Free and cheap results day celebration ideas

August is results month!

Whether you're waiting for A-Level, SQA, GCSE, T-Levels, or vocational qualifications, now is the time to let loose. Here are some of the best free and cheap results day celebration ideas.

If you're a parent or a student, you'll know how much work goes into sitting those major exams in May and June. It's why the results season is a good time to reap rewards for all that effort and stress. Forget grades, forget the next steps, just take a moment to enjoy what's next.

According to research, 8 out of 10 parents are set to spend more than £300 on exam result treats for their teenagers. While some parents offer to pay for exam results to help incentivise their teens, many others choose to spend on clothing, tech and days out to celebrate.

The stats from marketing consultancy Gekko show that more than half (58 per cent) say that they would buy a gift or treat for their child regardless of their results, while 36 per cent say they would spend more if their child's results were outstanding.

According to the data, GCSE students will receive an average of £309, while parents will spend an average of £301 on sixth-form or college students in the wake of A-Level results.

The good news, as any savvy money saver knows, is that rewards do not have to cost the earth. Spend only what you can afford and don't get swept up in the exam gift trend. The idea is to celebrate in any way you see fit.

How we chose the best results day gifts

Money-saving options: We've selected gifts with money-saving considerations in mind, prioritising enjoyment over a high price tag.
Student-approved picks: We've asked numerous students what they'd appreciate and selected items that they say they love.
Parent-friendly: We know summer is a cash-strapped time for parents, so we've also pulled together the best family deals so you can celebrate with your kids.

Free meal picks

If you're one of the 5 million students picking up GCSE and IGCSE results, and one of the 200,000 getting your A Level and SQA results, there is an array of free ways to eat out on results day. Follow all your favourite restaurants on social as this is where they announce their free offers. Below is a breakdown of what to expect based on what they offered in 2024.

Here's what you need to know:

Restaurant	Offer
Nandos	If you want a free cheeky Nando’s on your results day, your luck may be in. Last year, they offered all school and college students a free ¼ chicken or starter when they showed their student ID and results at the till. Just spend £7 or more and order to eat in or collect on the go.
Wagamama	Wagamama, launched its first-ever A-Level results day freebie last year, so fingers crossed it will happen again. Last year, it was a 'no purchase required' event, and you could snag a free side and drink. The only requirement was to sign up to Wagamama’s loyalty programme and show your results.
Frankie & Benny's	Last year, students received a free Margherita or Pepperoni pizza on GCSE results day when they purchased a large soft drink and showed their results. Only 50 offers per restaurant, so head there as quickly as possible on the day.
Bella Italia	Bella Italia, always offer 30% off your bill on results day. Check the website for details.
TGIF	Last year, TGIF offered 24% off food on results day for you and up to 5 guests, which is a significant discount.
Chiquito	Those with results could claim one free portion of Loaded Nachos (Chicken & Chorizo or Pibil Pulled Jackfruit) when they bought one large soft drink. Fifty were available at each branch on the day, so arrive quickly.
Check the websites of all participating restaurants for their terms and conditions.	And don’t forget your student ID and results.

Days out | Theme Parks

Ask any teen what they want to do with their friends this summer, and the words' theme park' are likely to come up.

This makes theme parks one of the best celebratory treats for teens. Not only does a ticket mean they get to enjoy the treat with their friends, but it also hits all those adrenaline and fast food teen markers. Plus, if you shop smartly, it doesn't cost the earth.

Here's where to buy tickets:

Sixth formers and students with a valid student ID can receive up to 61% off at Thorpe Park, making a day ticket £22 (book online) compared to £61 at the gate.
If you're a GCSE student currently, you can get an Online Advance 1 Day Ticket for £29.
Alton Towers offers a great deal of up to 57% off if you book tickets in advance, making a day pass £29 compared to £68 at the gate.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach offers 10% off to students, making entry £40.50. Although this park is steeper than others, it provides a discount for groups of up to 10 people and features attractions such as adventure golf, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and food deals available within the park.
Dreamland in Margate is free to enter for the whole summer holiday.

If your teen is not into roller coasters or you don't live near a theme park, days out in general are a great way to celebrate their achievements.

Cineworld currently has 25% off Unlimited membership. Film fans can watch as many movies as they like this summer (£12.99 a month): no online booking fee, advance screenings and discounts on food and drink.
Hollywood Bowl offers a 10% student discount and is also offering 25% off select morning and weekend tickets.
If you want to do something as a family, Virgin Experience Days is offering up to 75% off selected family days out. A Supercar Blast Driving Experience for two costs £60, with a choice of Ferraris, Mustangs, and more. Or the Go Ape Treetop Challenge for four people, £140 (35 locations in the UK).
There's also 20% off experiences at Red Letter Days. A Visit to Port Lympne Reserve, Truck Safari and Afternoon Tea for Two is only £115, and various stadium tours around the UK from only £30.

City breaks and holidays

A city break or mini holiday may seem an excessive reward gift, but there are some very cost-effective ways to give your teen this kind of treat.

For starters, not all city breaks need to be abroad. Below are some of the best ideas for money-saving city breaks around the UK. Plus, check out our post on railcard discounts to find the best budget ways to get around the UK.

