Best gift ideas for A-level results day
This is it. After years of hard work, A-level students across the UK will find out whether their hard graft has paid off.
Results day is on August 18 this year, and for many, the letters printed beside their chosen subjects will determine the direction of their next steps; be it towards uni halls, to an apprenticeship or leaving education entirely for the world of work.
The last few years have been a tumultuous time, not least for students who have had to swap classrooms for remote learning on a screen. While schools are slowly but surely returning to normal, this graduating class should be commended for their efforts in learning during a worldwide pandemic.
Whether they aced the lot, want to resit their exams or are rethinking their futures entirely, finishing further education is a landmark occasion. It’s time to give the teen in your life a pat on the back for their hard work with a considered exam results gift.
We’ve put together a suitable curation of gifts to give for wherever life will take them next.
See our edit below
Google Pixel 6a
Say hello to Google’s latest handset - the Pixel 6a, a smartphone without the hefty price tag. In fact, this phone is miles cheaper than phones from the leading brands, but with comparable features and fittings.
Take, for example, the adaptive battery which can run for up to 72 hours when used with the Extreme Battery Saver, plus the impressive cameras which capture crisp and clear content, ready to make waves on your newsfeed. It launches quickly and runs like a dream on Google Tensor, the same processor as the 6 Pro.
The phone offers up to 128GB of storage, and buying outright means it comes SIM-free. Pair with a cheap SIM-only deal and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
Buy now £399.00, John Lewis
Airpods Pro
These have rapidly become the baseline against which other earbuds are judged, such is their prevalence among iPhone users. Airpods have improved greatly since their first iteration, and the Pro variant now sport noise cancellation, IPX4 sweat resistance, and replaceable tips so you can get the fit just right.
Battery life is one of the Pros’ weaker elements, with only 4.5 hours quoted when using noise cancellation. This tech takes its toll on every pair we tried, but on the Airpods Pro, it seems particularly bad. Perhaps it’s the slim and svelte design of the buds, leaving little room to cram in batteries. The charging case is a good one, however, powering up the ‘Pods for an hour’s use from just five minutes in the case. Sound is balanced with good bass, and is distinctly superior to that from cheaper earbuds.
Buy now £187.11, Amazon
Impala Rollerskates Marawa Quad Roller Skates
This probably isn’t quite what they had in mind for their first pair of wheels, but with the 90s retro revival showing no signs of slowing down and petrol prices what they are, a cool pair of skates may be just the ticket. Impala’s rose gold pair sports an iridescent finish, but there are plenty of other colour options to choose from. The quad construction also offers better balance than in-line skates, making this a great choice for beginners too.
Buy now £115.00, Urban Outfitters
Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet
With a productivity suite including Microsoft Office apps and Bluetooth keyboard support, Amazon is pushing the credentials of its latest ten-incher to be a professional’s companion.
It almost works. The device features an eight-core processor and 3GB of RAM (there’s a Plus model with 4GB, but it costs more). But while the cheaper version of the Fire HD 10 comes with just 32GB of storage, the difference here is that the Amazon tablet also sports a Micro SD card slot, allowing you to add up to an extra 1TB of space for your apps, documents and downloads.
Its operating system is a version of Android, and so you don’t get access to the Google Play Store, with Amazon’s more limited alternative filling the gap. This is almost certainly good enough as long as you’re not expecting the latest mobile games, as all the main streaming services are there, plus Amazon’s enormous Kindle book and magazine ecosystem.
With everything else in place, the question becomes whether a ten-inch screen is big enough for you. Small screens like this are nice to use while lounging on the sofa but, while the ability to rotate them into portrait alignment helps somewhat, trying to type a large document on them can be a chore.
Buy now £149.00, Amazon
16 - 25 Railcard
A practical gift they may not initially explode with excitement at the sight of, but will come in so useful for their first year after A-levels - especially for those headed to Halls. The 16 - 25 Railcard takes a third off most train fares across the country, so whether they want to head back home or explore a new city one weekend, it won’t cost them the best part of their student loan to do it. It’s a total bargain at £30 for a year, although a three-year card is also available for £70, and will see them from Freshers Week until graduation day.
