Results Day

A few words from:

Kirsty Donaldson
Marketing Manager for Short Courses 

A simple brown envelope and a piece of paper.  But it feels so much more than that.  The means of finding out whether years of hard work have paid off, and of deciding, to some extent, your journey from here on.  But really it is just that, a piece of paper, on which your grades will be displayed.  Everything, all the time, effort and hard work, comes together here. 

Heading in to pick up that envelope can be a daunting experience, not just for the students but for the parents too, knowing that they have supported their child through the past few years, and wondering whether they will have achieved their full potential, and what the future has in store. 

It can be an overwhelming experience too, a bustle of students all keen to collect their results, and a mixture of both excitement and disappointment as those envelopes are opened.  It is important to be mindful of those around us, of our peers, as well as of ourselves.  With equal measure of celebration and support. 

Results day can go in different directions, with those successful in securing their chosen course and university and those moving through a clearing process, contemplating resits, or an alternate path.  It can be full of elation, excitement and joy, but also of upset, disappointment and uncertainty.  The support given in the lead-up to exams should be continued here, in guiding students through the next stages.    

Results day isn’t the be all and end all, and that brown envelope does not wholly determine the future.  It is but a stepping stone.  Results day is an experience that prepares you for what is to come.  For a future of commitment and hard work, for the many assignments and results to come, for the next steps in getting students to where they dream to be.  And that dream is different for all, and the pathway is varied.

It is to our students and parents that we send our best of wishes for results day.  We hope that our students have been successful in reaching their potential, that their efforts have paid off, and that they can embark upon their chosen pathway, whatever that may be.  We hope that the brown envelope contains the grades they were hoping for.  And we offer our support and best wishes for the onward path.  We hope that whatever the results, there is the chance for celebration and positive reflection on the journey taken.  We say ‘well done’ to all, because you have made it through the years of study, made it out of the exam hall, and given it your best shot. 

Well done, and good luck.