RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

 The Parents’ Guide to

RESULTS DAY
 AUGUST 2022                             www.theparentsguideto.co.uk | 1
RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                                    The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

    How to get the most out of this guide

     Useful links                                 Key terms
     If you want to delve deeper and find         Easy to understand definitions are
     out more, we’ve included useful links        provided throughout this guide
     to other reliable sources. Simply            in the key terms boxes. Don’t let
     click on the picture icons to be taken       tricky terminology stop you from
     to our recommended websites.                 supporting your child.

     Call out boxes                               Interactive
     Information we think is particularly         To make moving around this guide
     important has been highlighted               easier, the contents and chapter
     throughout this guide; pay special           headings are interactive. Simply
     attention to these!                          click on a heading to be taken to the
                                                  chapter or page you would like to
     Summaries                                    read.
     To help save you time, we have               This guide does not need to be read
     provided useful summaries at the             sequentially – browse what interests
     end of each chapter containing the           you most.
     key points.

       This guide has been produced by The Parents Guide to and is licensed to St Edward’s
       Church of England Academy to share with parents and others connected with them
                throughout the 2021/2022 academic year. Click here to learn more.

      Wherever we refer to ‘parents’ we mean ‘parents and carers.’ This includes grand-
     parents, older siblings or any other person with significant caring responsibilities for
                                            children.

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to University 2020 - 2021
The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                       The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

                                                                             Results day 2022
                                                                                                                      08
                                                                                                                      Possible outcomes
                                                                                                                      What options are available for my child
                                                                                                                      if they surpass, meet or fail to meet their
                                                                                                                      predicted grades?

                                                                                                                      14
                                                                                                                      Understanding Clearing and
                                                                                                                      adjustment
                                                                                                                      What do these terms mean and how
                                                                                                                      can they benefit my child?

                                                                                                                      22
                                                                                                                      Other choices
                                                                                                                      What happens if my child no longer
                                                                                                                      wants to go to university?

“
                                                                                                                      26
      My results were better than my predicted                                                                        Summary
      grades which was thrilling, but I still wanted
      to go to my first-choice university, rather than
                                                                              Page 7
      apply for somewhere more competitive.
                                               www.theparentsguideto.co.uk
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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                                 The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Possible outcomes
UCAS will receive your child’s           Achieving the desired results                 Surpassing the desired results              Failing to get a place
results directly and update their        Celebrations ahead! If your child has a       In most cases, having researched            Yes, it’s disappointing, but there are still
system which adjusts to reflect          conditional offer and meets the grades,       thoroughly, students are happy to           plenty of options available and it’s all
university offer status.                 that offer will switch to “unconditional”     accept the university place they have       important to keep your child motivated
                                         and they should receive a confirmation        been offered even if they have got          and not let them feel like a failure. This
This happens from 08.00 am, but the      letter from UCAS with details of next         better grades than predicted. However,      can be difficult if you feel they ignored
system can be busy, so access could      steps (it varies university to university).   in some cases, it may be the case that      warnings and did not put in enough
be delayed. It does not show your        However, if they’ve matched their offer       they did not feel sufficiently confident    effort, but this is, itself, a significant
child’s results, so it may be better     but since changed their mind about            to apply to a course with very high         learning experience and may put
to wait until the results have been      their university or subject choice, they      entry standards and now feel they may       them on a more productive path in the
reviewed and consolidated, rather        can reject their offer and go through         have missed out. In this case, they can     future.
than being faced with a disappointing    Clearing to try something else.               use adjustment to make the application
rejection (“unsuccessful”) without a                                                   and they will need to wait to see if they   Options will vary dependent on the
full understanding of why the desired    Don’t forget, there is no guarantee           are accepted in advance. Don’t forget,      variance between their predicted
outcome hasn’t been achieved.            that they will get the course they want       acceptance is not automatic, even if        grades and what they actually
                                         through Clearing but it does provide          they have significantly exceeded the        achieved. If they missed by a small
                                         alternatives and options if they realise      stated minimum entry requirements.          margin, it’s possible to speak to the
   Key words:                            they’ve made a mistake earlier on in          This can be for a variety of reasons,       university and see if they will make an
  UCAS will show the university          the application process rather than           but commonly because the course             exception. Alternatively, they can apply
  status offer. It will show:            reapplying the next year.                     is already fully-subscribed through         for another place by going through
                                                                                       those who applied originally. In the        Clearing. If they need time to refocus,
   • “Unconditional” (place and                                                        meantime, they can keep their offered       a gap year could be an option or check
     course confirmed – this means                                                     place open until the deadline for           out the information in “other choices”.
     that the entry requirements                                                       declines.
     for the previously conditional
     offer have been met)

                                                    70%                                              1%                                       10%
   • “Unsuccessful” (conditions not
     met, no place)
   • “Unconditional changed
     course” (they have succeeded
     in achieving a place on their                The percentage of                            The percentage of                            The percentage of
     desired course, but are being
     offered an alternative with             university students securing                     university students                       university students who
     lower entry requirements)                 a place at their “first” or                  opting for UCAS     ad-                     received a university of-
                                                 “insurance” choice.                                justment.                             fer through Clearing.