Stay at Pinewood Pod with a safari thrown in for up to four people at Port Lympne Hotel and reserve with Red Letter Days for £214. This includes a stay in a heated Pinewood Pod for up to four guests, a safari at Port Lympne (featuring 900 animals in their habitats), access to the park’s restaurants, free Wi-Fi, bedding, and tea-making facilities.
Liverpool has been voted the best city in the UK for a mini break, beating London. Which? says it scores highly for cultural sights, accommodation, and food—a city break to the city costs from just £100 per person for a two-night hotel break.
If your teen is looking for water parks, beaches, and surfing, Parkdean Resorts in Newquay, Cornwall, offers three nights from £229 in early September, along with hot tub lodges from £169.

If you are looking for something further afield, check out our post on cheap destinations and take a look at these last-minute offers:

Eurostar has up to 50% off last-minute Paris Tickets or £39 one-way fares to Paris, Amsterdam, Lille and Brussels.
LoveHolidays is offering a city break to Rome in September for two people at £129 per person, including flights. An ideal student trip as the stay is at Seven Hills Camping & Village. The resort offers both bungalows and camping facilities.
LoveHolidays also offers £149 per person city break trips to Paris, Budapest, and Prague.
OnTheBeach is offering last-minute 7-day summer breaks to Turkey and Spain from £257 pp.

Festival fun

The way to most students' hearts is tickets to a festival. However, many are expensive, so choose your gift carefully, taking into account transportation and safety. Also, as many festival tickets have already sold out, ensure no one gets scammed on the ticket front by:

If you can't use the official site, only use trusted ticket resale sites, such as Ticketmaster , Twickets, or AXS' official resale sites.
Always double-check the URL and exercise caution when clicking through to sites from Google search results that may appear legitimate but are scams.
Never use marketplaces like Facebook or Gumtree to buy festival tickets.
Never pay by bank transfer or in cash; always use PayPal to ensure your protection.
Request proof of purchase (a screenshot with the order number and email).
Check the festival sites before buying second-hand tickets to ensure they are valid. Some festivals require an ID to match the name on the ticket.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Finally, be wary of printed tickets, as scammers can distribute copies of the same ticket to multiple buyers. Mobile entry (entry via tickets on your phone) is the easiest and safest way to access tickets to your events, as they have unique barcodes that refresh every 15 seconds to help prevent theft or copies.

If you'd like to buy a festival ticket to celebrate grades, here are some of the best festivals happening from August onwards:

Deva, Chester: Featuring the Happy Mondays, Gloria Gaynor, Matt Goss. August 7th - 10th.
Green Man, Brecon Beacons: Featuring Kneecap, Beth Gibbons, Underworld. August 14th - 17th.
Reading Festival: Featuring Hozier, Chappell Roan, Travis Scott. August 21st - 24th.
Big Feastival, Chipping Norton: Featuring Faithless, The Wombats, Tom Walker. August 22nd - 24th.
Radio 2 in the Park, Chelmsford, Essex: Featuring DJ Spoony, Bryan Adams, and Rylan. September 5th - 7th.

BBQ, viral gifts and tech

Results day is always a huge achievement, no matter what grades your kids get, but as we said above, you don’t need to splurge out to make it special. Luckily, there are plenty of low-cost, high-impact ways to celebrate without breaking the bank:

For instance, you could throw a budget-friendly party for friends and family. This could be a budget BBQ, a picnic in the park, or a movie marathon night. And if you do want to buy a special present, TikTok, as ever, has some great ideas for the lastest viral gifts.

Here are 10 of the best:

Labubu dolls - monsters from a children’s book series that are now a fashion accessory. Pop Mart brick-and-mortar stores, the platform’s online store, and its TikTok live streams, which are usually held from 2 pm to 7 pm UK time on a Friday, according to the Pop Mart TikTok page.
Perfume is another notable trend on TikTok, with the brand Phlur leading the way this year. Nab a bottle of Phlur Coconut Skin Body Mist, £17 at Space NK.
Noise-cancelling headphones. Try the Sound Core Q21i Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones, £39.99 from Currys (a £30 discount off the RRP).
Phone chargers. Try the Portable Charger Mini Power Bank & 4 Built-in Cords, supporting iPhone 15, 14, and 13, Samsung Galaxy S23, S22, and Android devices, including AirPods Pro, for £16.99 from Amazon.
Trainers. Adidas, Nike, JD Sports, Foot Locker, Sole Trader, and Office all have excellent sales on trainers this month.
Hoodie. Nothing says summer to a teen like an oversized, oversized hoodie. Urban Outfitters, Nike, H&M, Pretty Little Things, and Bershka all have 50% sales on at the moment.
Student tech - hit two birds with one stone and gift some student tech for your teen's next academic or work steps.
Uber gift card. What does every teen need? Money for lifts and food!
Korean skincare and haircare - the best place to find up to 50% off all the most popular brands is Stylevana.
AirPods - new generation Apple AirPods start from £129, but refurbished models (only a manufacturer, a retailer, or a professional reseller can sell a refurbished item, as they will have professionally restored it, ensuring it comes with a warranty), this is different from second-hand prices, which start from just £45.

If you found this post helpful, take a look at our other posts on where kids can eat for free during the summer holidays. Best student tech for all budgets. How to Save Money on School Uniforms, Free Ideas for Summer Holidays 2025, and Railcard Discounts: How to Save Big.