03 September 2025

Picking Ourselves Up: Supporting Each Other After Tough Exam Results

Written by

Becci Peters

We’ve all been there. You open the results spreadsheet in August, and your heart sinks. After months of hard work, the numbers just aren’t what you hoped for. For some schools, this can spark difficult conversations about whether Computer Science should even stay on the curriculum.

But here’s the truth: one tough year doesn’t define you, your students, or the subject. At CAS, we know how demanding Computer Science can be to teach — it’s still a relatively young subject, and many of us are working without the resources or networks that more established subjects take for granted. That’s exactly why we need to pull together, share what works, and keep supporting one another.

Focus on what can change

Exam results don’t tell the full story, but they can highlight patterns. Were algorithms a sticking point? Did students run out of time on paper two? Were the grade 1–3 students particularly hard hit? Digging into the detail can help you plan your year differently. Small changes — more retrieval practice, more exposure to exam-style questions — can make a big difference.

NCCE CPD

The NCCE has some excellent free CPD to help you strengthen teaching where it’s needed most

Browse NCCE Courses

Lean on your community

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. CAS communities are full of teachers who’ve been through the same challenges. Some recent highlights include:

There are also live sessions coming up:

And don’t miss these reflections on broadening student experience:

Join Online Communities

Keep students motivated

When results are disappointing, it can knock student confidence too. Competitions like Bebras, CyberFirst, and Astro Pi give learners the chance to experience success outside exams and remind them that Computer Science is exciting and relevant. Clubs and small-group support can help struggling students feel seen and supported.

Advocate for the subject

If you’re under pressure from leadership, remind them:

Computer Science is part of the national STEM strategy and highly valued by universities and employers.
Removing it narrows the curriculum and risks disadvantaging students who don’t have access elsewhere.
Other challenging subjects (like Physics and Further Maths) are kept because they’re important — the same applies here.

The Secondary Leaders’ Toolkit is a great resource for making the case in your school.

You’re not alone

At CAS, we’ve seen schools turn results around with the right support, and we’ve seen teachers grow in confidence when they’ve had a network around them. Your subject matters. Your students need it. And you have a community behind you.

So if your results didn’t go the way you wanted this year, don’t see it as the end — see it as the start of a new plan. And know that we’ll be right here to support you along the way.