If you are unhappy with your results

If you are unhappy with your results, there are some options for you to consider.

Who to contact

If you're unhappy with your results, please speak to your school about your options. You might decide to see your exam paper, go for a review, or resit your exam.

If you're a private candidate, you can speak to the school where you did your exams, or contact us directly.

Access to scripts

You can request a priority copy of the marked exam paper to help you to decide whether to request a review of marking or a clerical re-check. If a university place is pending, go straight to a priority review of marking instead. See our post-results services pages for more information.

Following Ofqual's decision about post-results, we'll provide a priority copy of marked exam papers for GCSE English Language, English Literature and Maths for the June 2019 exam series onwards. We'll provide a full GCSE priority service from the June 2020 series onwards.

Review of marking

Please see post-results services for details of all the services available. Our flowchart shows when to use which service.

  • If you request a review of marking, your grade(s) may be lowered, confirmed or raised following the review. Your school/college will ask you for written consent before they request this service on your behalf.
  • Only your exams officer can request the review on your behalf. We can't accept requests from individual students or their parents, even if the school/college is closed.
  • We send the outcomes of reviews to schools/colleges and they'll pass them on to you.
  • Your school/college may charge you an admin fee in addition to the review fee. We only charge a review fee if your grade stays the same.
  • Private candidates can access these services through the exams officer at the school/college where they took the exam or call us on 0800 197 7162 or email eos@aqa.org.uk.

How long does a review of marking take?

The time taken for a review will depend on the type of service you have requested. It's important you make your request as soon as possible.

We understand how important your results are to you and aim to provide an outcome as quickly as possible. Here are the timescales for reviews of marking:

  • priority review of marking: up to 15 calendar days
  • review of marking: up to 20 calendar days.

Please note that priority reviews of marking are only available for summer exams ie, you cannot get a priority review for the November, January March exams series.

A full guide to post-results services is available on the JCQ website.

A-level students

  • If your university place depends on the outcome of your results and you are applying for a review, you should apply for a priority review. We aim to return all outcomes within 15 calendar days
  • If you are concerned about your university place, please talk to your university admissions officer or UCAS – who are aware of the post-results services available
  • You should ask your exams officer to make requests as early as possible so you don't miss the UCAS deadline.
  • We will update UCAS if your overall grade changes.

Resits

You can choose to resit your exam if you're unhappy with your results and would like to improve them. Speak to your school if you'd like more information about doing a resit.

Appeals

Please speak to your school/college if you'd like to appeal, this must be submitted within two weeks of receiving the relevant decision or outcome from us. Your headteacher or principal will need to submit an appeal on your behalf.

You can find out more on our appeals page.