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                                  The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Examination re-marks                         Declining a place
If the marks seem inappropriate given        No matter the reason, a student can
your child’s skill level, it’s possible to   decide to decline a university place. It
apply for a remark. It’s vital your child    could be because their circumstances
speaks to their subject teacher first and    have changed, they have decided on
confirms their opinion.                      an alternative course, they don’t want
                                             to go to university or other reasons.
Grades can go down as well as up             Declining a place is not a problem but
An important consideration when              remember: it is an irreversible decision
applying for remarking is that, whilst       and they will not be able to change
there’s a possibility that the paper may     their mind and get the offer reinstated
have been unfairly marked down and,          once they have turned it down.
following reassessment, a higher grade
allocated, the reverse could also be         So before declining a place, make sure
true, in which case your child may be        other options have been thoroughly
allocated a lower grade than originally      researched (or confirmed, if it is to
awarded.                                     accept an offer elsewhere) and it is
                                             absolutely the right choice. It would
If applying for re-grades, keep the          be a great shame to turn down a good
university advised of both intention         opportunity in the hope of achieving a
and progress. They are not obliged to        better one and then ending up with no
hold the place open through Clearing         offer at all.
and adjustment.

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                               The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Understanding Clearing
Clearing is the system universities            How it works                                Find out what is available                           Don’t waste valuable time
use to fill up any vacancies they have         Students must apply (through UCAS) to       Use the UCAS website to find out which               It’s a good idea to speak to the
on a course. It’s available to students        participate in Clearing.                    courses are available via Clearing. This             university in person before applying
that don’t have any offers: either                                                         will not be a full list of all university            for a place through Clearing to find
because they have not succeeded                If a university hasn’t responded            courses, but a list of all those that are            out if the course is still available,
in meeting criteria for conditional            and confirmed the place for which           available now that results have come                 whether your child meets the entry
offers or because they have rejected           your child originally applied (for          out and universities know whether or                 requirements, and whether the
all the offers they have.                      example, they may be just below             not the students to whom they have                   course is suitable for them. Students
                                               entry requirements and the university       offered places have met the grades. Of               need to call themselves rather than
Don’t feel that because a university           is considering whether to make an           course, some courses will not appear                 have someone call on their behalf.
offers a university place through              offer) they will not be eligible to apply   because they are fully subscribed, but               The university is going to consider
Clearing this means the courses are            for another course through Clearing         there will still be plenty of choices. In            whether to offer them a place, not their
undesirable. It is possible that fewer         until such time as they have received       some cases, courses in which your child              representative! In some cases, the
students applied than anticipated;             a rejection. In this scenario, it’s         may have been interested but did not                 universities may make an offer over the
students didn’t achieve the minimum            worth making direct contact with the        meet entry requirements might appear                 phone – but if not, they will revert
entry requirements; or successful              university in question to get an update     if many students failed to meet the entry            relatively quickly.
students had a change of heart.                on status.                                  requirements at the time of results.
                                                                                                                                                It may seem obvious, but worth
                                                                                           Some courses (such as Oxbridge and                   remembering: the most popular
 OVER 65, 000 STUDENTS GO                                                                  medicine) do not offer places through                universities have the most applicants
 THROUGH CLEARING EACH YEAR                                                                Clearing.                                            and field spare places first, so your
                                                                                                                                                child needs to be ready to act quickly to
                                                                                                                                                secure the best options.

                                                                                           Useful links          I’m in
                                                                                                                 and I teractive
                                                                                                                      ’ll tak      !C
                                                                                                                             e you lick me
                                                                                                                          webs      to th
                                                                                                 UCAS                          ite        eir

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                               www.theparentsguideto.co.uk
                                                                                           The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022   Paul’s story:

