He was speaking as the number of entries being awarded at least a C grade was down from 2015, with just over two thirds getting a so-called 'good pass'.
Clive Ireson, from the Association of Christian Teachers told Premier that whatever the grades, it is important to support a young person.
He said: "Encourage the young person, because not every child is an academic child, and we are still are in this wanting everyone to go to university, which isn't the right way, we need to look for some children to actually get them into technical and training courses and apprenticeships and those sorts of things."
Clive Ireson said re-takes are one reason that GCSE grades have fallen across the board.
He said: "Those that were struggling had to retake it to continue with education.
"Great that some of them now have scored A to C, but there's numbers of others who haven't scored A to C.
"But we do need to celebrate the results today because so many children have scored so well."
He said it is important to see the positive too: "We do want to celebrate the work of so many children today, but of course the headline is that there's been a decline."
This year there was also a decline in the number of students getting A-stars and girls further increased their lead over boys.
This is the last year before a new grading system comes into force in England, next year papers will be awarded a 1-9 score, rather than A* to G.
Teachers have also warned that there is an "alarming drop" in the number of students sitting creative subjects at GCSE.
Listen to Premier's Marcus Jones speak to Clive Ireson here:
