, EPAThanks for joining us today on GCSE results day. Before we head off, here is a round-up of the key headlines on Thursday evening.
Image source, PA MediaIt was smiles all round for Mariatu after she opened her GCSE results at Oasis Academy Arena in Croydon, south London
Image source, PA MediaRhys Halliday (left) and Ben McDowell (right) picked up their GCSE results at Nendrum College, Comber in County Down, Northern Ireland
Image source, PA MediaThere's disbelief and joy at Dorcon Academy in Swindon, Wiltshire, as students find out their results
Image source, Bruntcliffe Academy(L-R) Ujjay, Erin, Lilly, Phoebe and Jenson get their results
There was lots of celebration at Bruntcliffe Academy in Leeds today.
Lilly (centre) is excited about moving on to sixth form college to study A-levels.
She says she’s most proud of her history grade – she got a 9 and she thought she hadn’t done that well.
She says: "I’m really happy, it’s been such a hard year, you’re even more proud of yourself as it’s not the usual year."
Jenson (right) is also delighted with his results because he says Year 11 has had to isolate three or four times and the disruption caused some issues.
"It made it more nerve-wracking than normal GCSEs because of the gaps in learning and not having enough time to catch up," he says.
Jenson is also going on to sixth form and would like to become a teacher.
Image source, Barking and Dagenham CollegeHeavenly Joy is thrilled to have achieved a merit in her Art and Design BTec Level 2 at Barking and Dagenham College.
Dad Michael is particularly emotional about what his daughter, who is deaf, has achieved.
He says: "I’m so proud, when she was born no one gave her a chance. And to see her today makes me incredibly proud."
She says: "The pandemic has been really hard, but I just kept believing in my dream."
BBC Bitesize
Image source, PAIf you’re happy with your results, that’s fantastic. If you’re disappointed with your results, you may have some questions about next steps.
To save you searching for all the information you need, we’ve put together some FAQs.
All the info is here, including how to appeal your grades if you are unhappy, what other options are open to you and where to find support.
Big Issue seller Clive Rowe has achieved his dream of passing his maths and English GCSEs at the age of 58 and is now planning to go to university.
Mr Rowe took courses at City College Plymouth during the pandemic and attained a 5 in English language and maths.
"This is a massive leap for me. I feel like I've been to Eton or something," he says.
The vendor is now closer to his aim of studying creative arts at university.
Mr Rowe, who sells the magazine outside the Theatre Royal Plymouth, tells The Big Issue: "It's absolutely amazing for me, I've passed both with flying colours.
"I just can't believe I've managed to do it. It is such a massive step up for me. Normally, my life gets better in little stages and little steps at a time, but this is a massive leap for me."
Jonny, who has cerebral palsy, was overjoyed with his GCSE results, which were better than he had expected.
The 16-year-old pupil at South Nottinghamshire Academy got seven grade 4s - equivalent to a pass.
"It's been difficult keeping on top of everything but I'm so happy right now," he says.
He waited to open his results with his mum Katie, who says she could "burst with pride".
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Skills minister Gillian Keegan says private schools have performed better because they are selective - meaning pupils must pass an exam to be given a place."One of the things we did see this year is that actually all students did improve overall - that's great news, and there was stability in the results at all levels, so we're delighted for all the students," she tells Radio 4's The World at One.
"But you do see some differences in those private schools because they are selective schools."
The Sutton Trust raised concerns, following A-level results, that the pandemic had widened the gap between independent and state schools.
Speaking today, Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust, calls GCSEs "a pivotal moment" for young people
"They're passports to next steps, whether that's further study or training."
He says the pandemic has hit disadvantaged pupils "most keenly", adding: "As these students have faced the most obstacles in their learning this year, it's crucial that there is support for their learning as they enter post-16 education."
Shadow education secretary Kate Green says: "Children on free school meals have been abandoned by this government and students in state schools are again being outstripped by their more advantaged private school peers.
"These widening attainment gaps are testament to the Conservatives' failed approach to education."
BBC Bitesize
Many students are worried that employers will not value 2021 results as much as previous years, because pupils have not had to sit exams in the same way as they usually do.
BBC Bitesize spoke to a number of experts, including employers and college admissions personnel, about this particular concern.
They stress results "still carry the same weight" and students "should feel confident that they will be valued by colleges, universities and employers".
Image source, PA MediaEmily Petty wants to be a dancer
A teenager who survived the Manchester Arena bomb has achieved the GCSE grades she needs to continue her dream of becoming a dancer.
Emily Petty got her results at Carmel College, Darlington, and will go on to study dance at Sunderland's The Worx dance school.
"The dance really helps me as it makes me feel like I am in another world and I can forget about it," she says.
"Carmel has been brilliant, too, and so supportive throughout."
Emily, 16, suffered from PTSD and needed counselling after the 2017 attack at the Ariana Grande concert which killed 22 people.
She says: "We heard a loud bang and just thought it was a balloon but then people started to panic and we could see smoke coming from the foyer."
Her mother adds: "I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and ran.
"Everyone was pushing and panicking and from what people were saying I was expecting to see terrorists with guns.
"We were crying and a nice man took us back to our hotel because we were lost."
The terror attack, as well as family bereavement, left Emily needing support.
