Top tips to support your daughter on A Level results day

A Level results day is one of those days that stays with you. It’s exciting, nerve-wracking and often unpredictable, and as a parent, your reaction can set the tone for the entire day.

With that in mind, here are some quick fire tips so you can help your daughter approach results day feeling calm, supported and well prepared, whatever the outcome.

Before the day

Create a calm, supportive environment

In the days leading up to results day, make yourself available, but follow your daughter's lead. If she wants to talk, listen. If she doesn’t, avoid pushing. If her stress levels are rising, gently encourage a break; time outdoors, seeing friends or doing something she enjoys can make a real difference to her anxieties.

The night before, keep things as normal and relaxed as possible. A good night’s sleep and a decent breakfast will help her feel more steady on the day.

Plan the practicalities

Sorting the logistics in advance can prevent unnecessary stress in the moment. Make sure she knows:

• Her UCAS Track login details

• What time school opens

• Whether she wants you there or nearby (follow her preference)

• Key university contact numbers if applicable 

• Who she can speak to at school for advice

Also having a fully charged phone and pen and paper at the ready may sound simple, but are really helpful if her grades haven't gone to plan.

Have a Plan A, B and C

Talk through possible outcomes together. Your daughter might get the grades she wanted or get into her first-choice university, and that’s brilliant. But if she doesn’t, it’s important she knows there are still plenty of paths forward.

Focus on options, not worst-case scenarios to help her feel prepared, not pressured.

On the day

For those wanting to get into university , check UCAS Track early

From 8am, UCAS Track will show your daughter's university status (note, it will not reveal her grades) and here is what she might see:

Offer confirmed - she’s been accepted to do the course she wants at the university she wants. Time to celebrate!

Changed course offer - she has been accepted into her preferred university, but to do a different course. This is worth reviewing carefully before deciding whether to accept.

Insurance choice accepted - despite it not being your daughter's first choice university, she is still able to do the course she wants at her second choice. It is still a great outcome.

Still conditional - encourage your daughter to call the university; places are sometimes confirmed after discussion.

No update - this is rare, but possible. Stay calm and check again later or contact the university direct.

If your daughter hasn't got the results she wanted for university

If she didn't get the offer she wanted for university, she will need to go through 'Clearing'. Clearing is how universities fill places they still have on courses. It is not something to worry about, thousands of students secure great places this way every year, but it's important to know that she doesn't need to decide immediately - Clearing closes this year Monday 19 October 2026.

Speaking to teachers or trusted adults can help her see options more clearly and she can do some research herself too. Through UCAS, she can:

• Search available courses

• Use Clearing Plus for suggested matches

Before calling universities, help her jot down key questions. And importantly she should wait for written confirmation of any offer before making changes. Click here for some top tips when going through Clearing. 

If your daughter is not going to university

Results day is still an important milestone, even if university isn’t part of the plan. For some students, this is the beginning of a different and equally valuable path. Take time to acknowledge your daughter's results and effort, whatever the grades, then focus on her next steps together. Options might include:

• Apprenticeships - combining paid work with training and qualifications

• Further education colleges - offering vocational courses, such as BTECs 

• Employment - entering the workplace and gaining paid experience straight away

• Gap years - working, travelling or exploring interests before committing to a longer-term path

At Redmaids' High, support for students continues through Years 14 and 15, so if your daughter still doesn't know exactly what she wants to do next, we are here to help guide her even when she leaves. 

What matters most on results day

Avoid comparisons

Results day can quickly become a comparison trap. Try to keep the focus firmly on your daughter's journey, not anyone else’s.

Keep perspective

Whilst these results matter, they don’t define your daughter's future. There are always other routes and opportunities if things haven't gone to plan.

Show your pride

Whatever the outcome, make it clear you’re proud of her effort and resilience. That’s what she’ll remember most. Results day can feel like everything hinges on a single moment, but it doesn’t. With the right support, it’s simply the start of an exciting next step. Good luck!

For the past four years, Redmaids' High has been the top-performing school in Bristol for academic results. Click here to find out more.