If you have a child waiting for exam results this summer, this is likely to be an anxious time for your family. So how do you steady your child’s nerves and prepare them for the big day?
Below is a list of 7 Essential Steps to help you through results week, which you will find especially useful if your child is hoping to attend a UK university.
1. Take care of contact details
UCAS, the university admissions system, should already have your child’s contact details on file. But they advise all candidates to log into their website to check this in advance.
2. Check the notification process
How is the university expecting to receive your child’s results? If exams were taken in school, there’s no problem – UCAS will send the results through automatically. But if your child is an independent candidate, not linked to a school, they should read through their UCAS notes to see if they need to contact the university directly.
3. Talk to the school
Make sure you know how – and when – results will be delivered. Is your child expected to visit the school, or log into Track, or will they be notified via post or email? If you’re unsure, someone needs to check with the school.
4. Don’t make plans for the day
As soon as the results are out, your child may need to act quickly – whether they’re accepting an offer, going through Clearing or (worst case) arranging re-sits. Sometimes there’s a very narrow window for taking action, so make sure they spend the day somewhere with a reliable Wi-Fi or phone signal.
5. Discuss your child’s next move
Since their exams, they’ve had time to reflect on where they go from here. So set aside an hour now to talk it through. What happens if they get the grades, and what happens if they don’t? It’s best to do this before the results are in , while everyone can be objective.
6. Take their mind off university
This might be the most stressful event of your child’s life so far – and as the date approaches, the uncertainty can be agonising. So if you can, take some time out as a family to do something fun. Things are about to get hectic, so enjoy this time while you can.
7. Become the voice of hope
If your child is disappointed with their results, it doesn’t mean all is lost. They’ll still have options, including a good chance of finding a place through clearing. Even so, it might be hard for them to stay positive – so be ready with a few choice words that offer a fresh perspective.
