The recent GCSE results day has brought with it both celebration and concern, particularly for students who did not achieve their desired grades. One such instance highlights the predicament of a worried mother whose daughter failed all her GCSE exams, achieving only grade 3s, which are below the typical pass mark of grade 4 or higher. This outcome was unexpected, given the daughter's performance in practice papers and the investment in private tuition for maths, English, and science over the past year and a half. The mother expressed her shock and uncertainty, especially as her daughter was previously scoring around fives in these subjects during home practice.

A significant challenge for the family arose from the daughter's school policy, which reportedly does not permit resits. This situation prompted the mother to seek advice, leading to a consensus among other parents and educational observers: local colleges offer viable pathways. These institutions often provide level 1 or 2 courses that students can access while simultaneously retaking their English and maths GCSEs. Alternatively, functional skills level 2 qualifications were suggested as an equivalent to GCSE passes for these core subjects. For students who may not be suited for A-levels, particularly given a challenging GCSE performance and the daughter's initial plan to study history, sociology, and business in Sixth Form, exploring apprenticeships or vocational trades was also advised as a practical and fulfilling direction. Generally, students under 18 who score below a grade 4 in maths or English are required to resit these subjects at school or college until they pass.

Looking at the broader national picture, this year's 16-year-olds were the first cohort to have completed their entire secondary education amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, having started Year 7 in autumn 2020. Despite initial concerns about long-term disruption, GCSE results have shown remarkable stability. Official data indicates that 21.9 percent of entries across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland achieved top grades (grade 7/A or above), a figure almost identical to the previous year and notably higher than the 20.8 percent recorded in 2019, prior to the pandemic. Furthermore, a record 576 teenagers achieved straight 9s in at least ten subjects, an increase from the previous summer. However, English and maths continue to present significant hurdles, with only 60.2 percent passing English and 58.3 percent passing maths. The struggle is particularly evident among older pupils (17 and over), whose entry for resits jumped by 12.1 percent this year, with only a small fraction (15.3 percent in maths and 19.7 percent in English) successfully passing. This persistent challenge has led education leaders to advocate for the government to reconsider and potentially scrap the policy of compulsory resits in these two subjects at GCSE level.