Exam results: what do I do now?
Today thousands of students in the Republic of Ireland are receiving their Leaving Certificate results, in the first in-person exams since the pandemic. We would like to congratulate all students – you have demonstrated great resilience when faced with uncertainty over the last three years.
In the Republic of Ireland, significant changes were made to the examination papers as a response to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. For Ordinary and Higher Level, the size of the paper was reduced, and candidates were required to answer any six questions on the exam paper, instead of the usual eight. The requirement to answer a minimum of two questions from Section A (experimental section) was also removed.
If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for the next stage of your learning, take a look at our helpful careers page A future in chemistry, where you can access resources for on a range of different career and study options.
A candidate helpline is available if have enquiries about your Leaving Certificate results, of which details will be sent to you today by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). If you need to contact the SEC, you can also email them with any queries or phone 090-6442702.
Free membership for students and apprentices
To help you make the most of your new opportunities and get off to a flying start, we are offering free student or apprentice membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Membership includes support for the transition from school to university or apprenticeship, networking opportunities and access to a global community of passionate chemical scientists who are working to change the world.
If you will be studying chemistry further in the Autumn, claim your free membership at rsc.org/join – your free membership code for degree students is CATALYST100 or for apprenticeships use code APP100.
What do you gain with RSC membership?
At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we’ve been supporting chemical scientists for over 180 years, so we know what it takes to have a great first year at uni or on your apprenticeship. Membership will help you:
- Realise your full potential and get ahead with our specialist guides, videos and demos, as well as advice, guidance and support from the RSC Career Toolkit.
- Stay in the know with up-to-date chemistry insights and news from around the world thanks to your digital Chemistry World subscription and the RSC’s Pick of the Week articles.
- Connect with the chemical science community through RSC interest groups and local events – or even your uni’s ChemSoc (student chemistry society).
You will also be joining a community that is advocating and campaigning for changes that help the chemical sciences make the world a better place, addressing global challenges such as sustainability and climate change and making science more diverse and inclusive.
Scottish exam results
Today thousands of pupils in Scotland are finding out how they performed in their Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers – in the first in-person exams taken since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year SQA published revision materials to support learners with their workload and removed the practical outcomes, assignments and projects aspects from the assessment for chemistry.
We would like to congratulate all students receiving their results today – you have had to embrace new ways of learning and have shown commendable resilience when faced with uncertainty over the last three years.
What happens next?
If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for the next stage of your learning, take a look at our helpful careers page A future in chemistry where you can access resources for ideas on what to do next, including further information on a range of career and study options.
If you have not received the results you were hoping for today, there really are still plenty of options for you to find your path to an impactful and rewarding scientific career. Skills Development Scotland run a helpline that offers impartial careers advice while the SQA’s pages give further support and advice to help you plan your next steps.
To help you make the most of your new opportunities and get off to a flying start, we are offering free student or apprentice membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Membership includes support for the transition from school to university or apprenticeship, networking opportunities and access to a global community of passionate chemical scientists who are working to change the world.
If you will be studying chemistry further in the Autumn, claim your free membership at rsc.org/join – your free membership code for degree students is CATALYST100 or for apprenticeships use code APP100.
What do you gain with RSC membership?
At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we’ve been supporting chemical scientists for over 180 years, so we know what it takes to have a great first year at uni or on your apprenticeship. Membership will help you:
- Realise your full potential and get ahead with our specialist guides, videos and demos, as well as advice, guidance and support from the RSC Career Toolkit.
- Stay in the know with up-to-date chemistry insights and news from around the world thanks to your digital Chemistry World subscription and the RSC’s Pick of the Week articles.
- Connect with the chemical science community through RSC interest groups and local events – or even your uni’s ChemSoc (student chemistry society).
You will also be joining a community that is advocating and campaigning for changes that help the chemical sciences make the world a better place, addressing global challenges such as sustainability and climate change and making science more diverse and inclusive.
A-Levels and BTECs
Today, thousands of students across England, Northern Ireland and Wales are finding out how they did in AS level, A level and BTEC exams. For some qualifications, these are the first in-person exams since the start of the covid-19 pandemic and, for many students, these are the first external exams they have taken, because this cohort's GCSEs were assessed by Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs) in 2020.
