GCSE exams are a crucial milestone in a student's education, marking the culmination of years of study. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the 2025 GCSE exam period, results day, and the options available to students afterward.
GCSE Exam Dates
The GCSE exam period in 2025 began on Monday, 5 May and will end on Wednesday, 25 June. However, the exact dates of individual exams vary depending on the specific exam board your school or college uses. The main exam boards in England are:
AQA
Pearson Edexcel
OCR
Other exam boards include:
WJEC (Wales)
CCEA (Northern Ireland)
To find the precise dates for your exams, it's essential to check the exam board's official website or consult your school's exam schedule. A helpful resource is the BBC Bitesize guide, which offers detailed information on exam dates.
Exam Aids and Special Considerations
As in 2024, the Department for Education in England has confirmed that students taking maths, physics, and combined science exams will be allowed to use formulae and equation sheets during their exams. This measure aims to alleviate some of the pressure on students and allow them to focus on applying their knowledge.
If you miss an exam due to illness, it's crucial to:
Contact your school or college as soon as possible.
You will be asked to fill out a form for your school or college to request "special consideration" from your exam board.
The exam board will then consider the circumstances and may adjust your grade accordingly.
GCSE Results Day
In England, GCSE results will be released on Thursday, 21 August 2025, from 08:00 BST. Check with your school or college for the exact times if you plan to collect your results in person.
Some students in England will receive their results via a new app, which will deliver grades directly to their phones from 11:00 BST on results day. This digital delivery method is being trialled with approximately 95,000 pupils in Manchester and the West Midlands this summer, before a potential wider rollout.
Students in Scotland receive their results on Tuesday, 5 August. In Wales and Northern Ireland, results are typically distributed by schools and colleges.
GCSE Grading Systems
In England, GCSEs are graded using a numerical system, ranging from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade. A grade 4 is considered a "standard pass," while a grade 5 is a "strong pass."
In Wales and Northern Ireland, GCSEs are generally graded using letters (A* to G). However, if an exam taken in those nations is managed by an English exam board, the numerical system (9-1) will be used.
Grade boundaries, which indicate the minimum number of marks required for each grade, are determined by examiners and published on results day.
Appealing GCSE Results
If you believe your grade is incorrect, the following steps can be taken:
Talk to your school or college. They will contact the exam board and request a review of your marks.
If you are still dissatisfied after the review, your school or college can submit an appeal to the exam board. The exam board will then assess whether a correction is necessary.
If you remain unsatisfied, you can request a further review from the regulator, Ofqual.
The charity YoungMinds emphasizes that results are not the sole measure of success and that alternative pathways are available if things don't go as planned.
What to Do After Receiving Your Results
Under-18s are required to remain in official education or training. Here are some of the options available after GCSEs:
Full-time education: This often involves studying A-levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB).
Apprenticeships: Apprenticeships combine paid work with on-the-job training.
Part-time work with part-time study.
Vocational courses: These include National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), BTECs, TechBacs, and Cambridge Technicals. In England, T-levels are also an option.
Each of these pathways offers unique opportunities for further learning and career development.