Whether your child missed a university offer, fell short in their exams, or didn’t secure a place at their chosen school, there are still options. After 25 years supporting families through the results season, here’s what we’ve learned about what to do next and when to act.

In the UK, AS and A Level results come out on 14 August 2025. GCSE and IGCSE grades follow shortly after. IB Diploma scores are already in for many, and grammar school entrance offers (commonly known as the 11+) and private school decisions will be finalised over the coming weeks.

International qualifications are also releasing results around this time. Students in the US or international schools may have recently received Advanced Placement (AP) scores or be awaiting SAT or ACT results for university applications.

Some students will get exactly what they’d hoped for. Others won’t.

When the plan changes, even slightly, many families find themselves looking for next steps. We’ve supported clients through these moments for more than 25 years – from missed university offers to school reapplications, and everything in between. The goal isn’t to “fix” anything, it’s to help you take stock and move forward.

The emotional toll of exam disappointment

Sometimes the disappointment is straightforward: a missed grade, a rejected offer. But more often, it’s subtler.

A student predicted top marks receives less. A school report raises concerns mid-way through a course. A younger sibling misses out on the private school place their older sibling secured with ease.

What matters is not the scale of the setback, but how calmly and thoughtfully you respond to it. And what we’ve seen consistently over the years is that the sooner you act, the more options remain open to you.

It’s not just final results. Mid-course reports matter too.

Families often come to us in August not because of public exam results, but because of what came just before them: internal assessments, school reports, or predicted grades halfway through major courses like GCSEs, A‑Levels, the IB Diploma, or AP classes.

If the latest report raised concerns, this is the moment to act. Not once the school year starts. Not once pressure begins to mount – but now.

A carefully matched private tutor can help a student re-engage with material they’ve started to find difficult. Exam technique can be taught. So can pacing, planning, and revision strategies, long before the final term.

Even a modest amount of support, introduced early, can be the difference between a pass and a distinction.

We’ve worked with families who just wanted a small confidence boost ahead of the final year. And others who built a full-time tutoring programme after choosing to leave the classroom entirely. The path depends on the child but the principle remains the same: act while there’s time to shape the outcome.

When the place is lost: university, secondary school or private school entry

This is the harder call, and one parents often hope not to have to make.

What if my child didn’t get the grades for their university offer?
What if they were rejected from their first-choice sixth form or high school?
What if our chosen school – the one we’d built everything around – didn’t offer them a place?

Based on years of working with families in just that situation, here’s our advice:

“You may need to ask the school some hard questions, but always insist upon an answer. Schools should never just sit back and allow a student to underperform, or even fail. If a student gets a grade just a few points below a boundary, it’s always worth asking for a re-mark. Two or three more points may improve the grade. Two or three less won’t affect it.”

In our experience, many schools respond well to thoughtful, informed questions – especially when they see that a family is engaged, fair, and advocating for a child’s best interests.

We’ve helped students recover from rejections and go on to secure scholarships, Oxbridge places, Ivy League acceptances, and other top-tier university admissions. Not through shortcuts, but through calm, steady planning and a highly personalised approach.

One year of tutoring can open more doors than three years at the wrong school ever could.

Private and selective school entry: preparation and planning

We support families both before and after selective school decisions.

For students preparing for competitive entrance exams – such as the UK’s 11+, 13+, or Common Entrance, or entrance tests for selective schools worldwide – we design structured tutoring programmes that build subject mastery, confidence, and exam technique. Some families begin this process a year or more in advance, particularly when applying internationally or to highly selective schools.

For those who have just received a disappointing outcome, we can help prepare for:

• Reapplication to the same school at a later stage
• Entry at 13+ or via alternate admissions routes
• Applications to other top-tier schools where the fit may in fact be stronger

Some families choose to homeschool or privately educate for a year before reapplying. Others work with us to supplement a school-based education, adding challenge and focus where needed.

We’ll be honest with you about what’s realistic and what’s not. And we’ll help you build a plan that doesn’t feel reactive, but intentional.

What families and advisers can do now

We typically support three types of families at this point in the year:

• Final-year students who’ve just received disappointing public exam results – A‑Levels, IB, IGCSE, GCSE, AP or SAT. The priority here is timing: whether to appeal, reapply, resit, or take a year to regroup. Our role is to guide the family calmly and clearly through that decision.
• Students halfway through exam courses, who’ve just received internal grades or report cards that raise concern. This is the window to intervene and get support in place for the year ahead.
• Students preparing for or recovering from school entrance exam outcomes, where we can offer preparation, planning, or alternative options, which include tailored, full-time tutoring if needed.

If your child has recently received AP or SAT results and didn’t meet university requirements, we can also help assess next steps, from appeals and resits to strategic gap year plans or international alternatives.

Do you need a private tutor for next year?

If you’re navigating results – final or otherwise – and you’d like to talk, we’re here.

We work with families around the world, providing discreet, highly personalised tutoring – whether your child is at a UK boarding school, enrolled in an international curriculum, or preparing for university abroad.

Don’t wait too long. Every tutor we place is recruited specifically for the child, and that takes care, precision, and time. If you’re thinking about tutoring for the year ahead, now is the time to start the conversation.