Keep focused during Clearing                                                                                                             Paul’s story:
                                                                                                                                         Going through Clearing was never
Clearing can only be used to apply             Respect deadlines                                                                         something I really considered - or
for one course at a time, so it’s                                                                                                        knew much about! My A Level
                                               Be especially mindful of deadlines                                                        results did not entirely go to plan
important to make sure this is                 during Clearing. There are black                                                          and I missed out on my first choice
the right course. A good way to                and white restrictions on how long                                                        university by one grade - I remember
do this is to research ahead of                places will be held open and offers                                                       feeling really upset. I tried ringing
results, anticipating the need to              extended so ensure that your child has                                                    the university, but they were not
use Clearing. If great results mean            fully understood this. If universities                                                    willing to move on their decision.
this extra research doesn’t come               do not hear from your child within
in handy, so much the better;                  the time outlined, they may simply                                                        Although I did receive the grades
however, in the event of needing               assume your child is not interested                                                       to gain an offer from my insurance
Clearing, it will be time very well            and withdraw the place. Very often, in                                                    university - this was no longer
spent.                                         such circumstances, that decision is                                                      somewhere I wanted to study. I
                                               irreversible, and neither you nor your                                                    decided to try Clearing.
Check your child likes the university          child are likely to get them to put the
If time permits, your child should pay         offer back on the table.                                                                  This was really stressful. It was
a visit if it’s at a university they haven’t                                                                                             now 11am and most of the courses
visited before (if your child dislikes the     Universities understand that thought                                                      through Clearing had gone. I
atmosphere of the university, they’re          and consideration need to be given                                                        remember calling a few universities
unlikely to perform well there); and           in accepting a place (especially if it is                                                 - but with very little luck. After a few
all the other essential considerations         different from what was expected or                                                       more phone calls, I eventually found
continue to apply (regarding                   previously planned for), but ultimately,                                                  a university course I liked which
accommodation, distance from home,             they want their students to be very                                                       was still available. They provided
finance etc.). It’s not sensible to take       pleased to attend their universities and,                                                 me with a provisional offer over the
Clearing as a “last” attempt to get on         if they don’t feel this, they will extend                                                 phone and I applied.
any course, anywhere just to get to            the offer elsewhere (or chose to run
university.                                    with a smaller learning group).                                                           In hindsight, this was a huge risk,
                                                                                                                                         which luckily paid off - I cannot
Stay positive                                  Being contactable is crucial                                                              imagine studying anywhere else! It
                                               Ensuring contact details, such as phone                                                   was only until later did I realise that
Keep your child’s spirits up. Clearing         number, address and email account,
can be stressful and your child might                                                                                                    Clearing places were released well
                                               are accurate throughout the entire                                                        before A Level results day. My advice
not get a place on their first, second         UCAS process is very important but
or even third attempt. But don’t give                                                                                                    to anyone applying to university is to
                                               especially during Clearing – otherwise                                                    check this list carefully and research
up: persistence and determination are          your child could miss out because
omnipotent!                                                                                                                              some universities and courses just in
                                               details are being sent to the wrong                                                       case you may need to use it! A lot of
                                               place.                                                                                    stress could have been avoided and I
                                                                                                                                         might have not been so lucky.

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                              The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Understanding Adjustment
Adjustment is used if a student has            Five day window                            Think beyond grades                                  Avoid compromise
surpassed their predicted grades               Once a student has indicated that they     Universities that require higher                     The course on offer may not be as
and wants to apply for a course that           would like to go through the adjustment    admission levels don’t necessarily                   suitable (or as interesting!) as the
they previously thought unrealistic.           process, they have five days in which      equate to “better” universities,                     course originally accepted. Don’t
It opens on A Level results day until          to find an alternative course whilst       especially when put into the context                 let your child ditch all their diligent
31 August.                                     keeping their existing offer open – this   of your child and what learning                      research for the sake of getting into a
                                               includes weekends, so think carefully      environment suits them. Bear in mind,                university that they (or, worse still, you)
It’s easy to get carried away on a cloud       when you confirm entering adjustment       your child may have reached their                    consider ranks better than others. It
of euphoria when achieving results             though UCAS - the appropriate people       minimum entry requirements, but                      could prove a very costly mistake – both
that are much better than expected             may not be contactable outside of          other students may have matched                      financially and emotionally.
especially if the perception is that           Monday to Friday.                          their top requirements: so there’s a
this opens up opportunities to attend                                                     possibility that your child could spend              Act quickly
more “prestigious” universities than           After the five day window, existing        three or four years with a peer group                With a five-day window in which
originally anticipated. However,               offers close out and are lost.             who considers them the underdog.                     existing offers are held open, there is
consider additional options with a                                                                                                             a risk of losing the original offer and
balanced perspective, the “out of                                                         Previous research                                    ending up with neither the newly
reach” options are not always the best.                                                   All the considerations regarding                     preferred option nor the originally
                                                                                          location, accommodation, transport,                  preferred option. This is not a good
Adjustment opportunities aren’t listed                                                    etc. still apply. It’s possible your child           place to be and, after the euphoria
(as in Clearing) so phone calls to the                                                    may have discovered a lot about                      of over-achieving, could result in a
university are necessary. This can be a                                                   their preferences whilst researching                 huge disappointment to miss out on a
long process, so don’t let your child get                                                 universities and these should not                    preferred degree course.
caught in lengthy conversations if there                                                  be ignored when choosing a new
are no places on offer: politely end the                                                  university through adjustment.
conversation and move on.

