A Level results day 2024: What should students and families expect as the results come in?

• A Level students will get their exam results today.
• These should be available to pick up from your school or college.
• You have the right to appeal your grades up to three times if you think there’s a problem - but it might cost you.
• You may automatically be entered into Clearing if you don’t get the grades you had hoped, but there is plenty of choice available there this year.

The final grades for secondary school students’ final set of exams are being released today.

It’s A-Levels results day and the nerve-racking wait is finally over for students, after more than a month since the 2024 summer exam period wrapped up. For many students, this will mark the end of secondary school and the beginning of the rest of their lives.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has confirmed that the amount of A Levels taken overall has risen in 2024, and while the number of top grades has gone up, the overall pass rate had fallen a little.

For some, their final grades could mean a few more hurdles to overcome. They might need to appeal their grades, or even enter the Clearing process to secure their spot at university.

But what should students and their families expect on results day itself - and what should they know about some of the trickier to navigate processes? Here’s what you need to know:

When is A Level results day this year?

Students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who sat their A Level exams throughout May and June will be able to get their results today (Thursday August 15).

However, unlike Scotland where all exam results are released at once, pupils who sat their GCSE exams will have another week of waiting on their hands. GCSE results day will be on Thursday, 22 August.

How can students get their results?

Unless you specially arranged to receive your results by post or your school has told you otherwise, your results should be available to pick up from your school or college today. You’ll need to check with your school what time it opens.

Results come in a sealed envelope, and students will be able to choose whether to open them then and there - which can be a good idea, as schools often have support staff available for students who get results they may not have been expecting. You can also choose to open them later with your friends or family, if you prefer.

What should you do if you think there’s been a problem with your grades?

For each A level exam you sat, you’ll receive a letter grade based on how many points you scored. There are six passing grades: A*, A, B, C, D and E. A* is the highest, usually reserved for students who scored 75-85% of all possible marks in their exam, although you’ll also be able to find out more about this year’s grade boundaries on results day too.

Getting lower grades than expected can be a real blow, especially if you have conditional university offers hanging in the balance. But if they were much lower than you thought they would be, or if you think there may have been some other issue, you can appeal them with the exam board.

Your school will need to do this for you in most cases, so it’s best to set up a meeting with leadership or your school’s careers counsellor immediately. They can ask for the exam’s marking to be reviewed. If you still have concerns, your school can also appeal the initial review - and the exam board will look over it again and make a final call. There is one final step available if you still have concerns, which is to appeal to Ofqual. They will look over the exam board’s marking to make sure it meets their standards.

While you won’t be charged if you request a review and your grade is changed as a result, you may be charged a fee if it doesn’t - and these can sometimes be fairly expensive. There is also a priority service available for students with a university offer waiting. You should let your school know if you need a priority review, and take action as soon as possible to avoid missing your exam board’s deadline on this.

What’s the next step for students wanting to go on to university?

Your A Level results will be passed on directly to UCAS. If you already have a university offer and your grades meet their conditions, then you should hear back soon that your place has been confirmed. The university or tertiary institute will let you know what your next steps should be.

If you don’t get the grades needed or you applied late  UCAS will automatically enter you into Clearing. You can also use the service if you’ve changed your mind about what you want to study, and want to look at your options.

Clearing helps match students up to universities with open places around the UK, and the government has confirmed it has tens of thousands of courses available this year. UCAS will also try to match you up to courses it thinks you will be interested in based on the information it has on you, which can be viewed by clicking ‘My Matches’.

When you find one you’re interested in, you will need to call that university to discuss whether they would consider you. Once you’ve got their approval, you can officially add them to your application by clicking 'add Clearing choice' and filling in the details. Once they confirm your spot, you’re off to the races - and can begin planning for this exciting new stage in your life.

The government has issued some advice for parents and carers supporting students as they receive their exams results. This can often be a tense and emotionally fraught time, especially if things don’t go as expected. You can check this advice out online here.