Madeleine Lake
Live reporter

Image source, Robert Darling

When someone tells you they're afraid of heights, the last thing you'd expect them to do is strap themselves into a harness and abseil off a cliff.

But after getting just four GCSEs in 2018 - one grade short of getting into sixth form - Rob Darling did just that.

He says he had no interest in pursuing an academic pathway so became an apprentice butcher.

At 20 he dreamed of working abroad, so he completed a weeklong rope access course which taught him how to abseil, perform rescues, and how to climb.

From there, he secured a job in New Zealand and was on his way to the other side of the world.

Image source, Robert Darling

"I was scared of heights,” he laughs. “But I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone. The academic route just wasn't for me and that's fine. I wanted a career where I could see the world."

As well as New Zealand, Rob has worked in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Kazakhstan and Singapore.

"Don't let the results rule you, I wanted to earn money, explore and see the world. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things,” he says.

“For me, travel was the best gift I gave myself."

James Platford
Careers adviser, National Careers Service

We’ve got experts answering your questions.

GCSEs are important but it very much depends on what type of jobs and education you wish to progress into.

Employers often require English and mathematics grades four to nine so I would make this my first focus. These can be retaken in November or the following year and can be taken alongside college or while doing an apprenticeship.

I would then focus on whether you are doing A-levels, T-levels, Vocational Technical Qualifications, apprenticeships or starting work alongside study or training. These qualifications, alongside your GCSEs, will be considered by employers.

Speak to your school and someone within the careers team, as well as your parents or guardians to help make these decisions.

If you are one of the lucky people who has an idea of what career you wish to do, then use this to inform your choices.

Tilly Taylor
Educational content creator

We have experts answering your questions - this one came through our BBC News YouTube account.

Absolutely. If your results are stronger than you expected, it’s worth looking again at your options.

You might now meet the entry requirements for different A-levels you hadn't considered, another sixth form or college in your local area, or a higher-level course than you had considered.

Speak to your school, sixth form or college as soon as possible, because places can be limited, but don’t feel you have to change your plans just because you can.

A better result gives you more choice, but you don't have to choose something different.

Jacqui Maher
Deputy principal, South & City College, Birmingham

Over the next few posts, we're going to be answering some of your questions. First up, can you get a paper remarked?

Yes, you can ask for a paper to be checked, although the official process is called a "review of marking" rather than a remark.

Speak to your teachers or tutors as soon as possible. They can request your marked paper, see how close you were to the grade boundary and advise whether there appears to be an error or realistic scope for your mark to change.

Being close to a boundary doesn’t automatically mean that a review will result in additional marks.

If you decide to proceed, your school or college will usually submit the request to the exam board and explain any deadline or fee involved.

You'll also need to provide written consent. It's important to understand that a review does not guarantee an improvement - your mark, and potentially your overall grade, could go down as well as up.

You've been asking us questions by getting in touch on email, WhatsApp and social media, and it's almost time for us to start answering them.

In a moment, we'll have a panel of experts here to tackle your queries about exam results.

The experts are:

• Niki McKenna - Head of the 14+ academies at Leeds City College
• James Platford - Careers adviser, National Careers Service
• Jacqui Maher - Deputy principal, South & City College, Birmingham
• Tilly Taylor - Educational content creator

Laura Foster
Reporting from Mayflower High School, in Billericay

A deputy headteacher in Essex says he hopes the GCSE results app doesn't "kill results day".

This year, for the first time, pupils at more than 750 schools in England will also be able to see their grades on their phones.

Deputy headteacher Luke Kilvert, at Mayflower High School, in Billericay, says it’s great that pupils have a digital record, but it’s not the same as coming into school to collect results.

“It’s a chance to celebrate with staff and parents but, most importantly, they can get the support they need if they don’t get the grades, or if they need to make changes to some of their plans," he says.

“The results apps hopefully won’t kill results day because I think it’s really important that students are able to come in and access that support - but we’ll wait and see."

Grace Wood
Reporting from Oasis Academy Lister Park, in Bradford

At Oasis Academy Lister Park, in Bradford, student Hisham says teacher Mr Ahmed "changed his life".

"I was going to fail before I met [him]," says Hisham, who got nines and eights in his exams, and wants to become a corporate lawyer one day.

"He’s responsible for these grades. He taught me how to revise.

"When I was on a very dark path in my life, he was there - like a shining light."

Mr Ahmed says he was "so worried" about results day, especially with his own daughter collecting her results too.

"We’ve gradually made it up the slope," he says.

"I’ve been ill a few times and the students have looked after me as much as I’ve looked after them."

Lola Mayor
Reporting from Caldicot School, Monmouthshire

Yaroslav, who moved to Wales from Ukraine in 2022 with his mother, received an A in English and a B in Welsh language despite speaking neither fluently when he arrived in Wales.

“It was a hard time to keep studying with everything going on at home," says the Caldicot School pupil, who previously said he wanted to become an engineer to "help my own country".

Perhaps even more impressively, he got A*s across the board in his other subjects.

"I think my mum will ask why I didn’t get an A* in English," he jokes.

He says since moving he has been able to return to Ukraine to visit family members who are "in a safe place".

"I’ve been trying to make my family proud and happy, and my results are amazing," Yaroslav adds.

"English language is not easy for me, so I’m really proud."

It's a few hours now since students began tearing open results envelopes, so whether you're happy or disappointed with how you scored, we'd love to hear your thoughts.

And we've got a panel of experts on hand to answer your questions later this morning.

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James Kelly
Your Voice

Image source, Sian Hamlet

Sian Hamlet, 39, wanted to make sure she could help her son Lucas with his maths exams, so she decided to take the test herself.