Accepting or considering?
If your child accepts an offer over the
phone and the new university confirms
this through UCAS, any previous offer
will be automatically rejected. There’s
no changing this, so your child must be                                                   Useful links          I’m in
crystal clear whether they are accepting                                                                        and I teractive
                                                                                                                     ’ll tak      !C
an offer (especially if this is verbally) or                                                                                e you lick me
making exploratory discussions.                                                                UCAS                      webs      to th
                                                                                                                              ite        eir
                                                                                              Clearing

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
Results day flow chart

                          Did your child meet the required grades for their first choice university?

                                   YES                                                                                     NO

                                                                                   University track not        Has your child still been
                                                                                       updated?               offered a place in their first
                                                                                  Contact the university          choice university on
                           Are their grades                                                                         university track?
                                                                                  for more information.
                        better than expected?

                                                                                                              YES                       NO
                          YES            NO

                                                                                                                              Has your child been
                                                                                                              YES            offered a place to their
                                                                                                                             Insurance university?

                                                                                                                                        NO

             Congratulations                          Well done                          Great                                  Don’t panic
         Your child can stick with their first   Your child has an offer from       Your child has an offer     Your child can apply to go through Clearing to find a
           choice university or go through       their first choice university.   from their insurance uni-     suitable alternative university. If no suitable univer-
       adjustment. For more information read                                               versity.              sity is found your child can reapply next year as an
        “Understanding Adjustment” in this                                                                      independent student or explore alternative options
                       guide.                                                                                     such as an apprenticeship. For more information
                                                                                                                read “Understanding Clearing” and “Other choices”
                                                                                                                                     in this guide.

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RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2022 - The Parents' Guide to - St Edward's Church of England Academy
The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                                   The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

                                                                                                                              TO FIND OUT MORE DOWNLOAD THE
Other choices                                                                                                                 PARENTS’ GUIDE TO APPRENTICESHIPS

It is important to understand                      and sick pay along with access to the
that university isn’t for everyone.                university experience and no post
Some children may know straight                    qualification loan (their employer
away, whilst for others it may                     and the government fund all costs), it
only become apparent during the                    makes for an attractive proposition.
university application process. An                 Most apprenticeship last for about
increasingly popular alternative is                two to four years and the minimum
                                                   wage is £3.90 per hour. There are entry
apprenticeships and traineeships.
                                                   requirements at four different levels,
Or there are school leaver
                                                   from the equivalent of five GCSE passes
programmes which give a direct                     to the equivalent of a master’s degree.
route into employment and can
result in further qualifications. If               Traineeships
your child needs more time to figure
                                                   Traineeships are much shorter
out their next steps, a gap year can
                                                   and last six weeks to six months.
offer breathing space.                             They are a great way to prepare for
                                                   apprenticeships (if your child doesn’t
Apprenticeships:                                   have the minimum entry requirements)
Apprenticeships combine study at                   or to get first-hand experience of what a
college or university with work. If                job is like.
your child knows what sort of job
they might like to do, this provides an            School leaver programmes
ideal opportunity to go straight into
                                                   School leaver programmes offer
the workplace whilst still formally
                                                   opportunities to join the workplace
developing their skills and gaining
                                                   straight after sixth form studies and
a qualification. It’s certainly not an
                                                   commence skills development and
easy option – holding down a full-
                                                   career progression through experience
time job (albeit with one or two days
                                                   as well as studying to obtain a
each week to attend university) and
                                                   nationally recognised qualification.
keeping up with studies can be tough.
                                                   Entry requirements vary from employer
But with a salary, holiday entitlement
                                                   to employer.

Useful links
                                               I’m in
                                               and I teractive
                                                    ’ll tak      !C
                                                           e you lick me
 The Parents’                                           webs      to th
                             UCAS                            ite        eir
   Guide to

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The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

 ONE IN TEN STUDENTS WILL
 TAKE A GAP YEAR AFTER
 FINISHING SCHOOL

                                     Gap year / deferred entry                   likes and dislikes, as well as giving them
                                     Taking a year out between school and        valuable first-hand experience in a
                                     university can provide the opportunity      variety of areas they may not have had
                                     to find out a little bit more about         chance to try out. However, for some a
                                     personal preferences rather than being      gap year can be distracting and, if not
                                     directed by schools, colleges (and          well-planned, could prove somewhat
                                     parents!). It’s also a good opportunity     directionless, which is unlikely to be
                                     to find out how your child fares fending    beneficial.
                                     for themself.
                                                                                 Some may want to enter the world of
                                     A gap year can be taken while entry to      work straightaway or, if they haven’t
                                     university is being deferred, once a        achieved the results they had hoped,
                                     place has been accepted (allowing           they could always try retakes or other
                                     a year between leaving school and           sixth-form subjects.
                                     starting university), or if university is
                                     not the next step at all.                   University reapplication
                                                                                 Should your child decide to reapply to
                                     Traditionally, this is a year spent         university for any reason, be sure they
                                     travelling overseas, but it needn’t         save a copy of their UCAS application so
                                     focus exclusively on that. Volunteering     they do not have to rewrite everything,
                                     and work experience can also be             as the original application is deleted
                                     incorporated and inform your child’s        from the central database each year.

