"Make sure they are aware of their options": advice to parents this GCSE results day
As children across the country rip into their GCSE results, Barry Laker, a child counsellor in Kent, offers advice for parents and pupils
As pupils in Kent receive their GCSEs results at 10am this morning, a former teacher from the area has offered advice for both parents and pupils.
Barry Laker is the head of services for Childline across the South-East of England, as well as a former teacher.
He tells Greatest Hits Radio: it's all about being there and supportive before, during and after the young person receives their results.
"I think the first thing to point out is obviously every child is different and what works for one young person won't work for another young person. So it's essentially all about being there for your child, making sure that you're talking to them and communicating with them."
He also described the support networks that are around the students as critical, whether it's the formal ones, or the informal ones.
"It's crucial. And I know that schools will be there for young people. I think everyone's probably acutely aware that although the school term doesn't officially start for another couple of weeks, those wonderful school staff are back working already.
"Also, on a sort of a softer side a young person's go to things need to be around them, whether that's going for a run, whether that's the family dog who's always a comfort to them, it's really important that they maintain those sort of informal support networks as well as the formal ones around them."
Students will open their results at 10am on 21 August 2025.
Many will instantly go to compare them with their friends, something that Laker recommended avoiding.
"I would stress they should value what they get from their results and not be comparing themselves to others. Because if you compare yourself to others, someone's always going to have better grades and that can cause great anxiety for young people."
Barry Laker also adds that the education system is in a good place to provide alternate pathways if the results aren't what a pupil was hoping for.
"Now in this country, there are so many different pathways for young people and and schools and colleges do a fantastic job at making sure that they do have staff there.
Not just the teachers to help them get their qualifications, but they have multiple support staff and advisory staff there as well to help them on to the next stage of their journey, whether that's with their current school that they're at or whether it's with a different school or college."
Some students when looking at results can be 'caught like a rabbit in headlights' according to Laker, however he says that the amount of options available to students should be a source of motivation and excitement rather than fear.
"Different routes should have been mapped out, so that when those results do land, they can see the pathways that are open to them because that that can be really motivating and encouraging."