Ahead of GCSE Results Day tomorrow, we are asking Suffolk and Essex parents about how their children felt in the run-up to GCSEs earlier this year.

Several headteachers in the region have already issued warnings about the reformed GCSEs which have undergone a major transformation to the controversial number-based grading system this summer.

Year 11 students have been guinea pigs for the tougher English and maths GCSE curriculums introduced in September 2015. The two subjects are the first to crossover to the nine-to-one grading scale, replacing the A*-G system which is being phased out over four years.

• See our ultimate guide to the new GCSEs here.

Fewer children are expected to attain the highest mark of nine – with seven to nine covering A and A* – and under half are expected to achieve the new pass mark of grade four (the old C).

The proportion of students gaining a grade four in English and maths is now the new benchmark, replacing the five good GCSEs measure.

• Can you answer these GCSE exam questions?

The new number system reflects the new rigorous and traditional curriculum designed to stretch pupils to the limits of their ability. The government believes it is the only way to compete with education powerhouses such as South Korea.