                                     Useful links
                                                                                                I’m in
                                                                                                and I teractive
                                                                                                     ’ll tak      !C
                                          GOV. UK                                                           e you lick me
                                                                                                         webs      to th
                                       Foreign Travel        Trail Finders       Gap 360                      ite        eir
                                           Advice

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                           The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Summary                                                                                Advice from parents

                                                                                                                            “
   Results day is daunting and         3. Poor results do not equate to a poor
   exciting. No matter what the           future: there are still lots of options;
   outcome, there are still choices to                                                                                          		          University isn’t always the
   make and reflections to be made. 4. Be mindful of time when applying                                                         best option, so support your child in
                                               through Clearing - but don’t rush the                                            considering alternatives. Muhammad
   1. If your child gets what they             process;                                                                         was always a more active student so
      wanted, well done;                                                                                                        learning through an apprenticeship with
                                          5. Don’t forget there are plenty of                                                   Network Rail suited him so much better
   2. Don’t assume if they exceed            options other than university                                                      than going to university.
      expectations that they will change     including an apprenticeship,

                                                                                                                            “
      the choices they have already made;    traineeship or a gap year.

                                                                                                                                		          Don’t leave preparing
                                                                                                                                for Clearing until results day. Jenny
                                                                                                                                was worried she hadn’t reached her
                                                                                                                                conditional offer, so we spent time
                                                                                                                                together checking other options in
                                                                                                                                Clearing. She was right, but we were able
                                                                                                                                to act immediately on our back-up plan.

                                                                                                                            “   		          If your child is taking a
                                                                                                                                gap year, make sure it counts. Richard
                                                                                                                                needed a gap year to have a break
                                                                                                                                between studies. He spent six months
                                                                                                                                gaining experience in the work place,
                                                                                                                                which also financed six months travelling
                                                                                                                                around South-East Asia.

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The
TheParents’
    Parents’Guide
             Guideto University
                     to Results2020
                                Day -2022
                                      2021                                 The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

                                                                           Next steps
                                                                                                                    32
                                                                                                                    Preparing your child
                                                                                                                    How can I help my child prepare for
                                                                                                                    university life before they go?

                                                                                                                    34
                                                                                                                    Life skills
                                                                                                                    Teach your child to be wise with
                                                                                                                    money.

                                                                                                                    36
                                                                                                                    Living arrangements
                                                                                                                    Student or private accommoda-
                                                                                                                    tion? What might my child need?

“  I never imagined my daughter could
   budget for herself, but with a few tips
   she proved really good at it.

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                                  The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

                                                                                                                                       BUDGETING IN ADVANCE

Preparing your child
                                                                                                                                       AND LEARNING TO STICK TO
                                                                                                                                       IT IS KEY

Once a university place has been               Staying in touch
secured, it’s time to celebrate. Make          Of course you’re going to miss them,
the most of enjoying the moment                but try not to be over-bearing about
and be sure to share with your child           how often they should stay in touch
how pleased you are for them –                 once they’ve moved out. They need to
especially if the university is one            start relying on themselves rather than
of their preferred choices but not             continually checking in with you. That
necessarily yours!                             said, it’s only fair that you should come
                                               to some agreement about how often
After the celebrations, it’s time to           they’ll communicate, so you both know
prepare. This is a wonderful opportunity       what to expect. For example, if you want
and you’ll want to help your child make        them to telephone you every week, chat
the most of it. Some useful ideas include:     this through with them and give them a
                                               means of doing so.
Let them take control
Let them take control of moving                Reassure them that they can call if
themselves as much as possible: writing        they need help or to chat, but avoid
their own “to do” lists, choosing a move       presenting yourself as their personal
date, deciding what needs to be done.          rescuer when things don’t quite go the
You can always help them by checking           way they’d like. Coping with life is part of
their lists but try not to be the one          growing up and becoming independent.
orchestrating events.                          You are their parent, not a magic fixer!

