GCSE results day 14 years ago was nerve-wracking for Danielle Kate Wroe, now a senior social news reporter. She had big expectations for her grades, no idea what she actually wanted to do with her life, but she had a feeling that what she saw on the sheet of paper when she walked into her school hall could potentially change her entire trajectory.
The main thing she dreaded was the possibility of having to resit her maths exam. A teacher told her, in no uncertain terms, that she wasn't going to pass her maths GCSE, because she wasn't good at it. She is still not, but Pythagoras' theorem isn't something she has ever used when paying bills or budgeting for a food shop – although, ironically, she did go on to study philosophy as an undergraduate.
One Key Message for Students
Every single year, people across social media share disappointment with their results, and parents are gutted for their kids too. To that, Wroe says one thing: if you have a dream and the drive to do something, you truly can achieve it. It doesn't matter whether you get a D in a subject or an A*. This is just the start of your life, and the most accomplished people may not be the most academic. She finds it wild that children are expected to make so many major life decisions, many of which before they're 18.
Of course, if you want to do A-levels and head off to university, you may be more mindful about the grades you get. But they're really not the be-all and end-all; they're just a snapshot of what you can do. Talents come in all different forms, and as long as you can actually look at yourself in the mirror and say you tried your best – that's all anyone could ever ask.
Personal Experience and Reflection
Wroe did try her best at GCSE. Some subjects she completely winged, like history, where she did pretty much no revision except for deciding it was a good idea to read the whole textbook back to front the night before and somehow came out with a B. But it was her maths result that floored her the most, and made her the proudest. Her A*s in religious education, drama, and English fell by the wayside when she saw that C.
For a lot of people, a C wouldn't be something to shout about. But when you've been told you're not good at something or you're going to fail, and you cling on by your fingernails and show someone who's really boss, it feels so good. She didn't go on to become a mathematician, but it wouldn't have taken a psychic to predict that, as she had literally no interest in it whatsoever.
Practical Advice for the Future
For early career roles and apprenticeships, your GCSEs are the main evidence employers have of your academic ability and work ethic. But as long as you have achieved something, once they meet you and see everything you can bring to the table, that serves as much more confirmation that you're the ideal candidate.
So, whatever results you're opening today, Wroe hopes you're pleased with your achievements. Even if that grade wouldn't feel like an achievement to somebody else – trust me, it's still valid. If she could go back in time, she would reassure herself that she was making all the right moves, despite what she was led to believe. Sometimes, our strengths lie in different areas. It's a rare day that somebody is academic in every single subject, and you don't have to be to go far in life.