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Image source, PA MediaThe gap is widening between girls and boys' results at GCSE level in England
In English GCSE, girls achieved almost a third of the top grades, compared to less than a fifth of their male counterparts.
Asked about the gap between boys and girls, Sir Daniel Moynihan, CEO of the Harris chain of academies in London says boys "traditionally pull it out of the bag" for exams, while girls are typically "more steady, more hardworking".
He says the switch - during the pandemic - to more assessment-based marking has not played in boys' favour.
"Unfortunately for boys, this year... the option of pulling it out of the bag at the last moment for an exam has been taken away," Sir Dan tells Radio 4's World At One.
He adds: "So we need more work with boys in order to do something about that approach."
The latest results show girls continuing to move ahead of boys at GCSE stage, with 33.4% of girls' results were grade 7/A, compared to 24.4% for boys.
Skills minister Gillian Keegan concedes "girls outperforming boys" at school is not what the government wants to see and acknowledges "it has been happening for a while".
"But I think, any gaps between girls and boys... you can certainly see that they are equalled out later on. And certainly when it comes to university, jobs - look at the top jobs and the people that hold them in the country - those gaps are overcome."
How do we appeal GCSE results? - Elizabeth Ballinger
Eddie Playfair from the Association of Colleges writes:
If you think your results may be incorrect, you need to speak to your college or school in the first instance.
They will do the initial investigation and help you to make your appeal.
There is a helpful guide to the process here, external for students in England.
Schools and colleges must submit appeals to the relevant exam board by 17 September.
After A-level results on Tuesday, there were warnings parts of the north of England were falling behind the south in their academic achievement.
It appears to be a similar picture for GCSE results.
London had the most top grades in England, with 34.5% of students achieving a grade 7 or above, followed by the South East, where the figure was 31.9%.
By comparison, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East region had the lowest percentage of students achieving a grade 7 or above - at 24.4% and 24.5% respectively.
Image source, MollyAn update on Molly in Dagenham, who we heard from earlier.
She feels "overwhelmed" after receiving her hoped-for pass in a BTec level 2 in business and enterprise.
“I’m so happy to achieve a pass in the current year and the situation we’ve all lived through,” the pupil, who has had a challenging year, says.
I’m so grateful to everyone at Barking and Dagenham College who have given me so much support with everything I’ve been through.”
Image source, PA MediaEarlier, we heard about the success of Olympic gymnasts Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova.
The 16-year-old twins both got passes across the board in their GCSEs, as well as a distinction star in the NCFE Health and Fitness award, while Jessica received a BTEC level two distinction star in business.
Their principal at Aylesbury Vale Academy in Buckinghamshire, Gavin Gibson, has congratulated the twins for "juggling the extreme demands of training for the Olympics with the challenge of their GCSE year".
"In any other year, students would have found this difficult but despite the restrictions presented by the pandemic, the twins showed the resilience that teenagers are capable of," he says.
The pair won a bronze medal in Tokyo two weeks ago - making history as the first women to win an Olympic gymnastic team medal for Great Britain since 1928.
They now plan to stay on at Aylesbury Vale Academy to study sport and management, while also training for the next Olympics and World Championships.
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Mark Tilling, headteacher at High Tunstall College of Science in Hartlepool is calling for "more funding" for schools and greater availability of staff to help plug the growing gap between pupils attainment in the North of England, and their counterparts in London and the South East.
But he says it is also a question of perception, and urges people "to start talking up the region".
"The North East is a fantastic place to be and a fantastic place to learn. We've got to start believing in ourselves," Mr Tilling tells Radio 4's World At One.
"There is a lot of negativity about the North East...and the lack of opportunities. [But] there are so many opportunities for people up here.
"We've got to start selling it, we've got to start bigging it up... giving our young people that real aspiration. That's one of the things that would go a long way in moving things forward," he adds.
My son - who achieved 8s and 9s in some subjects in his mocks - has got all 6 and 7s.
Is there a no-detriment contingency that he cannot get grades below his mocks?
Eddie Playfair from the Association of Colleges writes:
I'm assuming that your son achieved some grade 8s and 9s in internal assessments.
His school or college will have used this evidence, but the final grade they submitted will have been based on a range of different assessments.
This is why the overall result may differ from the mark for a specific individual assessment.
Exams: Keir Starmer calls for Gavin Williamson to lose job
As we just heard, poorer pupils have fallen further behind in this year's GCSE results.
Because of this, Labour leader Keir Starmer is calling on Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to resign "or the prime minister should get rid of him".
"When inequality goes up in education, then it's pretty astonishing that the education secretary is still in post," Sir Keir tells the BBC.
He calls Mr Williamson's approach to education "chaotic"
"These are real lives. It's simply not good enough."
Poorer pupils in England have fallen further behind their more privileged peers in this year's GCSE results, analysis suggests.
Ofqual says there has been a slight widening of the "long-standing results gap" between students eligible for free school meals and those who are not - by about one tenth of a grade compared with 2019.
The exams regulator says this could be a reflection of the "uneven impact" of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, private schools saw the biggest absolute increase in the highest grades compared with other types of schools.
Some 61.2% of GCSE entries from private schools in England were awarded a grade 7 or above this year, compared with 57.2% in 2020 and 46.6% in 2019, according to separate analysis by Ofqual.
For grammar schools, the figure is 68.4%, while for pupils at academies it is 28.1%.