GCSE high grades fall however stay over pre-Covid ranges

College students being awarded high grades of their GCSE exams has dropped from final yr, however stays larger than 2019, as grading returns to pre-pandemic ranges.

Figures present that 22 per cent of pupils have been awarded the highest grades of seven/A or above, down from 26.3 per cent in 2022 however up from 20.8 per cent in 2019.

It comes amid rising considerations over a north-south divide, with a breakdown of the outcomes exposing a giant regional distinction.

This kinds a part of a plan to carry grades all the way down to pre-pandemic ranges in England this yr, with the examination regulator beforehand warning colleges and headteachers to anticipate a drop in high GCSE grades.

It comes after Covid-19 led to a rise in grades in 2020 and 2021, with the outcomes based mostly on instructor assessments as an alternative of exams.

GCSE pupils within the UK final yr had a go charge of 73.2 per cent, in contrast with 67.3 per cent in 2019.

With efforts made to revive grading to related ranges to 2019, the variety of pupils in England attaining a minimum of a grade 4 in English and maths GCSE has fallen, which might affect whether or not they go on to sixth type, faculty or coaching.

In England, many pupils who fail English or maths GCSE should resit them till they’re able to depart faculty.

Conventional A*-G grades are utilized in Wales and Northern Eire whereas England’s outcomes have been changed with a 9-1 system, with 9 being the best. A 4 is taken into account the equal to a C or a regular go, and a 7 being equal to an A.

Based on figures from Ofqual, the variety of 16-year-old college students in England who obtained a 9 – the best grade below the numerical grading system – in all their topics has almost halved from final yr.

Some 1,150 16-year-olds in England taking a minimum of seven GCSEs achieved a grade 9 in all their topics, in contrast with 2,193 final yr and 837 in 2019.

Key topics akin to Arithmetic and English have seen a drop in highest grades, with 17.5 per cent attaining a 7/A or above in Maths in comparison with 20.1 per cent in 2022.

In English, high performing college students noticed a drop from 20.4 per cent all the way down to 16.3 per cent in comparison with final yr.

Final week, the proportion of A-level entries attaining high grades fell – with some 73,000 fewer high A-level grades than final yr – nevertheless it additionally remained above pre-pandemic ranges.

Ladies continued their lead over boys for the highest GCSE grades, with 24.9 per cent of entries awarded 7/A or above in contrast with 19.1 per cent for males – a spot of 5.8 share factors.

However the hole has narrowed from final yr when women have been forward of boys by 7.4 share factors (30.0 per cent women, 22.6 per cent boys) and from 2019 when women led by 6.5 share factors.

It’s the narrowest lead loved by women at 7/A since 2009.

Final yr’s GCSE ends in England noticed the widest hole in outcomes for a decade between deprived pupils and their better-off friends, with unions and headteachers noting an increase in nervousness within the aftermath of Covid-19 and the price of residing disaster.

Geoff Barton, common secretary of the Affiliation of College and School Leaders (ASCL), mentioned: “An infinite quantity of laborious work has gone into these {qualifications} in usually troublesome circumstances and the younger individuals receiving their outcomes immediately deserve nice credit score for what they’ve achieved.”

He added: “We might warning in opposition to direct comparisons between this yr’s grades and people in 2019 due to the disproportionate affect of the pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living disaster on younger individuals from deprived backgrounds.

“It’s possible that the outcomes for a lot of of those younger individuals will probably be affected by these elements and this may increasingly additionally affect on the outcomes of colleges which serve deprived communities.

“The Authorities has failed to understand the gravity of this challenge. It didn’t make investments sufficiently in training restoration from the pandemic – inflicting its personal restoration commissioner to resign in protest – and it has failed to handle the excessive stage of kid poverty within the UK. We’re involved that it will result in a widening of the attainment hole between wealthy and poor.”

Faculties minister Nick Gibb mentioned variations in GCSE grading throughout the UK shouldn’t drawback pupils.

Requested if some pupils have been being deprived by way of a scarcity of continuity throughout all 4 nations of the UK in the case of grading, he instructed GB Information: “No they gained’t be as a result of the sixth type or wherever they’ll go subsequent within the subsequent part of their training, they take that into consideration, they know there’s a distinction strategy to grading.

“And we noticed that final week with A Ranges, that universities are conscious of the totally different approaches to those {qualifications} in several elements of the UK. And the identical applies to GCSEs. Most younger individuals will transition to an establishment native to them.”

Invoice Watkin, chief government of the Sixth Kind Schools Affiliation (SFCA), mentioned it was “potential” that some sixth kinds and faculties will decrease the GCSE grades required for entry in contrast with final yr.

He mentioned: “I believe entry stage necessities in comparison with the final two years could be flexed to accommodate individuals who have gotten decrease grades than they might have gotten within the final two years.

“However what no-one desires to do is to boost false hopes by saying ‘Oh, you’ve obtained 3s and 4s in your GCSEs. I’m positive final yr they might have been 4s and 5s so let’s put you on an A-level course’. As a result of the underside line is should you do that you simply danger a teen being overstretched and really sad.”

Training secretary Gillian Keegan mentioned: “This cohort have proven large resilience in recent times and ought to be happy with all of the work they’ve accomplished to achieve this milestone.

“Grading is returning to regular which suggests a pupil who would have achieved a grade 4 earlier than the pandemic is simply as prone to obtain that this yr.”

She added: “College students now have extra choices to select from than ever earlier than – akin to our high-quality T-levels, together with authorized and agriculture ranging from this September.

“They will additionally take A-levels or earn and be taught on a variety of apprenticeships, from journalism to accountancy.

“Whichever path college students resolve to take, they’ll have faith it’ll set them up for a profitable profession. I want everybody the perfect as they transfer on to their subsequent chapter.”