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                                      The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Life skills
Budgeting                                            Financial worries                            Cooking                                   Course preparation
Teach them how to budget. If you’re                  Overspending is an issue faced by many       Spend some time cooking with your         Remind your child to check their new
supporting them financially, don’t                   students, which can cause anxiety for        child, so that they know how to prepare   timetable, pre-reading and travel
budget on their behalf by paying bills               both you and your child. Consider the        a few meals with fresh ingredients.       time so they become familiar with the
direct or limiting their money to a                  following:                                   These should be easy one-dish dinners     rhythm their new life will take.
weekly allowance – in the long run                                                                that don’t require lots of pots, pans
it won’t help them. If they receive                  • Make sure they apply for student           and other kitchen utensils. This will     Some courses may also require several
financial loans, it’s highly likely they’ll            discount cards, such as the National       not only stand them in good stead for     key text books. Check whether the
get the full term’s allowance at the                   Union of Students (NUS) card and a         inexpensive and healthy eating, but       university has a second-hand book
beginning of term straight into their                  16-25 Railcard;                            being able to host dinners will make      shop and try to visit early to find the
bank account, so it could be easy for                • Encourage your child to find part-         them popular with other students too.     best bargains.
them to spend all the money and then                   time work, ideally during holiday-
have nothing for the rest of the term.                 time, but term-time too if money is
                                                       a significant issue. However, make
Teach them how to budget for rent,                     sure your child is not neglecting
bills, course materials, food and                      their academic studies as research
entertainment so they understand what                  shows working more than 20 hours
expenses are coming up and how to put                  each week during term-time can
aside money so they have enough to                     have a negative impact on academic
cover the cost of living.                              performance;
                                                     • Encourage your child to speak to
                                                       a student money advisor at their
                                                       university;
                                                     • Give your child tips on money saving
                                                       ideas, such as buying non-branded
                                                       food items and attending free
                                                       events.
                                                     • Speak with your child’s bank about
                                                       extending their interest free overdraft.

Useful links
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   University              Managing                    webs      to th
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    Budget                Your Money
   calculator

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2021 - 2022                                                The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Living arrangements
Student accommodation                          different “house rules” about comings
                                               and goings, as your child (who is now
There are two types of student                                                                  Considerations                        • Where are the laundry facilities?
accommodation depending whether                an adult!) at university is very different                                             • Is there catering (obviously more
                                               from a child at school. Again, this              • Does rent include the room
the university is campus or not.                                                                  for the year, or will your child      expensive) or will your child
Campus universities have student               option may restrict your child’s ease in                                                 have access to a kitchen and be
                                               meeting other students and, depending              have to move out all their stuff
accommodation within the same                                                                     during holiday times (sometimes       responsible for cooking their own
complex as the university and social           on journey time, may also limit their                                                    food?
                                               participation in co-curricular activities          the rooms are rented during
buildings, non-campus universities                                                                holidays to others)?                • If they have a car, is there parking
usually have dedicated buildings               because they are not on the doorstep.                                                    available – and does it come at a
                                                                                                • What’s included in rent? Are
usually quite close to the university                                                             there additional expenses such        price?
buildings.                                     Private arrangement                                                                    • How far are halls from the
                                                                                                  as gas, electricity, water rates,
                                               If your child is going to university with          WiFi / internet, etc?                 university itself – are there travel
The great thing about student                  a group of existing friends, they may
accommodation is that it offers                prefer to live in private accommodation
private rooms specifically designed            – for example renting a house with
to promote study and all the other             four bedrooms, where each can take
                                               their own bedroom and share the other
                                                                                             BALANCE THE RIGHT
tenants are students – typically within
the same year group. It’s a fantastic          areas of the house. This can (though          LIVING CONDITIONS WITH
way to meet students on different              not always) be cheaper than student           THE FINANCIAL COST
courses, of the same age group and in          accommodation. They won’t have
a similar situation. We’d recommend            some of the facilities offered by student
student accommodation for year one, if         digs (i.e. a canteen) but they may feel
possible.                                      this offers a more homely option.

Home                                           The downside is that they may not get
If the university is close enough,             to meet other students as easily as well
they could stay at home with you.              as having to organise their own bills,
Financially this is a good choice, as          such as gas, electricity and internet.
they won’t incur expensive rental              It can be a great choice once they’ve
charges although transport costs may           found their feet, perhaps in years two
be higher. You’ll both need to adapt to        or three.

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The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                               The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

What to pack
Help your child to organise what         Bright colours
they’ll need to take with them when      Try to keep to the basics when it comes
they go to university. This means        to kitchen utensils and try to purchase
everything from course materials,        items, which are easily identifiable -
laptops, phones to bedding,              bright colours or patterns will help your
cooking equipment and clothes            child keep track of their items.
plus all the appropriate paperwork
such as bank accounts, TV licences,      Last minute arrangements
insurance and new travel passes.         If you are helping your child move into
It will make their life easier if they   their new university accommodation,
know how to plan ahead and it will       then it may be a good idea to factor
make you feel more comfortable           in some time for a trip to the local
knowing they are well-prepared.          shopping centre for any last minute
                                         purchases.
Bedding
Knowing exactly what to pack
will largely depend on the type of          Don’t forget Important
accommodation your child has                documents
applied for. Although most halls of
                                            • Passport
residence provide students with
                                            • Driving licence
single standard size beds, some
                                            • All university and accommodation
private accommodation or alternative
                                              correspondence
arrangements may differ - so it
                                            • Insurance documents
is always worth checking before
                                            • Bank details
purchasing any bedding.

