Pupils celebrate highest ever GCSE results with 30 per cent at top grades

Pupils celebrated the very best ever GCSE outcomes this morning with three in 10 outcomes on the prime grades.

The determine was twice as excessive at personal faculties — 60 per cent — and even higher at selective state faculties, with 68 per cent of entries graded a minimum of a 7 or an A.

Women strengthened their lead over boys. A 3rd of GCSEs taken by women had been graded a minimum of a 7 or an A, in contrast with 1 / 4 of boys. The hole between richer and poorer pupils widened.

The grade inflation was not as extreme as in A-levels earlier this week, however the quantity of prime grades awarded rose significantly. Greater than 30 per cent of GCSEs taken by 16-year-olds had been graded a minimum of a 7 or an A, up from 27.7 per cent final yr. The proportion at grade 4 or a C elevated by solely 0.2 share factors to 79.1. The general go mark fell by 0.5 share factors to 99.1 per cent.

Exams had been cancelled this yr for the second yr in a row and changed by trainer assessed grades, with minimal moderation by Ofqual. Each college and faculty had to supply supporting proof to the regulator.

Outcomes for all age teams within the UK, together with these taking resits, confirmed the proportion reaching a minimum of a grade 7 elevated from 26.2 per cent final yr to twenty-eight.9 per cent, whereas at grade 4 it was 77.1 per cent, up from 76.3 per cent.

The proportion awarded a grade 8 minimal was 16.6 per cent and seven.4 per cent had been graded a 9, the very best grade.

Boys reaching a grade 7 elevated by 2.2 share factors to 24.4 per cent however the proportion of women at this stage elevated by 3.2 share factors to 33.4 per cent.

Straight 9s had been achieved in a minimum of seven topics by 3,606 pupils in contrast with 2,645 final yr, and 4 occasions the 837 in 2019, the final yr wherein exams had been sat.

Of GCSEs taken at personal faculties, 61 per cent had been a minimum of a 7, in accordance Ofqual evaluation regarding all age teams in England, together with these taking resits. The determine was 68.4 per cent for grammar faculties.

This was in contrast with 26.1 per cent of scholars at complete faculties and 28.1 per cent for these at academies. Unbiased faculties had the most important absolute progress, of 4 share factors, however one of many smallest relative growths in contrast with final yr. The largest relative progress was for sixth-form schools.

Ofqual’s evaluation stated: “The small general enhance in outcomes this yr in comparison with earlier years could partly replicate the change in evaluation preparations, for instance, academics could have given college students some advantage of the doubt throughout the a number of alternatives many needed to present what they’d discovered.”

Michelle Meadows, Ofqual’s deputy chief regulator, stated the hole between free college meal pupils and different classmates had widened by round one tenth of a grade. This equated to at least one grade decrease throughout 10 GCSEs taken by a pupil.

She stated it was probably that the pandemic may have had an impression on alternatives for various teams to be taught.

The largest educating union, the Nationwide Schooling Union, stated all pupils deserved their outcomes however urged GCSEs must be scrapped or overhauled. Dr Mary Bousted, joint basic secretary, stated: “Each grade is evidenced by examples of scholars’ work and efficiency and so everybody can depend on these grades to assist college students transfer on to their subsequent step. Like with A-Stage outcomes on Tuesday, any discuss of various profiles of grades should take into consideration an understanding that the system used this yr was completely different to each final yr and different years beforehand. To make comparisons with out this understanding can be inaccurate.

“It’s refreshing to know that every one college students will obtain a grade based mostly on their very own work and their very own advantage. In a traditional yr, the variety of prime grades is a comparatively fastened proportion and the choice about which grade a scholar will get comes right down to the place they sit within the rank of order of exams scores. This yr’s grades arguably inform you way more about what every particular person is aware of and may do.

“We’re clear that classes from the pandemic could be discovered which may enhance the evaluation system and are supporting an unbiased fee on evaluation and {qualifications}.”