Results day and beyond: 5 ways to ease worries and refocus on your summer break 

Results days for GCSEs and A levels are high pressure moments. For many teachers, they arrive right in the middle of the summer holidays, a time you may be with family, travelling, or simply resting after a long year. Shifting back into work mode on short notice can reignite stress or other challenges.  

There’s also the emotional toll: after years of investment in your pupils, their successes and disappointments can feel deeply personal. Added pressure from league tables, local press, social media, and community chatter only intensifies the moment. 

Here’s some practical tips and tools to help you stay grounded, manage stress, and recharge during results season: 

1. Maintain perspective  

It’s easy for worry to take over when you can’t control the outcome. Tools like The Worry Tree can help you regain perspective by: 

-Noticing and naming the worry: “I’m concerned about my Year 11s’ grades.” 

-Asking: Is this a current problem or a hypothetical? 

-If you can act, take action. If not, schedule a time to think about it later, then shift your attention. 

Another way to keep perspective is the Wheel of Life. This helps you reflect on different areas of your life so results don’t become the sole focus. 

On the day:  

• Choose a calm environment to review results. 
• Avoid endless refreshing of emails or social feeds. 
• Make time for nourishing activities and breaks.

2. Recover and recharge

Results day may be over, but your body can stay in “alert mode” for days or weeks afterwards. This is because stress is an embodied response, and it takes time to move from being safe to feeling safe.  

During results week, you may want to try ‘completing your stress cycle’. Find out more about this method in 7 ways to feel good this school year, including: 

• Physical movement (walks, stretching, sport) 
• Creative activities (music, art, writing) 
• Meaningful connection (talking with a trusted friend or colleague) 
• It can also help to: 
• Take a day or two free from work-related contact if possible 
• Celebrate all wins (big or small!) 

3. Remember, you’re not alone 

At Education Support we offer: 

24/7, free, confidential, emotional support helpline:  

Call 08000 562 561 to speak to a trained counsellor who understands education and what you’re going through right now.  

Free, expert resources for all education staff: 

Visit Education Support’s website for practical tools, guides and video’s on a variety of topics related to mental health and wellbeing.  

Funded Professional Supervision:  

For managers and leaders in England and Wales. This service comes at no cost to you or your school, providing a confidential space to reflect, process challenges, and gain professional support.  

We suggest leaders and managers in Wales and FE leaders register for funded Professional Supervision now, as spaces are limited.  

Applications for English school leaders are now closed. If you are a leader in England please sign up to receive an alert when we have spaces available again in the new school year in September.  

Wellbeing Advisory Service in Wales:  

Are you a school leader, manager, or wellbeing lead in Wales looking to transform your approach to staff mental health? Sign up now for practical tools and expert advice, at no cost, thanks to Welsh Government funding. 

4. Start the year well    

Use the early weeks to set healthy boundaries, identify moments for rest, and establish routines that protect your energy. Schedule regular check-ins with colleagues, and keep your “results buddy” system alive for mutual support. Check out our guide on setting workplace boundaries and technology boundaries. 

5. Build a healthy culture 

Schools that prioritise psychological safety all year round are better prepared for challenges like results day. Plan ahead for the next pinch-point, and try to build in time before the end of the next term with your team to agree on how you’ll support each other when results arrive. 

Leaders and managers can read our guide How to maintain a healthy mind and culture during periods of challenge and try our 5-minute psychological safety audit with their team and by taking these practical steps before the holidays:  

• Agree how you will communicate on results day (e.g. email, WhatsApp) and set respectful boundaries. 
• Pair up with a “results buddy” to check in on each other before and after you’ve seen the data. 
• Remind yourself and colleagues that results are only one measure of success, not the whole story. 

Above all, remember you do extraordinary work. Supporting young people through exams is one of the most demanding and rewarding parts of the job. Protecting your wellbeing at results time is not an optional extra; it’s the foundation for sustaining yourself in this profession you care about so deeply.  

From everyone at Education Support – thank you for your commitment to shaping the lives of the next generation.  

If you’re dealing with any return-to-work worries, see our latest resource produced in conjunction with Anna Freud Managing return-to-work anxiety: tips for teachers and education staff.