GCSE results land on Thursday 20 August. Kirkbie Kendal runs 9.30am to 3.30pm, Kendal College posts grades online from 9am, appeals close 24 September.
GCSE results come out on Thursday 20 August 2026. That date is set nationally and applies to every school and college in the Kendal area. (National Careers Service)
Kendal’s secondary schools and its college are each handling the day differently, and the rules that follow results day carry a hard deadline in September. Here is what has been published so far.
When and where in Kendal
Kirkbie Kendal School. The school’s own calendar lists GCSE Results Day on 20 August, running from 9.30am to 3.30pm. It gives no further instructions. The school is at Lound Road, Kendal, LA9 7EQ, on 01539 727422. (Kirkbie Kendal School)
The Queen Katherine School. The school had not published its GCSE results day arrangements on its website when we checked on 18 August. Its site carried a message about this year’s A level results only. Families should ask the school directly. It is on Appleby Road, Kendal, LA9 6PJ, on 01539 743900. (The Queen Katherine School)
Kendal College. GCSE and Level 2 results are released online from 9am on 20 August through ProPortal, rather than collected in person. Students sign in with their college username and password, choose Learner Information from the green menu, then Enrolments, and read the Grade column. If the login fails, the college’s IT helpdesk is on 01539 814783. (Kendal College results)
That is a real difference from A level day at the college the week before, when results were handed out at the Milnthorpe Road campus. There is no collection window for GCSE and Level 2, so no need to travel.
If the grades are not what you hoped
Applications for September are still open at Kendal College, which lists more than 20 A level subjects alongside T Levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships. Its admissions line is 01539 814700. (Kendal College, 27 July 2026)
Jason Turton, the college’s principal and chief executive, said choosing what to do after Year 11 “is one of the biggest decisions a young person will make, and it’s important that decision is based on where they want their future to take them, not simply on what’s familiar or where everyone else is going”.
Westmorland and Furness Council pointed students to two sources of independent advice when A level results came out on 13 August: the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900, and Inspira, the Cumbria careers charity. Check the National Careers Service contact page for its opening hours before ringing. (Westmorland and Furness Council, 13 August 2026; Inspira)
The English and maths rule that catches people out
Anyone starting a 16 to 19 course in September without a grade 4 in GCSE English or maths has to keep studying the subject. The government’s condition of funding for 2026 to 2027 is specific about which route:
- a student with a grade 3 must study towards a GCSE
- a student with a grade 2 or below may study towards either a GCSE or a Functional Skills level 2 qualification
(Department for Education, updated 24 July 2026)
This is a condition on the college’s or school’s funding, not an optional extra, so it will be built into the timetable offered at enrolment.
Challenging a grade: the deadline is 24 September
A student who thinks a paper was marked wrongly cannot approach the exam board. Requests go through the school or college, which submits them. The last date for awarding bodies to receive review of marking requests for this summer’s GCSEs is 24 September 2026. (JCQ post-results services)
Three things are worth knowing before asking for one.
- A reviewer does not re-mark the paper. They check whether the mark scheme was applied correctly and correct errors.
- Marks and grades can go down as well as up. A candidate has to give written consent acknowledging that, and a reduction cannot be reversed once made.
- There is no priority service for GCSE. The faster turnaround exists only for A level and other level 3 qualifications, where university places depend on it.
Clerical re-checks, which confirm that all marks were added up and recorded correctly, run to the same September deadline.
What it means for you
If your child is at Kirkbie Kendal. Plan for a school visit on the morning of 20 August. The calendar entry runs to 3.30pm, so there is no rush at 9.30am if that suits you better.
If your child is at Kendal College. Nothing to collect. Check ProPortal from 9am, and keep 01539 814783 to hand in case the login does not work.
If your child is at Queen Katherine. Ring the school before Thursday rather than guessing at a time.
If a grade looks wrong. Speak to the subject teacher or course tutor first, and do it early. The school has to submit the request, and the exam boards’ cut-off of 24 September is fixed.
If plans have changed. Kendal College is still taking applications for September, and the National Careers Service line is free and independent of any school or college that wants your custom.
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