A-Level results day is very different this year - but help is at hand for Plymouth’s young people and their parents who are worried or unsure about what to do next.
Even though exams and assessments were cancelled this year due to coronavirus (COVID-19) students will still get their grades today (Thursday 13 August) so that they can move on to further study or employment.
Earlier this week the Secretary of State made a surprise change to the way in which grades will be finalised. Young people will now receive the best grades they could achieve based on their mock exams, teacher assessment and the standardised model developed by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).
This is likely to cause more uncertainty at least in the short term. If young people are happy with their grades they do not need to do anything. If they’re not there will be an appeal. Schools can also appeal if they can show this year's A-level results do not reflect the predicted grades and parents as well as pupils will no doubt be contacting schools if they are concerned about the results.
The Government have also appealed to further and higher education institutions to relax entry requirements if they believe a young person’s grades do not reflect their ability and potential.
Councillor Jon Taylor Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Transformation said: “I don’t need to remind people that this year has been extraordinary - imagine being at school and having your exams cancelled. I know initially I might have felt relieved about not sitting an exam - but now that we are at the time results come out, it is a different story.
“There will be anxiety and huge amounts of uncertainty for thousands of Plymouth young people and that is why we have been working non-stop with partners to make sure that we can help families caught up in this highly unusual situation.
“Earlier this week we launched our Skills Launch Pad is a one stop shop for all who are considering their next move. It’s not just their futures we have been thinking about. We know that for many people high levels of anxiety and stress has really taken their toll in recent months. That’s why we also really keen to provide support for mental health.”
The Skills Launch Pad is a virtual, safe space where young people can go to receive support that is right for them. It shows the opportunities in the city, links young people to advisers and advice, helps them find mental health support if necessary and brings together careers advice with job and apprenticeship offers.
It may be that the right job requires skills that young people don’t yet have so a key part of the hub is making sure that the training and qualifications needed are clearly visible and can be accessed.
