19/08/2026
GCSE RESULTS DAY TOMORROW - here are the most FAQ and my advice:
EDITED TO ADD - Let your tutor know ASAP!!!!
If you're the parent of a Year 11 student, here are some of the questions I get asked most often around results day, and a few things worth knowing before you open that envelope...
1. What does P, M or D next to English mean?
Don't panic! This isn't your child's GCSE English grade.
It refers to the Spoken Language Endorsement in GCSE English Language:
P = Pass
M = Merit
D = Distinction
This is reported separately from the 9–1 GCSE grade.
2. My child didn't get the grade they were hoping for. What should I ask the school for?
Find out their actual mark, not just their grade. Your first point of contact is the Exams Officer.
Then look at the published grade boundaries to see exactly how many marks they were away from the next grade.
"I got a 4" tells us far less than:
"I got 87 marks and the boundary for a 5 was 90."
Those three marks can make a big difference when deciding what to do next.
3. They're only a couple of marks away. Should we ask for a remark?
What we used to commonly call a "remark" is now a Review of Marking.
It isn't simply a case of giving the paper to another examiner and asking them to mark the whole thing again.
The review checks whether the original marking was carried out correctly and whether the mark scheme was applied appropriately.
Importantly, marks can go down as well as up, so this is something to consider carefully rather than automatically requesting one because a student is close to a boundary.
4. Can we see the exam paper first?
In many cases, yes. Your school or college can request access to exam scripts.
This can be extremely useful. If you're considering a Review of Marking, looking at the actual paper and the marks awarded can help you make a much more informed decision.
Speak to your school's exams officer as soon as possible because there are deadlines/costs involved.
5. Which English paper should we consider having reviewed?
Don't automatically assume it should be the paper with the lowest mark.
Look at the individual component marks, the student's responses and where there may genuinely be scope for a marking decision to be reviewed. The Head of English should help.
6. My child hasn't passed English. What happens now?
If your child is continuing in education and hasn't achieved the required grade in GCSE English Language, they will normally need to continue studying English.
There is also an opportunity to resit GCSE English Language in November.
English Literature is different. It isn't the qualification students are required to resit. I have know some colleges accept students if their Literature was higher than a 4.
7. Should we panic if the result isn't what we expected?
No.
First, get the information.
Find out:
• the overall mark
• the grade boundary
• the individual paper/component marks
• how many marks they were from the next grade
• whether their next school, college or course is affected by the result
Then decide what, if anything, needs to happen.
8. And finally... what should I say to my child?
Results matter, but they don't define them.
Before discussing reviews, resits, college places or what went wrong, give them a moment to take in what they've achieved.
There is nearly always a next step. ❤️
And if you're looking at an English result tomorrow and you're completely baffled by the numbers, feel free to drop me a message.
As a GCSE English teacher, tutor and examiner, I'm very happy to help parents understand what they're actually looking at.
(Flagged up as AI content as I dictated this into AI and then copied and pasted - much quicker than my flaky typing!)
