GCSEs: How will this year's results day work?
GCSE results for pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published on Thursday morning.
This year's results are very different, because coronavirus meant that students did not sit exams, and it's all about estimates.
What are GCSEs and how are they graded?
GCSEs are the qualification taken by 15 and 16-year-olds to graduate from the Key Stage 4 phase of secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The grading system in England was changed in 2018 from letters to numbers. The old A* was replaced by grades 9 and 8, with 7 replacing A.
The updated grades were part of a new curriculum introduced in England's schools in 2014 by the then education secretary, Michael Gove, putting far more emphasis on exams rather than coursework.
Wales kept its letter-based grading structure, while Northern Ireland opted for a mixture of letters and numbers for its grades.
Students in Scotland sit different exams and have already had their results.
How do I get my results?
Schools have been agonising for weeks over the best way to give students their results.
All pupils have been told what to do on Thursday, but you should check if you are unsure. From 08:00 BST, you will either go into school, receive an email or log into an online portal.
How have the results been decided?
Pupils will now be given GCSE grades estimated by their teachers, rather than ones decided by an algorithm.
The U-turn came after uproar when about 40% of last week's A-level results were downgraded by exam regulator Ofqual.
Teacher estimates will be used, unless the algorithm awarded a student a higher grade.
Ofqual chair Roger Taylor told the BBC the regulator decided to "change course" after seeing the "anxiety" it had caused to young people.
What other results are coming out?
A range of vocational results, such as Level 1 and 2 BTecs, were due to be published on Thursday. Level 3 BTec results were issued last week.
However, Pearson, the company which runs BTecs, has asked schools and colleges not to issue any Level 1 and 2 results yet because they are being "reviewed and where appropriate, regraded".
It is acting because of what it calls "impact on BTec students" after Ofqual's decision to award centre assessment grades to GCSE students.
Unlike GCSEs and A-levels, BTecs are formally assessed throughout the academic year meaning that there is more information on which to base final grades.
How much learning was missed?
Schools were closed across the UK in the middle of March - just before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed - meaning pupils missed the end of the spring term and all of the summer term.
Some first-year GCSE students, who take their exams next summer, were invited into schools from June to do some studying, but the amount of support varied from school to school.
How will colleges be affected by the redefined GCSE results?
It will be business as usual.
Colleges will try to be flexible in order to accommodate all students who need or want a place. If students don't have a confirmed place, colleges will be able to advise on the most suitable course in a wide range of subjects.
They will be open on Thursday to give information, advice and guidance in person or online/by phone. Students need to follow college guidance on submitting their results to the college.
Get in touch
In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.
Use this form to ask your question: