It’s the date that is feared and anticipated in equal measure: results day. But for some young people, the pressure of receiving their final grades can be more than just a little overwhelming. Last year Childline received nearly 1,000 calls and online messages from students who were stressed or worried about their grades – many saying they were afraid of looking stupid in front of friends or not making their families proud.

One girl, aged 15, told the charity: “My parents have really high expectations. I don’t think I have done well and I’m really worried that I will disappoint them. They spent a lot of money on tutors and I’m worried it will have been a waste. I can’t stop thinking about it”.

So what can teachers do on results day to help students who are overwhelmed by concerns about their grades? Kay Joel, a senior consultant at the NSPCC, says the heightened emotions of the day can make it harder to spot those who are particularly anxious or depressed. We asked other experts for their advice on identifying and supporting struggling students.

Kay Joel, senior consultant, NSPCC

Keep an eye on reactions

It’s important not to jump to conclusions: a student’s behaviour could be indicative of all sorts of things. What’s key, however, is to be aware of significant changes, such as becoming more or less aggressive than usual, or more or less bothered about academic performance than you would expect.

If you know that a student is vulnerable in other ways – because they have experienced abuse or bullying, for example – look out for them on results day and be aware of how they are reacting to their grades.

Provide a safe space

Prepare a separate place for students to go if they are upset. This will take them away from an audience, who can escalate a negative situation.

Although we, as teachers, may think that everything will be OK, it isn’t particularly helpful to simply say that to students. Instead, reassure them that there are other options and talk through the practicalities of what their grades could mean. Don’t pressure students to make decisions, but give them worthwhile information to take away with them – they might struggle to take in what you’re saying in the moment.

Young people tend to confide in their friends more than adults, so once you’ve had an initial chat, you could find a close friend of theirs to join you. Have a conversation with them both and explain that there are other people they can talk to, such as Childline.

Share concerns with colleagues

If you are worried about a child, speak to someone else; the issue could be part of a bigger picture that you don’t know about. There should be someone at the school who knows the family and they will be aware if there are any reasons why the parents shouldn’t be contacted. If there is a safeguarding issue, you could be putting the child in more danger if you talk to parents before consulting the safeguarding lead.

But if you’re worried that the right process hasn’t been followed at the school, you can speak to somebody in confidence at the NSPCC’s dedicated helpline for adults concerned about children.

Jeni Blaskett, pastoral director, Dame Alice Owens’ school

Let students know the school is still there for them

For some students, results day represents the end of school. Regardless of whether they achieve their desired grades, this can be difficult for those who are emotionally vulnerable. To ease the transition, reassure them that they can keep in touch. This may best be done formally, for example by offering them a role supporting incoming year 7s at the beginning of term.

Praise effort, not outcomes

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about growth mindsets – the idea that it is effort, rather than being “gifted”, that leads to success. This concept can be transformational for students, but can be misconstrued on results day and lead young people to think that they didn’t put in enough effort. Many students couldn’t and shouldn’t have worked any harder, so when talking to them, it’s important to recognise and praise their hard work. There are some great TED talks, such as Sarah Lewis on embracing the near-win, that might be worth sharing with them.

Gail Kinman, professor of psychology, University of Bedfordshire

Get feelings down on paper

It can be helpful for disappointed students to write down their feelings. This helps them to process what has happened and put it into perspective. It can also help them to develop goals for the future and identify ways of working towards them. A simple technique is to get them to think about what they would say to a friend in the same situation — people can be much more tolerant and forgiving of others.

Propose that they spend time celebrating their achievements rather than dwelling on failure. Suggest that they do something different, such as going for a run or watching a film: anything that will stop them fixating on what they think has gone wrong. Mindfulness techniques can be useful as they help to ground you in the present rather than dwelling on the past or being anxious about the future. Remind students that they should see a doctor or a counsellor if they’re experiencing longer lasting feelings of anxiety or depression.

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