GCSEs and A Levels: Psychologist's top tips to help students cope with anxiety - as they wait on results day

• There is still more than a month to go until this year’s candidates find out how they did in their exams
• A Level and GCSE results days are one week apart
• Experts say the wait for results day can be a particularly tense time for teens
• But there are ways they can manage their stress - and ways parents can help them

The end of June brought with it the end of this year’s secondary school summer exam season - but that doesn’t mean students are off the hook yet.

Now candidates who sat their GCSEs and A Levels over the past couple of months have embarked on what can be – for many – an even more anxiety-ridden period; the lengthy wait until results day. For students waiting on A Level results, there is now a little over a month to do. Their results day will fall on Thursday, August 14 this year. For pupils waiting to find out how they did in their GCSE exams, the wait will be a little longer. Their results day is on Thursday, August 21.

Secondary school qualifications can, by their very nature, be quite high-stakes. Older students may need certain grades to secure their place at the university of their dreams, while younger pupils may need to meet certain requirements to get into the courses or sixth form college they would like.

Now that the days of revision timetables and test days are behind this year’s exam takers, online learning platform Study Dog has partnered with psychologist and anxiety expert Dr Lalitaa Suglani to explore how students – and their parents – can manage their worries in a healthy way. Here’s what they had to say:

Switching off until results day

Study Dog founder Leo Carr said that A Level students in particular - who may have university offers hanging in the balance - can feel a lot of pressure in the lead-up to results day. “There’s a tendency to keep replaying what went wrong instead of recognising how much effort they put in.”

While finding study methods that suit the individual can help build confidence during and after exams, he said that it was just as important for students “to remember to take a step back, rest, and look after their mental wellbeing”.

Dr Suglani said secondary school and sixth form students waiting on exam results could start by making time for the things that truly help them relax. “This could be spending time with friends, getting outdoors, exploring a creative hobby, or enjoying a book. We’re lucky to have longer evenings and warmer weather – make the most of them.”

“Try not to let conversations or thoughts about results dominate your days,” she continued. “One helpful method is to use a ‘worry window’ – allow yourself 10 minutes per day to think about your results, then move on with your day. The key is to stay busy in ways that bring you joy – this is your well-earned time to unwind after months of hard work.”

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How students can prepare themselves

To learn to sit with the anxiety that a looming results day can bring, the psychologist said students needed to make their peace with it. “Start by accepting that anxiety is a normal response to uncertainty – questioning whether you’ve done enough, fearing failure, or replaying past answers.

“It’s a psychological ‘hangover’ from weeks or months of stress,” she added. “Rather than trying to push the feeling away, acknowledge it and then try grounding yourself in the present.”

Finding someone to talk to about their concerns can be a big help for any teen, as “anxious thoughts are much louder in silence”. But most importantly, Dr Suglani said they should try to keep things in perspective. “One exam period does not define your intelligence, your potential, or your future.”

On a practical front, mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, journaling, or getting some exercise can help ease anxious thoughts. “Avoid getting caught up in endless ‘what if’ scenarios. Focus on the things you can control, like your daily routine. Staying busy can help keep anxiety in check.”

Being prepared for when the big day arrives can also help. “It helps to plan ahead. Know what time your results will be released, how you’ll access them, and who you’d like to be with when you open them.”

“Having a supportive person by your side – whether that’s a parent, friend, or teacher – can really help,” she added. “It’s also important to prepare for different outcomes. Remind yourself that no single result defines your worth or your future. Everyone’s journey is different, and your grades do not determine your value as a person.”

How parents can help

Ultimately, the results teens get will all come down to them, the work they put in, and how it all came together on exam day. But that didn’t mean that there was nothing their parents could do to support them during their long wait to find out.

“The most helpful thing parents can do is create a calm, non-judgmental space where their child feels supported, not pressured,” Dr Suglani said. “Make it clear that you're proud of them regardless of the outcome and that their grades won’t change how much you care.”

Ideally, parents should try to strike the right balance between supporting their teens in taking time for themselves, and creating space for them to share their worries. “Encourage healthy distractions and check in regularly, but avoid fixating on exam results in conversation,” she continued.

“Most importantly, listen without judgment and remind your child that, whatever happens, there are always options and a way forward.”

For more of your big questions about results day answered, check out some of our other coverage. You can try this one, for advice on how to get results on the day, as well as all of the different grades you can get.