GCSE Results Day, when will we learn?

I can still remember asking to be entered for my GCSE English exam, much to the surprise of my teacher who assured me that I would not do well. My Humanities teacher gave up on me altogether and did not even enter me into my exam. I was an embarrassed young 15 year old who struggled academically throughout my secondary education. I tried to apply myself but often got lost in what we were being taught. I knew I had poor spelling and grammar, I still do!. Fast forward 10 years and at 25, it is confirmed I am dyslexic, I think I knew that all along. Back to the GCSE exam prep, I was told we could attend some extra study time or stay off school for a few days. I opted for the study time because, you can turn 4 years of study around in a few lessons right?. Fast forward to exam day, the air is filled with anticipation, excitement and fear for the pressure was clear to see on everyones faces. First exam, CDT. I got this!, I like woodwork, even though we only made a totem pole in our first year and the rest was all drawing. I flip the exam paper over and the first question is draw/design a box/holder. I steamed into the task, I drew a nice 3D pencil box holder that had a hidden compartment for coins and a sharpener. I shaded it to show the light! The CDT teacher was walking by and stopped next to me, looked at the drawing and his face told me all I needed to know, his cigarette stained finger pointed at the sentence below, the one I had missed. Draw/deign a box/holder......for a flipping jam jar!! 3 minutes left on the clock, oh well that is CDT down the swaner. Next up is English, I reminded myself that I asked for this. Science, Maths, Art, they all came and flew past in a multicoloured Time Machine montage. I recall a student saying, ‘I have 99% got a B, but might have aced it’. Ummm what? did you use the Time Machine or are you that confident?. I was not and knew before we opened the results that I had failed all my exams. I had a G for German, E for Art and the rest were all F’s and G’s. Fast forward 10 years and I have achieved four Apprenticeships and completed all my Key Skills, the equivalent to GCSE grades, or are they?. According to an online Degree provider, they are not!. I studied my GCSE Maths and English at night school to apply for an online Degree in Business Studies, I told the teacher I will mess up my exams and needed A* on all my course work to get me a C. I was awarded a C in both, much to the shock of the teacher who said, ‘you could have not turned up and still got a C. At 44 years old, a founder and CEO of an Outstanding Apprenticeship provider, I still feel the weight of those school grades. When will we learn to not judge and measure people on their time and application to an exam at the age of 15/16? My message to all students collecting their results today is, you are incredible, you are talented, you are only at the beginning of your journey. These grades will not determine the rest of your life, it may feel like that but just be kind, be ready to work hard and the doors will open for you. Good luck in your next steps. EDUCATIONWISE AELP Western Training Provider Network (WTPN)