Results Week: Valuable Lessons from the Voices at Equal Education
As GCSE results day approaches, thousands of young people across the country are experiencing a mix of excitement, anticipation, and nerves. It’s an important milestone but it’s also a perfect time to remember that the journey ahead is about more than a set of grades.
At Equal Education, this moment resonates deeply with us. Many of our team members have worked in teaching environments, guiding students through exams and results days firsthand. Today, they bring that same passion into new roles shaping education advocacy, delivering specialist support, and helping young people build confidence and resilience for the future.
We asked some of them to reflect on their own experiences of results day and to share the advice they’d give to students waiting anxiously for their grades tomorrow.
Lessons Beyond the Grades: Sophie, Allocations Lead.
Sophie reflects on the creative strategies she used as a teacher to make learning and assessment periods enjoyable, helping students feel confident rather than anxious or overwhelmed.
Can you share a bit about your background in education/teaching?
I studied Psychology at university and developed a strong interest in child development, particularly how the brain developed in early childhood. Following this interest, I began my career in education as a teaching assistant. I quickly realised that I genuinely enjoyed teaching, which led me to join the Teach First Leadership Development Programme, where I was placed at an inner London primary school. Over the three years I taught as KS1 teacher, primarily in year 1, and also became the Humanities Lead.
During your time in teaching, how did you approach supporting students through exams/assessments?
Even though I taught very young children, assessments such as the Phonics Screening Check and Year 1 SATs were still part of their school experience. I wanted to ensure the children didn’t feel anxious or overwhelmed, so I avoided using language like ‘test’ or ‘assessment’, knowing from personal experience how intimidating that can feel. Instead, I framed activities as games, offered small rewards such as extra outdoor time, and created a calm, supporting environment during the assessment itself, such as playing relaxing music. I made sure to check in with students individually, particularly if they seemed stuck, so they always knew I was there to help. It was also important to ensure the same message was being delivered at home and at school, so communication with parents and carers was essential. We hosted some really successful sessions that helped them with strategies to support their child at home through the assessment period.
How has your perspective on exam results changed since moving from your role as a teacher to your role at Equal Education?
I’ve come to understand that success isn’t solely defined by exam results or the number of qualifications you have. Every student has unique experiences, goals, and aspirations, and the ‘best’ path is highly individual. Vocational qualifications, function skills, and other non-academic routes can be just as valuable as traditional exams. Every result is an achievement in its own right and represents a positive investment in your future.
Supporting Students Through the Pressure: Chloe, TILP Lead and Quality Assurance Lead.
Chloe takes us through her experience and the lessons learned in her previous role as Head of English and Curriculum Leader, sharing how those insights continue to shape the impactful work she does today at Equal Education.
Tell us about your experience as a teacher. What did your role involve?
I taught in secondary schools as an English teacher before becoming Head of English. My role was first and foremost in the classroom; I absolutely love teaching and felt so honoured to be a small part of each student’s learning journey. As a Curriculum Leader, my role involved designing and delivering the English curriculum, managing the other members of my department, training ECTs and NQTs and working with the Senior Leadership team on whole school priorities.
How do you think experiences of assessment shape students’ readiness for their next steps?
In school, teachers work really hard to expose students to a range of assessments at an appropriate level to prepare them for standardised assessments. This can range from short formative assessments to mock exams to walking, talking mocks. All of these are ways that teachers prepare students for exams such as GCSEs and A-Levels. In my opinion, assessments are an important part of school and working life as they teach young people to revise content, work to tight deadlines and condense their knowledge. However, it is also important to relay to young people that further education, training and work is about much more than assessments. In your day to day working life, you don’t have to take tests but you do need to apply knowledge and skills effectively to be successful and assessments are one way of showcasing that in school.
What strategies did you find most effective in helping students stay motivated and confident during assessment periods?
As well as being a teacher, I was also a form tutor so took on a more pastoral role with Year 11 students preparing for their GCSEs. One of the most effective methods for all students is to find a way to manage your time. This could take the form of a revision timetable or it could simply be setting a timer on your phone for short 30 minute blocks of revision. By organising your workload and your time, you feel a sense of control over your education and this can help to stay motivated during quite a challenging period.
Looking back, how has your experience from your previous role influenced the way you support students and contribute to Equal Education today?
In my current role, I lead the Quality Assurance department at Equal Education and this entails observing sessions with tutors and students to ensure that students are getting the best provision possible and that tutors are getting as much support as they need. My previous experience in training teachers and leading a department has helped me to develop a strong understanding of what constitutes quality teaching and learning while also ensuring that developmental conversations are always empathetic and constructive. The students that we serve at Equal Education deserve an education where they feel supported, empowered and confident in their abilities and this is something that I look for in all lesson observations.
