GCSE results day 2026 - live: Grade boundaries and resit options as students find out their grades

GCSE results day 2026 - live: Grade boundaries and resit options as students find out their grades School students will collect their results from from around 8am, with results available online to some from 11am Thousands of teenagers up and down the country will collect their GCSE results this morning after sitting exams earlier in the summer. For the first time many will be accessing their results online, though most students are still expected to go to their schools to find out their grades. Hard copy results will be handed out by schools from 8am before they are updated online at 11am. The Department of Education has encouraged students to go in person to collect their results so that they are able to speak to teachers and staff about what to do next if their results aren't as good as they had hoped. Students will also be able to access their results via the Education Record app which has now been fully rolled out following a successful trial in Manchester in 2025. GCSE grade boundaries will be confirmed today by exam boards including AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, CCEA and WJEC. The grade boundaries - which have followed a numerical 9 to 1 system since 2017 are not fixed from one year to the next as exam boards set these once marking is almost complete. Key Events Like many a nervous student up and down the country, even members of the Royal Family once had to sit in the exam hall and put their nose to the grindstone to test their academic knowledge. Despite the privilege of attending some of the finest schools in the land, with access to world-class tutors, they too will have felt the gut-wrenching anxiety of not knowing what lay inside that fateful envelope. Prince William managed to leave with an impressive 12 GCSEs and. While the exact grades William achieved remain undisclosed, they were strong enough to propel him into his A-levels. He went on to achieve As in Geography and History of Art, along with a C in Biology, securing him a coveted place at the distinguished St Andrews University. Prince Harry managed to achieve an impressive 11 GCSEs before progressing to A-levels where he gained a B in Art and D in Geography. Kate gained 11 GCSEs before subsequently securing As in Maths and Art and a B in English for her A-levels. You can read the full story of the royal family's academic achievements here. Alan Sugar Lord Alan Sugar has previously used GCSE results day to reassure students who did not get the grades they hoped for. Writing on X in 2017, he said: “GCSE RESULTS. If you didn't get the grades don't panic. @richardbranson didn't get any I never went to UNI. Get on with what you're good at.” Sugar went on to build a hugely successful business career, founding electronics company Amstrad before later becoming known to millions through The Apprentice. Stephen Fry Stephen Fry struggled at school and was expelled from more than one institution during his teenage years. He eventually returned to education and dramatically turned things around, later winning a place at Cambridge University. Fry went on to build a long career as an actor, comedian, broadcaster and writer. Guy Ritchie Guy Ritchie left school at the age of 15 after struggling with education and has said his only qualification is a GCSE in film studies. The director, who has dyslexia, recalled attending around 10 schools and said he was “appalling” at all of them. He later found his way into filmmaking, beginning as a runner before moving into commercials and music videos. Simon Cowell Simon Cowell left school at 16 with just one O-level. He started out working in the mailroom at EMI Music Publishing before moving into talent scouting and the record business. Cowell eventually became one of the best-known figures in entertainment through shows including The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Branson left school without any qualifications before going on to build the Virgin business empire. Rather than following an academic route, he focused on business and later launched Virgin, which grew to include more than 100 companies. Reflecting on exam results on his blog, Branson wrote: “My suggestion is to not get too caught up in grades and concentrate on goals. Some people point rightly to the likes of Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Sir Winston Churchill and Bill Gates and note that they all failed exams. They all went on to achieve great things.” Jamie Oliver Jamie Oliver has been open about leaving school with just two GCSEs before building a hugely successful career in food. On GCSE results day last year, the chef used Instagram to reassure students who may not have received the grades they wanted. He wrote: “Whatever your results, you’ve done brilliantly. Even if they’re not what you expected, you’re going to be just fine. Remember, school is just one part of your journey.” Oliver then pointed to his own experience, adding: “I came out of school with just two GCSEs, and look at me now! 30 cookbooks, done – and more to come." He went on to say he believes schools should celebrate different types of ability and help all children build confidence and thrive. Jeremy Clarkson Jeremy Clarkson has regularly used results day to remind students that disappointing grades do not necessarily dictate what comes next. On A-level results day, he wrote on X: “Don’t worry if your A level results are a bit disappointing. I got a C and two Us. And this evening I shall sit in my agreeable garden, drinking beer from my own brewery and eating food from my own farm. Prepared by my own chef.” It certainly did not stop him building a hugely successful television career, presenting Top Gear, The Grand Tour and Clarkson's Farm. Cheryl Cheryl left school at 16 without taking GCSEs and instead focused on trying to build a career in music. That decision paid off when she won a place in Girls Aloud on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Writing