If your child got poor GCSE results it’s not the end of the world

[Guest]

I was in & out of care, so didn’t have the best of starts in life. Left school with zero GCSE’s, but at 20 decided I wanted to be a social worker. I retook my maths & English, which got me in to college to do Advanced GNVQ in Health & Social Care.

With this I was able to go onto uni and got my Degree in Social Work! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Unfortunately a lot of teenagers aren’t ready to focus on their future at that particular time, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen later on.

[Kate]

Brilliant post.. I echo this.. I train primary teachers.. oldest I've trained is 50.. never to late to do what you want to!

[Tallie]

I was the same. I was abused as a child and had an abusive boyfriend at 15/16. I left school with very low GCSEs and told I'd never amount to anything. I redid my GCSE English, did A levels and finished my degree. I graduated over a year ago

[Ashleigh]

I was the same I didn’t get anything above a C went to college and did health and social care and re sat my maths and English and then went to university and trained to be a nurse been qualified 8 years now

[Frances]

I got 0 grades because I left school at 13, have a wonderful family, my own home, my own car, 3 amazing children, have studied with the RHS and have 2 absolute dream jobs that I look forward to going to, I get to in my daughters words “make the world a bit more beautiful every day”

[Terri]

I also left school with no GCSEs, I went straight to college and became a hairdresser (didn’t need GCSEs then) 6 years ago, I decided I wanted to be a social worker, I done my English and maths GCSEs, I then done an access course to get me into uni and have just finished my degree at the age of 34, currently waiting for my DBS to arrive then I’ll be starting my job

[Paula]

So much pressure now and especially with the social media competition. Lots and lots of kids seem to get all A's now so getting a job will be hard as so many seem to have good results. It is so hard on parents and kids because if the child doesn't do well then they will lose confidence as so many seem to do well and are posted on fb. We need to see more parents saying my child got 4 c's etc and I am proud of how far they have come because for some that is their best and nobody knows what it took for them to even get out of bed in the morning x

[Anna]

This! And even if they get great results it doesn't mean the path they start to follow is the one for them.

I tell my kids that there are lots of paths, some of them are more direct, like being on a motorway, and some take the scenic route, but they all get to their destination in the end- even if that destination changes along the way.