Useful links

   Best-buys

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The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                              The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                       Click interactiv
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 BEDROOM                         BATHROOM                 KITCHEN                 CLOTHING                        STUDY                       ELECTRICS
 Essentials:                     Essentials:               Complete sets          Essentials:                     Essentials:                 Essentials:
    Alarm clock                     Bath towels                                     Casual clothes                   A4 folders                  Batteries
                                                          Essentials:
    Bin (small)                     Deodorant                                       Evening clothes                  File Dividers               Chargers
                                    Hairbrush               Baking tray
    Books                                                                           Fleece                           Highlighters                Extension lead
                                    Hand towels             Bowls
    Coat hangers                                                                    Gym clothes                      Notepad / paper             Laptop
                                    Nail clippers           Cheese grater
    Mirror                                                                          Smart clothes                    Pens and pencils            Laptop case
                                    Razor                   Chopping board
                                                                                    Pyjamas                          Plastic wallets             Multi plug adaptor
                                    Sanitary towels         Cling film
 Extras:                                                                            Smart shoes                      Post-it notes
                                    Shampoo                 Corkscrew
                                                                                    Sports equipment                 Stapler                  Extras:
    Beanbag                         Shower gel              Cutlery
                                                                                    Socks                            White-tac
    Cushions                        Toilet roll             Glasses                                                                              Mouse
                                                                                    Rain jacket
    Door wedge                      Toothbrush / paste      Knives                                                                               Keyboard
                                                                                    Swimwear                      Extras:
    Extra storage                   Wash bag                Mugs                                                                                 Printer
                                                                                    Thermals
    Family photos                                           Plates                                                   Calculator                  Printing ink
                                                                                    Trainers
    Over door hangers                                       Pots and pans                                            Desk lamp                   Speakers
                                 Extras:                                            Underwear
    Plant                                                   Scissors                                                 Diary / planner             Television
                                                                                    Winter clothes
    Rug                             Bath mat                Tin foil
    Wall art / posters              Flip flops              Tin opener
                                    Hair dryer              Tea towels
                                    Make-up                 Wooden spoons
 SLEEP
                                    Moisturiser                                   HOUSE                           DOCUMENTS                   FUN & GAMES
 Essentials:
                                                          Extras:                 KEEPING                         Essentials:                 Extras:
                                                            Casserole dish
    Bed sheets                   FIRST AID                  Colander
                                                                                  Essentials:                        Bank accounts
                                                                                                                     CV and references
                                                                                                                                                 Bicycle
                                                                                                                                                 Board games
    Duvet                           Complete sets           Masher                  Coat hangers
                                                                                                                     Discount cards              Computer games
    Duvet set                                               Measuring jug           Door wedge
                                 Essentials:                                                                         Exam certificates           Dress-up costumes
    Mattress protector                                      Plastic bag sealers     Iron
                                                                                                                     NHS number                  Fairy lights
    Pillows                         Antibacterial wipes     Recipe books            Laundry bag
                                                                                                                     NI number                   Games console
    Pillow cases                    Antiseptic cream        Scales                  Washing powder
                                                                                                                     Passport                    Gym equipment
                                    Hot-water bottle        Shot glasses            Wet wipes
                                                                                                                     Passport photos             Photo albums
 Extras:                            Hydration salts         Slow cooker                                              Uni paperwork               Playing cards
                                    Painkillers             Spice jars            Extras:                                                        Polaroid camera
    Diffuser / oils
                                    Plasters                Tupperware                                                                           Projector
    Mattress topper                                                                 Drying rack
                                    Sewing kit              Vegetable peeler                                      Extras:                        Recipe books
    Night lamp                                                                      Mini vacuum
                                    Torch                   Whisk                                                    TV licence                  Sports equipment
    Warm blanket                                                                    Laundry basket
                                    Tweezers                Wok