in her book Through My Eyes, she said: “Ever since I was a kid I've loved performing, being on stage, singing, dancing and showing off. There was just always something inside me, like, I knew there was no other option.” She went on to enjoy huge success with Girls Aloud before launching a solo career and becoming a television judge. Robbie Williams Robbie Williams has spoken openly about leaving school without any GCSE qualifications and later feeling that his dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD had gone unrecognised at the time. The singer has even said he would like to return to education and resit his exams after revealing he achieved nothing higher than a D. He previously told The Sun: “I’ve been wanting to set up a university but, actually, I wouldn’t be able to attend if and when I do, because I didn’t get any GCSEs. I got nothing higher than a grade D, and everything else I failed or I didn’t turn up for. I really want to go back and get them.” Williams went on to achieve huge success with Take That before becoming one of Britain’s most successful solo artists. Maths and English GCSE resit exams are held in November for both AQA and Pearson Edexcel. Additionally, the standard annual exams are held in May or June each year. Students aged 16 to 19 without a grade 4 or above in either English or maths will continue studying GCSE level English and maths. They won’t need to resit the exams as part of this. Some colleges and schools offer a functional skills qualification in English or maths instead of a GCSE. This is a level 2 qualification focused on applying English or maths in real life. It's natural to wonder whether being a mark or two below a boundary could still get you over the line. Marks are not usually rounded up simply because a candidate falls just short of the next grade. Pupils should receive marks for individual exam papers alongside their grades, while exam boards publish the official boundaries on results day. This allows them to see exactly how their marks compare with the threshold. There are some cases where marks can be scaled to ensure different parts of the qualification have the correct weighting, with the resulting figures rounded to the nearest whole number. Modern foreign languages are one example, as listening, reading, speaking and writing are equally weighted - even when components have different maximum raw marks. Official grade boundaries will be published by exam boards including AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, CCEA and WJEC on results day. Senior examiners will consider the difficulty of each paper, candidates' performance and the quality of the answer before setting the grade boundaries. This means grade boundaries are determined once exams have been taken and marking is nearing completion. If a 2026 paper proves harder than its equivalent in 2025, fewer marks could be needed to secure the same grade. If it's easier, the boundary could be higher. For students who have recently left school or are going to Sixth Form the best option is the former school or the sixth form centre they are planning to attend. Further Education colleges will offer some GCSE subjects, particularly English and maths. For those who are not in education there are private exam centres that accept external candidates for exams. Maths and English GCSE resit exams take place in November for both AQA and Pearson Edexcel. To resit any other subject students must wait until the the standard annual exam dates in May or June next year. Many schools, colleges and sixth form centres will allow students to resit their exams for free in the following year from their first attempt, if the grade was below a 4. For those who passed with a Grade 4 or above, or those wanting to take resits independently there is likely to be a charge of between £75 to £500 depending on the subject and where the exam is taken. In England, GCSEs are graded from 9 to 1. The highest grade of 9 is above the old A* as a 'super grade'. A U means a qualification is 'ungraded' and is the lowest possible result. Grade 4 is considered a standard pass and the equivalent to a low grade C on the former letter-based system. Grade 5 or above is considered a 'strong pass'. Students who receive a grade 3 or below in GCSE maths or English language will generally have to continue studying the subject. The grading system is different elsewhere in the UK. Wales continues to use grades from A to G*, while Northern Ireland also uses letter grades, including the C* grade introduced in 2019. GCSE grade boundaries are not fixed from one year to the next, with exam boards deciding where they should fall once marking is almost complete. Official grade boundaries will be published by exam boards including AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, CCEA and WJEC on results day. GCSE results can be released to students by schools from 8am on Thursday. Results will update online on the Education Record app at 11am. The wait is finally over for hundreds of thousands of teenagers, with GCSE results day arriving across the country today. August 20 is the big day for pupils to find out how they performed in their exams, which they sat earlier this summer. Most students will collect their results from school, although arrangements can vary between schools and colleges. For the first time, pupils can also access their grades through the Education Record app, following a trial involving 95,000 students in Manchester and the West Midlands last summer. The app gives students a digital record of their results, which can be used when applying for further education or jobs. Those heading to school to collect their results are advised to bring photo ID, a charged phone, water and a pen and paper. Having a trusted adult there for support could also help ease the nerves. If you cannot attend school in person, check with your school beforehand to find out what arrangements are in place. And if you're on holiday, you may not necessarily need to rush home to find out your grades.