Hello Future

Congratulations to everyone receiving their GCSE results today! Regardless of what your final grades are, this is a massive achievement and a testament to all the hard work you've put in over the course of your time at secondary school.

If you are disappointed with your results, don't worry. There's still a lot you can do.

Here are some simple steps you can run through:
✅ Speak to your teacher or adviser to explore your options. If you'd like to resit any of your GCSEs, they can discuss this with you as well.
✅ If you didn't get the grades you needed for your first choice sixth form, college, or apprenticeship provider, speak to them. They can sometimes be flexible if you've just missed the required grades.
✅ Take a look at other courses that match your interests and goals. You might find similar options with lower entry requirements.
✅ Most importantly, don't let this hold you back from achieving your dreams! Lives are rarely linear or simple so do some research to see what you need to do to get back on track.

Congratulations to everyone receiving their A-Level results today! Regardless of what your final grades are, this is a massive achievement and a testament to all the hard work you've put in over the past two years.

If you are disappointed with your results, don't worry. There's still a lot you can do.

Here are some simple steps you can run through:
✅ Speak to your teacher or adviser to explore your options. They can also advise and support you on appealing your grade if you're interested in doing so.
✅ Contact the university, college, employer, or apprenticeship provider. They can sometimes be flexible if you've just missed the required grades.
✅ If you're considering university, make sure to check UCAS for the most up-to-date list of Clearing vacancies.
✅ Most importantly, don't let this hold you back from achieving your dreams! Lives are rarely linear or simple so do some research to see what you need to do to get back on track.

Results day can be really nerve-wracking, but planning in advance can make things much less intimidating.

Everyone should:
✅ Check the conditions of any university places, apprenticeships, or job offers they may have secured.
✅ Create a plan for what you'll do if your top choice is confirmed, your insurance choice is confirmed (if you're applying to university), and if you don't get the grades you were expecting.
✅ Research other options that still match your interests and goals. If you're considering university, make sure to check UCAS for the most up-to-date list of Clearing vacancies.
✅ Save contact details for your school or college, UCAS, anyone supporting you on the day, and any universities you may need to speak to - including your firm and insurance choices as well as any universities you may apply for through Clearing.

Remember, uncertainty is usually more stressful than just knowing something bad is going to happen. That means you're in the worst of it right now. Once you have your results, this uncertainty will be gone and you can plan your next steps.

Check out more advice on results day on UCAS https://www.ucas.com/applying/after-you-apply/clearing-and-results-day/results-day

And good luck everyone!

Regardless of what you’d like to do in the future, the National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ and Prospects https://www.prospects.ac.uk/ have lots of information on how you can get into this role in the future. Often, you have more options than you might expect!

⛹ How do I become a PE teacher?
• Pathway 1: University (undergraduate degree)
You can do a sport and fitness, physical education or sports coaching undergraduate degree with qualified teacher status (QTS).
• Pathway 2: University (then a postgraduate certificate)
You can do any undergraduate degree followed by a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with QTS.
• Pathway 3: Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply to do a Teacher Level 6 Apprenticeship. You could do this as an undergraduate degree (lasting four years) or if you go to university to study something else first, a postgraduate degree (lasting one year).

🏥 How do I become a doctor?
To become a hospital doctor, you'll need to complete:
• a degree in medicine recognised by General Medical Council which takes 5 years
• a foundation course of general training which takes 2 years
• specialist training which can take between 5 to 8 years depending on the speciality
A hospital doctor is one of the few jobs which requires you to have been to university. However, the NHS is planning to introduce medical degree apprenticeships so that by 2031/32, 2,000 medical students will train via this route. So, if you know that an apprenticeship is the right route into medicine for you, it may be an option in the future!

💡 How do I become an electrician?
You can get into this job through:
• Pathway 1: a college course, such as electrical installation, electronic and electrical engineering, or a T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction
• Pathway 2: an apprenticeship, usually at level 3.
• Pathway 3: applying directly if you have relevant work experience or qualifications, such as in building services or electrical engineering.