Congratulations to all students receiving results today – who have shown admirable resilience when faced with uncertainty over the last three years.
What happens next?
If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for the next stage of your learning, take a look at our helpful careers page A future in chemistry where you can access resources for ideas on what to do next, including further information on a range of career and study options.
If you have not received the results you were hoping for today, there really are still plenty of options for you to find your path to a rewarding scientific career. The UCAS who to contact page is there to support your next steps.
WJEC’s pages give further information on their post-results services including making an appeal and CCEA pages offer specific advice and information on understanding your results, resits and review services.
In England, the National Careers Service runs an Exam Results Helpline for students who want advice on their next steps. In Wales you can contact the WJEC results day helpline to talk through your options. For students based in Northern Ireland, NI Direct Careers offers a phone or web service for advice and support and CCEA run a dedicated results helpline. You can also find further information about foundation degrees and HNCs.
Free membership...
To help you make the most of your new opportunities and get off to a flying start, we are offering free student or apprentice membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Membership includes support for the transition from school to university or apprenticeship, networking opportunities and access to a global community of passionate chemical scientists who are working to change the world.
If you will be studying chemistry further in the Autumn, claim your free membership – your free membership code for degree students is CATALYST100 or for apprenticeships use code APP100.
What do you gain with RSC membership?
At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we’ve been supporting chemical scientists for over 180 years, so we know what it takes to have a great first year at uni or on your apprenticeship. Membership will help you:
- Realise your full potential and get ahead with our specialist guides, videos and demos, as well as advice, guidance and support from the RSC Career Toolkit.
- Stay in the know with up-to-date chemistry insights and news from around the world thanks to your digital Chemistry World subscription and the RSC’s Pick of the Week articles.
- Connect with the chemical science community through RSC interest groups and local events – or even your uni’s ChemSoc (student chemistry society).
You will also be joining a community that is advocating and campaigning for changes that help the chemical sciences make the world a better place, addressing global challenges such as sustainability and climate change and making science more diverse and inclusive.
How have assessments been adapted this year?
Reflecting the differences between education systems, England, Northern Ireland and Wales have taken slightly different approaches to the assessment adaptations that were made to support students.
In England, all exam boards published advance information and the minimum number of practical activities required to pass the practical endorsement were removed. However, students were still required to demonstrate competency in all areas of the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC) to achieve their practical endorsement.
For students in Wales, WJEC retained some adaptations by reducing the amount of course content that was examined; the practical examination was assessed for the first time since 2019. In Northern Ireland, CCEA also omitted some of the content from their examinations, however this was optional, and students could choose to be assessed in all units. Students who chose to be assessed in all units were awarded the highest grade from either their performance in all units, or out of the mandatory units only.
BTECs are classed as vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs). This is a diverse group of qualifications, and the assessment picture is complicated with results published at various points in the year. However, many thousands of students take Level 3 BTEC science qualifications and have been receiving their results today. While no advance information was provided for BTEC students, assessment changes were still made to support students. Unit Level Teacher Assessed Grades (U-TAGs) were used for assessments that were due to be taken in 2020/21, and a streamlined assessment system was put in place for up to 2 internal units taken in 2021/2022.
GCSEs
Congratulations to the thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who are receiving GCSE results today. You are the first cohort of students to sit in-person exams since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and we recognise and celebrate your hard work and resilience in achieving your results today.
What happens next?
If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for in the next stage of your learning, take a look at our helpful careers page A future in chemistry where you can access resources for ideas of what to do next, including further information on a range of study options such as A levels, BTECs and apprenticeships.
- In England, the National Careers Service have lots of useful links on their website, including a results day hotline connecting you to careers advisors and further information on further education and training options.
- Qualifications Wales provide information on opportunities in further education, apprenticeships, and links to careers advice. WJEC also offer advice and guidance on post-exam services such as appeals and marking reviews.
- In Northern Ireland, CCEA offer guidance and information on understanding your results, resits and maintaining your wellbeing. There are also helplines available for careers advice and specific issues regarding your results and contact details for FE colleges.