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| Pupils to discover GCSE results | Pupils to discover GCSE results |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are about to find out their GCSE results. | Hundreds of thousands of young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are about to find out their GCSE results. |
| Exam boards will also be publishing the national statistics for GCSE grades from exams taken this summer. | Exam boards will also be publishing the national statistics for GCSE grades from exams taken this summer. |
| Last year, the proportion of entries achieving at least a C grade rose to 68.8%. | Last year, the proportion of entries achieving at least a C grade rose to 68.8%. |
| But head teachers' leader Brian Lightman has warned of "volatility" in results, particularly in maths. | But head teachers' leader Brian Lightman has warned of "volatility" in results, particularly in maths. |
| This will be a transitional year, with some of the reforms to GCSEs in England having been introduced, but the changes to the grading system still to be implemented. | This will be a transitional year, with some of the reforms to GCSEs in England having been introduced, but the changes to the grading system still to be implemented. |
| Heads' worries | Heads' worries |
| Mr Lightman, general secretary of the ASCL head teachers' union, said it was important to recognise the hard work and achievement of pupils and their teachers. | Mr Lightman, general secretary of the ASCL head teachers' union, said it was important to recognise the hard work and achievement of pupils and their teachers. |
| But he warned that "there is a lot of uncertainty" among head teachers about the reliability of exam grades about to be published. | But he warned that "there is a lot of uncertainty" among head teachers about the reliability of exam grades about to be published. |
| "Heads are seeing results they just don't understand," he said. "Confidence is wavering." | "Heads are seeing results they just don't understand," he said. "Confidence is wavering." |
| There have also been suggestions that this year's results will see an overall improvement. | There have also been suggestions that this year's results will see an overall improvement. |
| Alan Smithers, director of the University of Buckingham's Centre for Education and Employment, said that the exam regulator Ofqual would want to achieve stability in results. | Alan Smithers, director of the University of Buckingham's Centre for Education and Employment, said that the exam regulator Ofqual would want to achieve stability in results. |
| But Prof Smithers said grades might be pushed up by changes to how pupils were entered in exams - including a reduction in pupils taking GCSEs a year early and schools using IGCSEs as well as GCSEs to maximise their chances. | But Prof Smithers said grades might be pushed up by changes to how pupils were entered in exams - including a reduction in pupils taking GCSEs a year early and schools using IGCSEs as well as GCSEs to maximise their chances. |
| This year's results will include pupils who had to re-take English or maths, as the government now requires young people who do not achieve A* to C grade in these subjects to carry on studying them at school or college. | This year's results will include pupils who had to re-take English or maths, as the government now requires young people who do not achieve A* to C grade in these subjects to carry on studying them at school or college. |
| Fewer exams | Fewer exams |
| There have been warnings from head teachers about confusion facing pupils after they receive their GCSE results, with not enough clarity about the separation of AS-levels and A-levels from this autumn. | There have been warnings from head teachers about confusion facing pupils after they receive their GCSE results, with not enough clarity about the separation of AS-levels and A-levels from this autumn. |
| Dame Joan McVittie, head teacher of Woodside High School in north London, said: "The information just isn't out there." | Dame Joan McVittie, head teacher of Woodside High School in north London, said: "The information just isn't out there." |
| Geoff Barton, head teacher of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds, said: "I'm not surprised that so many students and their parents feel bewildered by such a five-year welter of reforms, pronouncements and tinkering." | Geoff Barton, head teacher of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds, said: "I'm not surprised that so many students and their parents feel bewildered by such a five-year welter of reforms, pronouncements and tinkering." |
| This year group will have taken fewer public exams - and will face fewer from next year - than any other in recent times. | |
| Next year, they will become the first year without AS-levels in some subjects and, because of a teachers' boycott five years ago, many of them did not take Sats tests at the end of primary school. | |
| There have also been calls for GCSEs to become a less high profile exam, when young people are now required to stay in education or training until the age of 18. CBI chief John Cridland has argued for GCSEs to be scrapped. | There have also been calls for GCSEs to become a less high profile exam, when young people are now required to stay in education or training until the age of 18. CBI chief John Cridland has argued for GCSEs to be scrapped. |
| But the government has signalled that it will push for higher grades at GCSE in England. | But the government has signalled that it will push for higher grades at GCSE in England. |
| In the wake of the general election, plans were announced to improve "coasting" schools, with new targets that will require 60% of pupils to achieve five good GCSEs, including English and maths. | In the wake of the general election, plans were announced to improve "coasting" schools, with new targets that will require 60% of pupils to achieve five good GCSEs, including English and maths. |
| Have you got your GCSE results today? Do you have a question about what to do next? Send us your questions and we'll put a selection to our experts. | Have you got your GCSE results today? Do you have a question about what to do next? Send us your questions and we'll put a selection to our experts. |
| We will publish a selection of your questions and their answers. | We will publish a selection of your questions and their answers. |