Gearing for Success: Charlotte, Programme Coordinator & Exams Lead
Charlotte shares some valuable advice on how students can use their results, whatever they are, as a springboard for their next steps.
Tell us about your experience as a teacher. What did your role involve?
Looking back on my six years in teaching, split between three years in the UK and three in Dubai, what I remember most is the energy and variety. As a primary school teacher, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with students all the way from Year 1 to Year 5, teaching all subjects across the National Curriculum.
I also had the chance to take on roles like Humanities and PE Lead, and later, Head of Year. In both curriculum lead positions, I helped shape the curriculum by creating a clear scheme of work that all the teachers could use. I really loved being Head of Year, as it gave me the chance to support my fellow teachers and help build a strong team.
What advice do you wish every GCSE student could hear this week?
If there’s one piece of advice I wish every GCSE student could hear this week, it’s this: please know that you have already done the hard part. You’ve put in the work, you’ve sat the exams, and you’ve tried your absolute best - and that is genuinely all anyone could ever ask of you. Try not to spend these next few days worrying, because whatever the outcome is, those grades do not define you or the future you're going to have. They are just a snapshot in time.
How can students use their results, whatever they are, as a springboard for their next steps?
Think of your results - whatever they are - as a launchpad, not the final word. If you got the grades you wanted, brilliant! That’s your green light to lock in your college place and take a moment to figure out which revision tricks actually worked so you can use them again. If your grades weren't what you’d hoped for, don't panic. See it as a helpful nudge in a new direction. It’s a great chance to take a breath, chat with your teachers, and figure out what the results are really telling you. They might just point you towards a different course or an apprenticeship that’s a much better fit for you. At the end of the day, whether your results open the door you were expecting or a brand new one, they give you a clear signpost so you can stop wondering and start moving forward.
A New Perspective: Lorena, Partnerships Administrator
Lorena reflects on her own experiences and highlights the vital role of organisations like Equal Education, especially at a time when we’re seeing a rise of unaccompanied seeking children, students on SEND registers and EHCPs.
Tell us about your experience as a Learning Support Assistant?
I worked as Learning Support Assistant for the EAL and SEND departments of an inner London secondary school - it was my first job out of university, and I had a very close connection to that school as it was my ‘educated off site’ location during year 11 when I had extenuating circumstances at my own school. I later went on to do my work experience there during college - so it was a very full circle moment! Even though it was stressful, I look back fondly on my time there are very fulfilling as I was working closely with students who had similar struggles that I did at school - whether it be navigating neurodiversity in a large classroom setting or trying to figure out what the teacher is going on about when you don’t speak the language.
For me, it was really important to try and be someone these students could relate to, while maintaining boundaries of course. I was very open about my own struggles with my students, letting them know I had ADHD and dyslexia, but also I sometimes forget words in English. I spent Monday to Friday, from form time to period six with a variety of different classes ranging from year 7 to year 11 where I would be floating around supporting students, providing 1:1 support, and occasionally running a lap around the school after a movement break gone wrong! Outside of teaching, I oversaw a range of extra-curricular activities - for year 7s and 8s, I ran a green initiative for those interested in trying to make the school a greener place. For Year 11s of Latin American descent, I ran higher education workshops in Spanish based on my own experiences.
How has your perspective on exam results changed since moving from your role as a Learning Support Assistant to your role at Equal Education?
I wouldn’t say that my perspectives on exam results have changed significantly since moving roles. What I would say has changed is how important I’ve realised organisations like Equal Education are as we’re seeing a rise of students on SEND registers, EHCPs, and unaccompanied seeking children. When I was working as an Learning Support Assistant, it would be just the main teacher trying to get through content while I was in a class of 30 students, around 12 of them on the SEND register, at least 2 students with an EHCP, and then an additional 6 students who were stage A, B, or C English learners. It could be really overwhelming as I knew I couldn’t give adequate support to the students which would impact their exam results.
Equal Education is so important to helping students reach their full potential as young people are able to get the direct support they need from a tutor who is able to place their full attention on them and create work targeted at their working levels. It can be so hard for students to achieve the results they deserve when they’re in an environment that doesn’t accommodate their needs, whether it be the physical environment or the way in which content is taught.
As results week unfolds, it’s important to remember that grades are only one part of the story. The voices of those who’ve been there remind us that resilience, curiosity, and self-belief carry just as much weight as exam marks. To every young person awaiting results: know that your journey is just beginning, and countless paths to success lie ahead.