Much like the A-Level Results Day a week ago, this year’s envelope openings for our GCSE pupils was a very different experience from other years.
Normally at the council, we would be in schools with the pupils, celebrating the time they’d spent there and chatting to them about their plans for the future.
It hasn’t been able to be like that for the class of 2020, but Cllr Kaushika Amin, Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, has this message for those now weighing up their post-16 options.
Cllr Amin said:
I want to say a massive well done to the young people, teachers and school staff who have navigated such an unprecedented and challenging time amid this global pandemic. You have all done Haringey proud through what has been a very stressful and uncertain time for you.
Results day is always a nervous time, and no matter where you are heading next, I wish you all the very best.
If things haven’t gone quite as planned, I want to remind our young people that help and support is available within our schools and also through our sessions at Wood Green Library and Bruce Grove, which we have written to you about and our schools have also reinforced – please do make use of every bit of help and support available to you if you need to.
If you would like to discuss your available post-16 options after today, Haringey staff will be on hand at Bruce Grove Youth Space and Wood Green Library to guide you through courses and provide support on the following dates and times:
20 and 24 August, 10am-3:30pm:
Second floor of Wood Green Library, 187-197A High Road, Wood Green, N22 6XD.
21 and 28 August, 10am-1pm:
Bruce Grove Youth Space, 10 Bruce Grove, Tottenham, N17 6RA.
The free, safe and anonymous wellbeing support service Kooth (external link) is offering help and advice on how to cope with these difficult and uncertain times facing young people dealing with exam stress.
The National Careers Service’s Exam Results Helpline (0800 100 900) is open seven days a week, 8am to 10pm if you wish to speak to a careers adviser about your exam results and discuss your post-16/post-18 options.
If you would rather not talk over the phone, you can engage in a webchat (external link) with the NCS or contact them via other means (external link). Further information can be found on the National Careers Service website (external link).
You can also contact the National Apprentice Service (external link) via email (nationalhelpdesk@findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk) or over the phone: 0800 015 0400.