Nervous A-level students awaiting their exam results this week will be able to turn to expert professionals if their grades are not what they expect.
Careers advisers from the Exam Results Helpline will be on-hand from 8am on Thursday August 13.
Delivered by university admissions service UCAS, the helpline opens for ten days across the exam results period to support schools, colleges and existing careers advice services during a potentially very demanding time.
Last year, the helpline offered a lifeline to around 6,000 students across the exam results period.
Providing students with free, independent and expert information and advice about continuing into further or higher education, or pursuing different routes such as vocational qualifications, taking a gap year or finding employment, the helpline can be reached on 0808 100 8000. (Calls are free from landlines. Mobile network charges vary).
John Carberry, an Exam Results Helpline Careers Adviser, said parents should be encouraging their sons and daughters to think about a plan B before results day.
He said: “Before results day itself encourage your teenager to start thinking about other courses and/or universities that they would be prepared to consider in Clearing, it could help them get a head start once they get their results.
“We take calls from students who are panicking that they haven’t got the results they need and the first thing we tell them is to try to stay calm. This goes for parents too.”
He added: “There is no rush to make any quick decisions if you are thinking about a course in Clearing.
“Choosing a University can be difficult but when students go through Clearing and often haven’t even visited the University, it’s an even bigger decision to make.
“Clearing doesn’t open until the afternoon and so this gives your child time to reassess and have a good think about what they want to do before they start the process.”
For more advice and guidance about A-level results visit www.ucas.com.