Exam results day 2023 - what comes next?

Results day: 8 August 2023

Today pupils in Scotland are finding out how they performed in their Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers. Taking into account the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic, modifications remained in place for this year’s exam series. The SQA’s course modifications for chemistry included the publication of revision materials and removal of practical outcomes, assignments and projects from the assessment.

We would like to congratulate all students receiving their results today – you have shown commendable resilience and determination during your studies.

What happens next?

If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for the next stage of your learning, take a look at our helpful study options page where you can find out about the different qualifications available to you.

A qualification in chemistry opens doors to a wide range of careers. Explore what jobs you can do with a chemistry qualification on our careers page.

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 runs a helpline that offers impartial careers advice while the SQA’s pages also offer a candidate advice line, alongside further support and advice to help you plan your next steps.

Results day: 17 August 2023

Today, thousands of students across England, Northern Ireland and Wales are finding out how they did in AS level, A level, T Level and BTEC exams.

Congratulations to all students receiving results today – we would like to wish all students with best wishes in their future endeavours.

What happens next?

If you are thinking of choosing chemistry for the next stage of your learning, there are plenty of resources available on our careers page, A Future in Chemistry, as mentioned above.

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.

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 Careers Wales hotline or webchat to talk through your options or contact WJEC about your results. For students based in Northern Ireland, NI Direct Careers offers a phone or web service for advice and support. You can find further information about foundation degrees and HNCs here. UCAS has plenty of advice available for students from all three nations.

The GOV.UK website has information on appealing results in England. WJEC’s pages give further information on their post-results services including making an appeal and the CCEA's FAQ pages offer specific advice and information on understanding your results, resits and review services.

This handy BBC guide also explains what you can do next if you have not got what you hoped for. You can check with your university if you have not obtained the results you expected; you can look to resit a subject or appeal an exam result; or you can look at clearing options via UCAS. Other options include apprenticeships, school leaver programmes and higher technical qualifications.

How have assessments and grading been adapted this year?

In England, this year’s AS and A Levels are returning to pre-pandemic standards, though the grading process recognises the disruption that students have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ofqual have noted that this means that on average results will be lower than last years, and it is therefore more meaningful to compare results with those from 2019.

There was no advanced information available for students in England. In summary, though student performance in 2023 will be below that of 2019, grade boundaries will be set to ensure number of students passing exams will be similar to what we saw in 2019.

T Levels in England will be graded generously, given that they are a relatively new qualification. Assessment arrangements for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) returned to normal this year.

In Wales, grades continued to be awarded more generously than before 2020, to account for the disruption experienced by learners during the pandemic. Earlier this year, Qualifications Wales announced that there will be no changes to assessment in 2023. However, in order not to disadvantage learners who sat their AS units in 2022, the AS content which was identified in the WJEC GCE Adaptations booklet as not subject to assessment in 2022, was not assessed as part of A2 this year. WJEC provided advance information for its papers across a range of subjects, revealing the focus of some of the questions to help pupils revise.

In Northern Ireland, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) provided advance information for most subjects (except for Practical Booklet A in AS and A Level Chemistry) and said examiners will take COVID disruption into account.

Results day: 24 August 2023

Congratulations to the thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who are receiving their GCSE results today. We recognise and celebrate your hard work and determination in achieving your results.

What happens next?

Take a look at our helpful careers page mentioned above, A Future in Chemistry, if you are interested in pursuing a career in chemistry. It's packed with resources and ideas of what to do next, including further information on a range of study options, such as A levels, T Levels and apprenticeships.

In England, the National Careers Service has lots of useful links on their website, including a results day hotline connecting you to careers advisors and information on further education and training options.

In Wales, Careers Wales provides information on further education, apprenticeships and getting a job. It also runs a hotline that offers careers advice.

In Northern Ireland, NI Direct offers an online chat option for those in need of careers advice. Through their website, you can also access lots of useful information on your options after Year 12.

What adaptations were made to assessments this year?

Taking into consideration the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, students in England were supported in their GCSE Combined Science exams with an equation sheet. Ofqual also confirmed that grading and marking this year returned to as it was before the pandemic, but an allowance for disruption has meant that the results will be similar to those of 2019.

In Wales, students were given advanced information sheets to support them in their GCSE science exams. Qualifications Wales confirmed that WJEC qualifications this year were graded differently and that the results will lie between 2019 and 2022 exam results. 

In Northern Ireland, students were given advanced information ahead of their exams and the CCEA announced that examiners considered the disruption caused by the pandemic when grading student performance.

Results day: 25 August 2023

Today thousands of students in the Republic of Ireland are receiving their Leaving Certificate results. We would like to congratulate all students – you have demonstrated great resilience, effort and determination during your studies.

What happens next?

If you are thinking chemistry could be right for you as you prepare for the next stage of your learning, check out our helpful careers page mentioned above, A Future in Chemistry. There, you can access resources for a range of different career and study options whether you are 16 or thinking about Higher Education. We also offer free RSC membership to students and apprentices.

If you have any questions about your results, you can contact staff at the State Examinations Commission (SEC) from 8.30am to 9pm on exam days and from 9.30am to 1pm at weekends on 090 644 2700. 

What adaptations were made to assessments?

The release date of results is the earliest it has been since 2019, however still later than the pre-pandemic norm of mid-August. It was announced last year that adjustments will be made to assessment arrangements for students sitting exams in 2023, to take account of the disruption to their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The adjustments maintained the familiar overall structure of previous exams but incorporated additional choices for students within the examination. As part of the adjustments, assessment tasks were not examined for students sitting science leaving certificate exams.