GCSE results day is now just a matter of weeks away, but what do you do if you don’t quite hit the targets you wanted? It can be incredibly disheartening to find out that you didn’t reach your predicted grades, but there’s no need to panic.

If you decide retaking the exam is the best step for you, whether you need the grades to access the college course you’re interested in or improve your chances at an apprenticeship, these steps will help you be better prepared for your resit:

1. Take a step back

If your GCSE results aren’t what you’d hoped for, you need to take a step back and assess your plans. A grade short doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change your path of year 11, take some time to decide what you want to do.

2. Speak to your teachers

Your teachers are the best place to go for some initial insight. They will be able to point out the areas where they feel you could benefit from further support or even suggest that your papers are remarked because the grades don’t reflect your abilities.

3. Assess your exam technique

If you’re confident in the subject matter, it could be your exam techniques that let you down. If you were nervous ahead of the exam papers, struggled to manage your time, or weren’t sure how to write answers, these are signs that your exam technique could do with some work.

4. Practice exam papers

They say practice makes perfect, and this is often the case when it comes to exam papers. Working your way through practice papers frequently and then using tutorials to check your work means you’ll quickly pick up on the areas where your attention should be focused in terms of revision and good exam habits will become second nature.

5. Make a clear revision plan

How did you revise last time around? If you found that you were cramming as your exam drew nearer, you were easily distracted, or skipped out on sessions, make a clear plan moving forward. Revision is far more likely to stick in your mind when it’s done in smaller chunks and revisited regularly, rather than spending all day and night revising prior to the exam

6. Stay calm – For some, exam periods can be stress inducing. If you feel as though this is you, finding ways to ease your nerves can be invaluable. From positive thinking to breathing techniques, you can find a solution that matches you. For more information about looking after your wellbeing at secondary school, click here.