"I passed with a grade four, which I’m very happy with," Sian, from Tamworth, says.

"Lucas is 12 and about to go into Year 8, and I wanted to be able to help him with his homework and, when the time comes, his GCSE revision."

Sian is also a learning support assistant at Tamworth's South Staffordshire College, and says she's now able to "support the students better".

In Rochdale, Year 11 pupil Isla is wearing a sash that reads: "I smashed my GCSEs, I’m going to Ibiza."

Her parents surprised her with the trip after she opened her results and the family will be heading to the airport this evening.

"I’m really happy, I passed everything," Isla says.

She's going to study chemistry, biology, and psychology in sixth form, but says she'll enjoy her "party weekend" first.

Emily Holt
Reporting from Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy, West Midlands

Here in the West Midlands, twins Daniel and Joshua have passed all their exams and are delighted.

"I wasn’t nervous before, but today I was," Daniel says.

"But I got what I wanted and passed."

Joshua says he wasn't expecting to get the grades he got and is very happy.

Daniel is going on to do a BTec in music and performance, while Joshua is going to pursue musical theatre.

Alex Taylor
Education reporter

Image source, Getty Images

If you've opened your results this morning and they aren't quite what you were hoping for, it's easy for panic to set in.

Here are a few practical steps from Tom Egleton, better known online as Teacher Tommy T, who's been giving advice on the BBC News livestream:

• Take a deep breath: A simple but important first step. It'll help you calm down

• GCSEs are not the only key: Don't think this is the be-all-and-end-all - it's not. GCSEs are like keys to open different pathways, but they are one of many. Your personality and resilience are just as important in shaping your success

• Talk to your teachers: They know you well, in school at least. Today is the day to use that knowledge as you consider what to do next. They can advise on resit options and, potentially, remarks

• Go to your enrolment appointment: It's still worth going to any enrolment meetings you have scheduled at your local school or college, where staff can help you look at the available alternatives

• Don't compare yourself to others: Some friends may be celebrating or have recieved better grades, but try not to let that define how you feel about yourself. Your journey is your own. You're on your own timeline

BBC Radio 1Xtra's Kaylee Golding has popped out of the booth to wish everyone opening their results today a "massive well done".

"I know it can be so scary and so much pressure," she says.

"I hope you got the result that you wanted, if not - don't worry. Regardless, you are a superstar."

Kate McGough
Education reporter

Today marks the first time that some Year 11s across England can view their grades on an app, after a pilot last year involving thousands of students across Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

The Department for Education told us about 750 schools across England have signed up to use the app this year, which is about one in five secondary schools.

So, if you’ve not already heard from your school that they’re signed up to use it, chances are you will still have to go and get your results in person.

That’s because school staff have to generate a QR code for you to scan so you can download the app. This is so they can vouch for your identity and make sure you’re seeing your own results and not someone else's.

The idea of the app is to have a digital record of your results that you can share with future employers or use to enrol on courses. It won’t replace the paper results slips that will still be provided by your school and will be available from 08:00.

If you really don’t want to go in, some individual schools or exam boards might still publish results through a school portal online or send them via email.

And you might be able to get your results posted out to you, but usually this needs arranging with your school in advance.

Results should be available on the app from 11:00 BST.

Jessie and Ellie, who have been best friends for more than a decade, opened their results together in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Both were happy with their results, which they say is "such a relief".

Ellie, who got full marks for her English Literature exam, thanked their "amazing teacher, Miss Evie" for pushing her.

And both girls received sevens in maths, which they say is all down to Mr Price.

"We both weren’t natural at maths but we wanted those sevens so he pushed us hard," Jessie says.

"We’ve grown up with these people, so it’s nice to see them happy," she adds, looking around at her fellow classmates.

Image source, Eastern Education group/PA Wire

We've heard a lot from 15 and 16-year-old pupils, but not everyone opening their GCSE results today is a teenager.

Wynne Hindle, a 52-year-old grandmother, says she is "shocked" but "very happy" to have passed her maths exam with a grade four. It was her fifth time trying.

"Keep at it," she says when asked what her message is to other adult learners.

“I just wanted to achieve something and I’m a resilient person. I find it hard to quit so I just kept going."

The former nanny and nursery nurse studied at the West Suffolk College, and now wants to work in a school as a teaching assistant or a learning support officer.

Kay Davidson
Reporting from Consett Academy, County Durham

We're hearing from students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland as they open their envelopes and see their results for the first time.

Aspiring dancer Finn is overjoyed to discover he's got what he needs to go on to dance college in Hartlepool.

"I passed everything, I can't believe it," he says.

"I'm really glad, I did not think I was going to pass everything, I can't lie.

"I'm glad it's done, but I enjoyed it."

Hazel Shearing
Education correspondent

More now on the national GCSE results data released around half an hour ago.

The gap between the pass rates for boys and girls across all three nations has narrowed again, to its lowest since 2000.

Girls continue to outperform boys - but their grades have dropped, while boys' results have risen very slightly.

It means there's a difference of 5.8 percentage points this year, down from 6.2 last year.

Looking at data that goes all the way back to the year 2000, that gap is the lowest it's been at any point this century.

It was at its widest in 2017 - 9.5 percentage points - and has been falling ever since.

Analysis from the Education Policy Institute last year suggested that girls' performance has been "declining in absolute terms" since the Covid pandemic.

It linked this to "worrying trends around girls' wellbeing" such as worsening mental health and social media use.

It’s an issue we explored in depth after last year's GCSE results, and we'll be taking another look today.