Oxford’s summer has ended with county exam success – that’s a great outcome.

But for most people in education: students, parents, teachers, it’s an ordeal. High hopes and disappointment are felt by all, because education is a team activity.

For the individual student, exam results mid August are a tough reality check. They mark the end of lazy days in the Parks, on the river, in town hanging out. Maybe a trip to Magalouf or Kos – parents excluded.

Few students can log online without pulses racing. It’s a great unknown, and yet one thing’s clear: it’s a national trial which packs a mighty swipe. This could be as far as it goes. Poff! Dream over.

I hope that you’re not a parent whose child has been disappointed. I hope you’re not a parent who has to pick up the pieces. I hope you’re not a parent who said time and time again: “Just do your best. That’s all you can do.” Because sometimes, best isn’t good enough. There are few marks for effort in life – except that appreciated by your nearest and dearest – no matter what we want to believe.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down: it’s whether you get up,” legendary American football player and coach Vince Lombardi told his team. Dreams are like that. They get knocked for six.

Knowing what it is you want is the first step, but being honest with yourself about how much you are willing to dedicate to getting it is an important second.

Oxford’s most famous sprinter, Sir Roger Bannister defined his own success like this: “The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.”

This competitive drive isn’t for everyone.

Out-performing others leaves many people cold. Missing exam grades is a big deal, if you are seeking an academic route. For others, school work may not motivate and inspire.

But everyone has something they’re good at. Most often, its something they enjoy doing.

The key to taking this enthusiasm forward is to try to channel it into a qualification which others recognise, and which can help you earn a living. Moving house recently, I was struck by how young some of the packers were.

They earned minimum wage, for a back-breaking job which had few prospects of promotion and would eventually take a toll on their health. One young man told me he was interested in becoming an electrician. His father – also a removal man – said a friend might offer his son an apprenticeship.

What about all the day release courses available in Oxford, I asked? No one seemed aware of any. Yet the city has many opportunities for vocational training which would transform the young man’s working life into a skilled trade, much in demand, with the opportunity to take time off as a self-employed single trader.

Knowing what’s out there is the first step to qualification choices. Try oxfordshire.gov.uk/ cms/content/ apprenticeships-training-jobs-and-other-opportunities.

And for all of you whose children have met their target grades: congratulations – and good luck. It doesn’t get any easier from now on.

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