Buy now £30.00, Railcard
Casio AQ-230GA-9DMQYES
Perhaps the most iconic affordable watch, a digital Casio with a gold metal strap is a classic. This version is elevated with an analogue display with a white face, and also boasts the same useful features of a stopwatch and an alarm. Ideal for everyday wear, pair it with gold jewellery for maximum impact.
Buy now £34.99, Amazon
Nike Air Jordan 1 Mid
A classic trainer, Nike Air Jordans will never lose their street cred. There are myriad styles to choose from, but if your sneakerhead is a specific soul, you can always go for the bespoke option and let them customise their own with Nike By You. Hard to put a foot wrong with these in wrapping paper.
Buy now £114.95, Nike
INSTAX mini 11 Instant Camera - Sky Blue
It’s a given that all phones come with a built-in camera these days, but it doesn’t hurt to remind them of the joys of an instant camera that can print photos out in seconds.
Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 11 comes in a selection of fun pastel colours: white, pink and purple in addition to blue. It automatically adjusts shutter speed so they’ll get perfect post-exam pics every time. There’s also a mirror on the front and a pop-out lens to nail those all-important summer selfies the first time around.
Requires two AA batteries and takes Instax Mini Film - sold separately.
Buy now £79.99, Currys
Comfort MOB
MOB is more than a social media cooking channel: it’s a movement. The latest cookbook Comfort MOB pulls its viral videos together to create a guide to pure gourmet joy.
It’s packed with nutritious ideas and old-school recipes (think fish and chips and toad in the hole), which will provide both comfort and satisfaction, especially if your young one is flying the nest for uni.
The recipes are affordable and achievable for all levels. In a matter of minutes you can rustle up the likes of Grilled Halloumi and Peach Burger - a light summery take on a comfort food classic. Pasta fans will adore learning how to make your own pasta noodles and sauces to go with them, like Ben’s Dad’s Puttanesca - glorious.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
Baked by Steph ‘Omg Congrats’ Letterbox Message Cookies
If you’re not much of a baker, outsource the cookie-making to Baked by Steph, a company offering cool and cute cookies perfect for celebrating special occasions. This box of handmade vanilla-flavoured cookies make an ideal gift to hand over as soon as the envelope has been ripped open.
Buy now, NOTHS
Pandora Congratulations Heart & Stars Dangle Charm
Set the tone for all future celebrations with a Pandora charm to mark their achievement. The jeweller is well-known for its line of collectable charms which sit on its bracelets, allowing you to build the look as the years roll by, from this moment to their first job or promotion. The hand-finished heart charm is embedded with sparkling cubic zirconia in stars and engraved with the motivational words “The sky is the limit” on one side and on the other“You did it”. Yeah they did.
Buy now £35.00, Pandora
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Wireless Speaker
The perfect speaker for every occasion, this UE speaker has deceptively loud sound for its small size. Its 13-hour battery life makes it perfect for day trips and its waterproof feature means you can use it everywhere from the pool to your shower.
The best part? A new outdoor boost mode increases clarity in sound and volume so you can bask in the sun and enjoy your tunes at top volume. Pair multiple UE speakers together for a truly unique wireless music experience.
Buy now £70.73, Amazon
Skagen Jorn Gen 6 Hybrid
The Danish-designed Skagen Jorn is a hybrid watch, so it’s a simpler but sleeker option than a full-blown smartwatch. That said, it’s still packed with lovely stuff – a heart rate sensor, a good sleep tracking sensor and Amazon Alexa, ever-ready to answer your queries or to make your life a little bit easier.
The ‘wellness dashboard’ that you’ll notice on the linked phone app is a great way to check in with (and improve) your daily habits, too. Our favourite feature on test was the long battery life – the Jorn only needs charging once a week or so with regular use, which saves a lot of the recharging faff.
Buy now £209.00, Skagen