Results Day: Supporting Children Through the Social Media Pressure
Practical guidance for parents and young people on managing social media before, during, and after GCSE and A-level results days.
Results day — whether GCSE or A-level — is one of the most emotionally charged days in a young person's school experience. Social media adds an additional layer of pressure: the expectation to share results publicly, the comparisons that follow, and the stream of celebration posts that can be painful for those who did not get the results they hoped for. This guide helps families navigate the day with more awareness and less stress.
Prepare for social media before the day
Talk with your child before results day about their expectations around sharing. There is no obligation to post results — it is a genuinely personal decision. Discuss how they might feel if others share results that are very different from their own, and how they want to handle that.
Limit social media if results are disappointing
If your child's results are lower than expected, stepping away from social media for the rest of the day is often the kindest thing they can do for themselves. A stream of celebration posts from peers can amplify a sense of failure at a moment when perspective is already hard to maintain.
Resist pressure to share immediately
The instinct to post results the moment they are received is understandable, but there is real value in pausing. Encourage your child to absorb the news with family first before deciding what, if anything, to share publicly.
Remember that social media shows a skewed picture
The posts that appear on results day are heavily skewed towards positive outcomes. Students who are disappointed rarely post. This creates a false impression that everyone did brilliantly — which is not true, and can be cruel to absorb at a vulnerable moment.
Focus on the next steps, not the comparison
Whatever the results, the conversation that matters most is about what happens next. Redirect focus towards practical options — clearing, retakes, alternative routes — rather than dwelling on comparisons with peers online.
Related safety topics
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.