After school · 5 min read
I failed my GCSEs. What now?
What to do if your GCSEs came in below grade 4: the English and maths resit rules, Level 2 college courses, apprenticeships that take lower grades.
The short answer
Low GCSE grades change your next step, not your options. Enrol on a Level 2 college course, a Level 2 or foundation apprenticeship, or a study programme in September; all of them take students with grades below 4. English and maths at grade 3 are resat as part of your course, and grade 2 or below leads to a stepping-stone qualification first. A year later you can move to Level 3. The thing to avoid is doing nothing in September.
Key takeaways
- There's no 'fail' on the certificate: grades 1 to 3 are Level 1 passes, and grade 4 is the usual threshold employers and courses use.
- English and maths at grade 3 are resat as a condition of any funded course; the November sitting is the first chance.
- Level 2 college courses and Level 2 or foundation apprenticeships are built for this point and lead to Level 3 the following year.
- Go to results-day enrolment in person; colleges hold Level 2 places open and advisers are there to help.
On this pageWhat your grades do and don't mean
What your grades do and don't mean
Results day feels like a verdict and isn't one. The grades decide which level you start at in September, not where you can get to. The system is built with a step at Level 2 for exactly this situation: college courses, apprenticeships and study programmes that take grades below 4 and move you up a year later. Most people who use that step are at Level 3 by 17 or 18.
| Option | What it is | English and maths | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 college course | One year, vocational or academic, in a subject area | Resit GCSE (grade 3) or stepping stone (grade 2 and below) built in | Level 3 course or T level the following year |
| Level 2 or foundation apprenticeship | A paid job with training, 8 to 15 months | Functional Skills alongside the job | Level 3 apprenticeship |
| Study programme or traineeship | Work experience, English and maths, employability | Core part of the programme | Apprenticeship or Level 2 course |
| Resit year at school or college | Retaking several GCSEs full time | Included | Level 3 the following year |
The English and maths rule
In England, if you're 16 to 18 on a funded course and you got a grade 3 in English or maths, you'll study for the GCSE again until you pass or turn 19. With a grade 2 or below you take a stepping-stone or Functional Skills qualification, then the GCSE if you want it. The first resit is in November, about three months after results. Pass rates on resits climb every year you keep going.
What to do this week
- Go to your school or local college's results-day enrolment in person with your results. Ask for the Level 2 options in subjects you'd consider.
- Search Find an apprenticeship for Level 2 and foundation apprenticeships within reach, and read the English and maths line on each.
- If a grade was close to a boundary, ask your school about a review of marking; the deadline is late September.
- Pick one route and start it. Changing course in October is normal; starting in January is hard.
What helps the second time round
People who pass the maths resit usually change one thing: smaller groups, a different teacher, a focus on the topics that lost the most marks, or a reason to need it (an apprenticeship that wants a 4). A college tutor can show you your marks by topic from the summer paper. Half of a grade 3 is often three topics.
Illustrative example: September at Level 2
A 16 year old gets a 3 in maths, a 3 in English and 2s elsewhere. He enrols on a Level 2 motor vehicle course with English and maths resits built in, passes English in November and maths the following June, and starts a Level 3 apprenticeship at a garage at 17. The year at Level 2 is the year the garage says made him employable.
Questions people ask
- What counts as failing a GCSE?
- Technically nothing. Grades 9 to 1 are all passes, with 9 to 4 at Level 2 and 3 to 1 at Level 1. 'Failing' usually means a grade below 4, because that's what most sixth forms, Level 3 courses and employers ask for in English and maths. A grade 3 is one mark band away, and it's the most common resit.
- Can I resit GCSEs?
- Yes. English language and maths can be resat in November and again the following summer; other subjects usually only in summer. If you're 16 to 18 in education or training in England with a grade 3, resitting English or maths is required and free. You can also resit as an adult, at a college or as a private candidate, at any age.
- Can I get an apprenticeship with no GCSEs?
- Yes, at Level 2 and on the new foundation apprenticeships, which are designed for 16 to 21 year olds starting out. Around a quarter of apprenticeship adverts set no English and maths requirement or accept grade 3. You'll usually study Functional Skills alongside. Level 3 and above generally want grade 4 or Functional Skills Level 2 first.
- Will bad GCSEs ruin my chances of university?
- No. Universities look mainly at Level 3 results. A Level 2 course this year, a Level 3 course or T level next year, or an Access to HE Diploma at 19 all lead there. Many courses want grade 4 in English and maths, which you can resit at any point. Plenty of graduates had a difficult Year 11.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- 16 to 19 funding: maths and English condition of funding · Education and Skills Funding Agency, GOV.UK
- School leaving age · GOV.UK
- About the National Careers Service · National Careers Service
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.