Thursday will will be a day of ecstasy and agony for thousands of teenagers in Huddersfield and West Yorkshire.

On August 24 the results of their hard work - or lack of - will be published.

And whether you ace it or flunk you'll need advice on what to do next.

If you've just missed the grades for the college you wanted there may be another way in.

And if the A-level route isn't for you there are plenty of other options.

We cover everything from retakes and remarks to vocational qualifications.

Plus we explain the new 9 to 1 grading scale for maths and English exams.

When is GCSE Results Day 2017?

GCSE results day at Newsome High School, Huddersfield - Chanelle Daly and Kelis Degle.

Results day for GCSEs is Thursday 24 August 2017.

Explain the new 9 to 1 grades scale for English and maths GCSEs

Colne Valley High School GCSE results day. Ben Hawker and Ben Dickinson happy with their results.

The top two marks of A and A* are roughly equivalent to a grade of 7, 8 or 9 - but fewer grade 9s will be awarded as the grade is designed to recognise exceptional performances.

The good pass marks of B and C - the minimum grades expected by colleges for entry onto A level courses - have been replaced by grades 4, 5 and 6.

And at the lower end of the scale, the grades D, E, F and G will now be scored 1, 2 or 3.

For further information on the new grade scale try our guide here .

What to do if you don’t get the grades you need for sixth form or college

Colne Valley High School GCSE results day. Nicole Foster and Bethanie Tyler.

For most sixth forms or Further Education colleges you will be required to get specific grades in order to gain a place there.

Some sixth forms and colleges also have a grade boundary for particular subjects so always check with the criteria that you are expected to meet.

If you just miss out on a grade, you can speak to the sixth form or Further Education college to see if they will still accommodate you with the lower grades, or they may offer you a place but on a different subject or course.

Alternatively, you could try another sixth form or college as each centre could have different requirements.

What to do if you just miss out on a grade

Happy GCSE students at Heckmondwike Grammar School

If you don’t get the grades you were hoping for, be at your school on the day the GCSE results come out to get the best help from your teachers.

If you have just missed out on a grade, or you feel strongly that your grade doesn’t reflect your ability, you can ask for your paper to be remarked.

This can be set up through your school, but you will have to pay a fee which is only reimbursed if there is a grade change.

Retaking an exam

Some 61.9% of girls in Kirklees achieved five A*-C grades, while only 49.4% of boys managed to do the same
Some 61.9% of girls in Kirklees achieved five A*-C grades, while only 49.4% of boys managed to do the same

If you need to resit GCSE maths, English, or English language, these exams are available in November.

However, any student who sits an exam in the November must have reached the age of 16 on or before 31 August in that calendar year.

The age restriction is a recent change and the November series will be restricted to entries for English language and maths.

If you need to resit several subjects, you may have to wait until the following June. If the resit isn’t a subject that is required for your chosen courses, you may be able to start your A-levels in the meantime. Each sixth form and college will be able to advise you.

If I don’t get into sixth form or college, what else can I do?

Alisha and Aisha Parveen get their GCSE result at Royds Hall Community School

You might decide that you don’t want to study A-levels , but there are other types of qualifications that are available.

BTECs - A vocational qualification which gives students the skills they need to enter higher education or employment. The skills are obtained through practical, work-related activities, allowing the students to apply what they have learned. There are over 2000 BTECs across 16 sectors available to study.

City & Guilds - A range of vocational and technical qualifications and apprenticeships, helping students to develop their skills for career progression. City & Guilds provide services to training providers, employers, and trainees across a variety of sectors to meet the needs of today’s workplace.

Apprenticeships - Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study to achieve a qualification. You will be working alongside experienced staff in a real working environment, and will be paid during your apprenticeship. You will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage. You must be paid at least the minimum wage rate for your age if you’re an apprentice aged 19 or over and have completed your first year.