As students across the country receive their GCSE results this week, Hannah Avoth, Vice Principal at Totton College advises local young people how they can prepare to make the best of results day, whatever their grades.
GCSE results day can be nerve wracking at the best of times but this year due to the nature of how the grades will be allocated, we are seeing unprecedented levels of uncertainty. Whatever your results, we aim to welcome all students and look at the overall picture to ensure we can offer the best possible programme.
Whether you receive the grades you wanted or not, there are options out there for you to be able to move forward into the future you deserve. There is a course, apprenticeship, training or work experience placement out there that is right for you, along with an opportunity to re-sit your GCSE’s with Totton College. Keep in mind these simple top tips as you approach GCSE results day so that you can make the best decision for you, once you know your grades.
- Don’t panic: Even if you didn’t get what you hoped for you should take some time to acknowledge all your hard work to get this far and feel good about completing this stage in your life.
- Be ambitious: Stop and think about what you want to do next. Don’t let the current situation with COVID-19 dampen your ambition, things will change for the better. Ask yourself, what will help you achieve your career goals? Is it a course or do you need to gain work experience or develop a specific skill?
- Be realistic: Long term things will hopefully go back to normal, but in the short term there are restrictions. Now might not be the best time to try to gain work experience in the production of large events or the entertainment industry for example, but you can use this time building useful, transferable skills, so when your dream industry starts up again you are in a prime position to get a foot in the door.
- Think outside the box: Continuing in a traditional education setting might work for some. people but for others more vocational hands-on training would suit them better. Now is a great time to think about an apprenticeship or traineeship as the government has allocated additional resources to these schemes.
- Talk to someone: Find the right person to talk to about your next move – it could be a parent or carer, teacher at your school, or staff at a further education provider, like the Nacro Centres and Totton College. Talking things through will help you to decide what the best option is for you.
Pleases contact the Totton College team on 023 8087 4874 or info@totton.ac.uk to find out how we can help you to take your next steps and achieve your goals.
Nacro Totton College offers personalised Study Programmes, apprenticeships and traineeships for those aged 14-18 year olds. Totton runs a range of courses from beauty to business, from maths to media. Courses are for a range of abilities and ages. They provide young people and adults with the skills they need to move into employment or further education or training. This includes work placements and accredited support with careers information, advice and guidance.
The apprenticeship roles cover professional and commercial services such as including supply chain warehouse operative, and hair professional as well as jobs such as teaching assistant and adult care worker. The college has also just recently launched a new traineeship in business administration. To find out more about local apprenticeships, traineeships and Study Programme courses with Nacro Totton College see our website for more details.
Always remember that nothing can stop you from getting where you want to be. You have what it takes to succeed and be who you want to be.