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The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022                                                   The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022
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A                                         (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd)
                                          Cardiff University (Prifysgol Caerdydd)*
                                                                                         H                                         London Business School
                                                                                                                                   London Institute of Banking and
University of Aberdeen                                                                   Harper Adams University
Abertay University (formerly University   University of Chester                          Hartpury University                       Finance, The London Metropolitan
of Abertay Dundee)                        University of Chichester                       Heriot-Watt University                    University
Aberystwyth University (Prifysgol         City University London                         University of Hertfordshire               London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Aberystwyth)                              Courtauld Institute of Art, The (degrees       Heythrop College (degrees awarded by      Medicine
Anglia Ruskin University                  awarded by University of London)               University of London)                     London School of Economics and
Anglo-European College of Chiropractic    Coventry University                            University of the Highlands and Islands   Political Science, The (LSE)*
Archbishop of Canterbury, The             Cranfield University                           University of Huddersfield                London South Bank University
Arden University (formerly known as       University for the Creative Arts               University of Hull                        University College London*
Resource Development International)       University of Cumbria                                                                    Loughborough University
Ashridge Business School
                                          D                                              I                                         M
Aston University                                                                         Imperial College of Science, Technology
                                          De Montfort University                         and Medicine (also known as Imperial      University of Manchester*
B                                         University of Derby
                                          University of Dundee
                                                                                         College London)*                          Manchester Metropolitan University
                                                                                                                                   Middlesex University
Bangor University (Prifysgol Bangor)                                                     Institute of Cancer Research
University of Bath                        Durham University*                             Institute of Education, University of
Bath Spa University                                                                      London                                    N
University of Bedfordshire                E                                                                                        NCG
Birkbeck, University of London            University of East Anglia
                                          University of East London
                                                                                         K                                         Newcastle University*
                                                                                                                                   Newman University, Birmingham
University of Birmingham*                                                                Keele University
Birmingham City University                Edge Hill University                           University of Kent                        University of Northampton, The
University College Birmingham             University of Edinburgh, The*                  King’s College London*                    Northumbria University Newcastle
Bishop Grossteste University              Edinburgh Napier University                    Kingston University                       Norwich University of the Arts
University of Bolton                      University of Essex                                                                      University of Nottingham*
Arts University Bournemouth               University of Exeter*                          L                                         Nottingham Trent University
Bournemouth University                                                                   University of Central Lancashire
BPP University                            F                                              Lancaster University                      O
University of Bradford                    Falmouth University                            University of Leeds*                      Open University, The
University of Brighton                                                                   Leeds Beckett University (formerly        University of Oxford*
University of Bristol*                    G                                              Leeds Metropolitan University)            Oxford Brookes University
Brunel University London                  University of Glasgow*                         Leeds Arts University
University of Buckingham                  Glasgow Caledonian University                  Leeds Trinity University                  P
Buckinghamshire New University            University of Gloucestershire                  University of Leicester                   Plymouth University
                                          Glyndŵr University (Prifysgol Glyndŵr)         University of Lincoln                     University of Portsmouth
C                                         Goldsmiths, University of London
                                          University of Greenwich
                                                                                         University of Liverpool*
                                                                                                                                   Q
University of Cambridge*                                                                 Liverpool Hope University
Canterbury Christ Church University       Guildhall School of Music and Drama            Liverpool John Moores University          Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Cardiff Metropolitan University                                                          Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
                                                                                         University of London

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The Parents’ Guide to University 2020 - 2021n ©                                             The Parents’ Guide to Results Day 2022

Queen Mary, University of London*                 University of Strathclyde
Queen’s University Belfast                        University of Suffolk
                                                  University of Sunderland
R                                                 University of Surrey
Ravensbourne                                      University of Sussex
University of Reading                             Swansea University (Prifysgol
Regent’s University London                        Abertawe)
Richmond, The American International
University in London                              T
Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen                Teesside University
University of Roehampton                          Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music
Rose Bruford College of Theatre and               and Dance
Performance
Royal Academy of Music                            U
Royal Agricultural University                     University of the Arts, London
Royal Central School of Speech and                University College of Estate
Drama (University of London)                      Management
Royal College of Art                              University College of Osteopathy
Royal College of Music                            University of Law, The
Royal College of Nursing                          University of Ulster
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Royal Holloway, University of London              W
Royal Northern College of Music                   University of Wales (Prifysgol Cymru)
Royal Veterinary College, The                     University of Wales Trinity Saint David
                                                  (Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant)
S                                                 University of Warwick*
University of Salford                             University of the West of England,
School of Oriental and African Studies            Bristol
(SOAS), University of London                      University of West London
University of Sheffield*                          University of the West of Scotland
Sheffield Hallam University                       University of Westminster
University of South Wales (Prifysgol De           University of Winchester, The
Cymru)                                            University of Wolverhampton
University of Southampton*                        University of Worcester
Solent University                                 Writtle University College
University of St Andrews
St George’s, University of London                 Y
University of St Mark and St John,                University of York*
Plymouth                                          York St John University
St Mary’s University, Twickenham
Staffordshire University                          * Russell Group Universities
University of Stirling

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The Parents’ Guide to

RESULTS DAY
AUGUST 2022
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