Results Day is just around the corner and thousands of young people will be nervously waiting to find out their grades.
Students across England, Wales and Scotland - and no doubt their anxious families - will be hoping the hard work has paid off on Thursday, August 18, and they will be heading off to their chosen college or university. But what happens if they don't get the grades they need?
Angie Stead, the co-founder of Genius School, which teaches entrepreneurial tips to kids, says it's important to remember that grades are really not the be-all and end-all. The education expert has put together some important advice about how you can support your child if they didn't quite get the grades they were hoping for.
Have an honest conversation
It can be difficult for children to express how they’re feeling, particularly if they feel like you might be disappointed in them. But if your child is feeling negatively about their results, adding fuel to the fire by disciplining them for bad results won’t help, Angie says. In fact, it may just make them more reluctant to open up to you.
"Take the time to have a private conversation and understand how they’re feeling, their concerns and how you can support them. Do they want to re-sit their exams? Are they rethinking their decision to go to university?
"Are they feeling optimistic despite the knockback of their results? Once you have a better idea of your child’s headspace you can decide how best to support them.
"Remember this isn’t about telling them off, but providing a safe space for them to speak to you and share their feelings."
Success is not all about what uni you went to
If you speak to anyone who you deem to be successful, no two stories will sound the same. Some may have gone to university, some may have set up their own business, others may have found success through an apprenticeship.
The main message, Angie says, is that success isn’t down to what university you go to, but 'soft skills' like ambition, tenacity and the ability to recognise and seize opportunities.
"For those that are willing to work towards their goals - whatever that might look like - success will come in one way or another and everyone’s journey will look different," she added.
Remind them of all the possible routes
Whether it's re-sitting their exams, enrolling in an apprenticeship or working towards setting up their own business, as a parent the best thing you can do is advise and support them when it comes to their choices, says Angie.
"There are so many different routes when it comes to being successful. Often when we think we’ve failed, it’s not the failure itself that defines us but how we bounce back from it."
