GCSE results day 2022: When do students get their grades, how to appeal and what do numbered grades mean?

A-Level results day has come and gone, and this week is the turn of GCSE students to count down the final days until they get their results.

When is GCSE results day in the UK?

This year students can find out their results on Thursday, August 25. Most schools open their doors at 8am for students to collect their grades.

Anyone who cannot access their results in person should contact their school and check what arrangements can be put into place.

How does the grading system work?

The days of A* to U have long gone and a numerical system is now in place.

Starting at 1 and going up to 9, the system was introduced as part of an education overhaul, with the U grade still used for ungraded or unclassified papers.

As an example, a very high grade in the past may have been recived with an A grade, this may now get a student a 7 or 8 grade.

For those who still look for A* – C grades, this will include all grades from 4 up to 9.

This grade 9 is reserved for the very top marks, while an 8 is still considered to be the equivalent of an A* grade by Ofqual, the Governmental office to regulate exams across the UK.

How can I appeal my GCSE results?

Anyone who isn’t happy with their results is still able to fight to get them improved. Anyone looking to appeal should first speak to school staff in order to check any issues.

The next step is to contact the awarding body’s exam board to make an official appeal. There is no guarantee that a result may change, although it could rise or fall.

There may also be an option to retake the exams for a second time and attempt to get a higher grade. Local schools and collages will allow students to resit a student’s GCSEs alongside A level work. These retaken exams can come as early as November.