🏠 How do I become a bricklayer?
You can get into this job through:
• Pathway 1: a college course, such as basic construction skills, bricklaying, or a T Level in On Site Construction.
• Pathway 2: an apprenticeship. This could be level 2 or level 3.
• Pathway 3: working towards this role

🎥 How do I become an actor?
Acting is very competitive and you'll need to develop your skills by getting as much acting experience as possible. Fortunately, there are lots of places you can do this!
You can get into this job through:
• a university course
• a college course
• volunteering, such as amateur, community or youth theatre groups, college and university drama societies, student drama festivals and competitions, an agency to get work as an 'extra' for films and TV shows
• applying directly
• a course at drama school

❓ What would you like to be in the future?

Congratulations on completing this academic year, everyone! We hope that you all enjoy the summer holidays and take the opportunity to have a well-deserved break and soak in some sunshine. 🌞

🌞 Happy summer holidays everyone!

We hope you enjoy the sunshine and take some of these inspirational quotes from our year 7 students on board.

❓ What grades do you need to get into university?
There is no strict rule as entry requirements are so different between universities and courses! Some ask for As and A*s while others request Ds or UCAS points.
If there’s a specific course that you’re interested in but you don’t quite have the right grades, it might be worth checking out if you are eligible for an access programme. These are programmes that students can take part in while still in school to lower the entry requirements for their application. Lots of universities run access programmes or specialised summer schools to give disadvantaged students the chance to study at their university. There are also wider programmes which span across multiple universities, such as Realising Opportunities.

❓ What are UCAS points?
UCAS points turn your grades for your different qualifications into numbers and add them all together. The higher the grade, the more points you get.
For example, an A* at A Level is worth 56 UCAS points and an E is worth 16.
You can get UCAS points for loads of different qualifications, including A Levels, AS Levels, T levels, BTECs, and advanced apprenticeships.
This means that if you’re studying something other than A Levels, or you have really good grades in two A Level subjects but not the other, you can still apply to university!
According to UCAS, around 70% of university courses in the UK accept UCAS points as part of their entry requirements.

❓ How many UCAS points do you need to get into university?
The UK average is around 112 UCAS points but it varies a lot. Some foundation year programmes accept as little as 32 points and several undergraduate courses accept around 96 points, while others only ask for specific grades (such as A Levels).
You can find out specific entry requirements for any courses you are interested in on the course page of the university’s website.

⏲ Deadline Reminder: UCAS Extra

❓ Used all 5 UCAS choices but aren't holding any offers that you want?

💡 UCAS Extra is another chance for you to gain a place at University or College for the 2026/27 academic year. Just add the details to your UCAS application!

❓ What are the advantages of higher education?
📚 You get to learn about a subject you are passionate about and gain some expertise.
💸 On average, university graduates earn over £100,000 more than non-graduates over their lifetime, after tax and student loan repayments.* Graduates are also eligible to apply for a wider variety of jobs as lots of employers require applicants to have a degree even when it isn’t legally required.
🦅 You can some independence by moving out, organising your own schedule, and taking on leadership roles at your university or apprenticeship provider.
🖥 Higher education naturally helps build lots of essential skills that will help you in the workplace and in general life, such as critical thinking and specialised research skills.
🌍 You’ll meet lots of new people with totally different backgrounds to you. This is a great chance to broaden your worldview and inspire you to live more freely.

❓ How long does each degree last in the UK?
For full-time courses:
Undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree: usually 3 years UK-wide or 4 years in Scotland
Master’s degree: usually 1 year
Higher apprenticeship: 2-5 years
Degree apprenticeship: 3-6 years
PhD (doctorate): usually 3-6 years

❓ Is it worth it?
That depends on what you value! If you’d prefer to jump straight into full-time work so that you can earn immediately, that’s great. Otherwise, higher education can be a good option if you enjoy learning and are passionate about a subject. There are lots of options to work while you study if that’s your style too, such as sandwich courses, part-time study, degree apprenticeships, placements, internships, part-time work, and lots more!

*For more information on graduate vs non-graduate earnings, see GOV.UK's news story on the IFS's research at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/graduates-enjoy-100k-earnings-bonus-over-lifetime

⏲ Although universities have different deadlines, many are approaching in the next few weeks. Make sure to check when your deadline is and put your application in early in case any issues arise!

🌇 If you’ve already missed the deadline, don’t worry! Contact your university and see if there’s anything they can do - many universities guarantee accommodation for all first-year students. If not, private accommodation and student housing run on different timelines so see what’s available for you.