Published Thursday 13 August 2020 at 13:51
Well done to all students collecting their A-level results today and GCSE results next week.
Individual schools and colleges have made their own arrangements on how students receive their results following Covid safe guidelines.
2020 has been a difficult year for all of our children and teenagers with many changes brought in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.
We would like to remind all of our young people that there is a wide range of support available for all Blackburn with Darwen students as they receive their A-level and GCSE exam results this month. All contact details are provided below. Please reach out if you are struggling.
GCSE results will be available on Thursday 20 August, and similarly, GCSE students will be able to collect their results from their school or college in the morning from 8am. Students should check arrangements with their school or college first as collection times may be staggered to minimise contact and mixing as far as possible to adhere to guidance on social distancing.
Following the cancellation of the summer 2020 exams due to Coronavirus, students will be provided with calculated grades this year to enable them to progress to further study or employment.
There has been a lot of national attention on the grading process and the situation is still developing at a national level. This includes the recent announcement of taking the results of mock examinations into consideration.
Exam boards have been working to standardise grades to ensure consistency of judgements between different schools and colleges, using a model developed with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).
Cllr Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
I would like to say congratulations to all of Blackburn with Darwen’s hardworking students with their A-level and GCSE results. 2020 has been a particularly difficult and challenging year; I’m proud of all of our young people for rising to the challenges and staying as positive as they can be.
I wish you all best of luck with the next steps in your career, whether you choose to continue into further education, apprenticeships or other training, or employment.
We know how much time and effort students have put into their education. This pandemic has meant that young people across the country have missed out on the opportunity to sit exams, but your hard work, talent and dedication are not in any way lessened by the fact that grades will be awarded this year.
Jo Siddle, Head of Education, added:
We know that this has been an extremely challenging year and results day will bring uncertainty to some of our young people.
I would like to reassure all students that there will be the opportunity appeal against your grades if you feel that you have been unfairly penalised by this.
The Department for Education has also announced that there will be an opportunity for students to re-sit exams in the autumn. Support will be available from schools and colleges to help students with their decision on whether to appeal or re-sit.
Locally in Blackburn with Darwen, the New Directions Careers Service are available to offer their support to both Year 11 and Year 13 students. They can be contacted for one to one impartial careers guidance, have all of the latest information on further study, training and employment, and can support with applications and CVs.
The team can be contacted on: 01254 666424 or emailed at newdirections@blackburn.gov.uk. The service can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by searching ‘new directions’.
The following organisations are also offering support and advice to students on where to go next following receipt of their exam results.
The National Careers service will be operating a temporary Exam Results Helpline from Thursday 13 August, to provide information on appeals, complaints, or on the next steps once students have received their results. Students can speak to careers advisor by calling 0800 100 900. The service will be available from 8am to 10pm 7 days a week. Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. Further information can be found on the nationalcareers service website.
The Ofqual student support phone line (0300 303 3344) is available for students who want to find out more about how they were graded, the autumn exams series and to make an appeal or raise a concern about bias or discrimination.
Lines open from 9am to 5pm weekdays, with extended hours during results weeks. Calls are charged at the standard network rate. Additional information is available on the Government website including a student guide to post-16 qualification results and a summer 2020 qualification explainer tool.
UCAS can provide information on university admissions 0371 468 0 468. Lines open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm, calls are charged at the standard network rate. Information is available through their website.
For those students looking to improve English, maths or IT skills, the gov.uk website has details of the different local training and also offers information about apprenticeships.
Save the Student are offering online advice for sixth form and college students on the next steps to take if they are unhappy with their A-level results.
Mental health support is available through the following organisations
- Visit the YoungMinds website or Text YM to 85258
- Visit the Childline website, call 0800 1111 or visit their exam results support page
- Students can call and ask for an emergency appointment through their GP surgery or call NHS 111.