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| GCSE results show significant decline | GCSE results show significant decline |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| This year's GCSE results have shown a significant fall - down to the lowest level since 2008. | |
| The overall proportion of entries achieving A* to C has declined by 2.1% points to 66.9%. Top A* grades have slipped by 0.1% points to 6.5%. | |
| This has been blamed on more pupils in England being required to re-sit English and maths. | |
| Schools Minister Nick Gibb said that 17 year olds who had successfully re-taken these GCSEs now had "better prospects". | |
| Michael Turner of the Joint Council for Qualifications, said there had been "significant movement in this year's entries, which impacts on results". | Michael Turner of the Joint Council for Qualifications, said there had been "significant movement in this year's entries, which impacts on results". |
| Impact of re-takes | |
| The results of more than five million GCSE entries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been published. | |
| This year's combined figures show a fall in both the overall pass rate and the proportion of top A* and A grades. | |
| This has been driven by a dip in England - as Northern Ireland's results improved and Wales remained stable. | |
| The fall in overall results has been attributed to a policy in England to encourage more pupils to get A* to C grade GCSEs in maths and English, which required re-sits for 17 year olds who missed these grades last year. | |
| There were more than 380,000 GCSE entries among these older pupils, re-taking English and maths after Year 11, up by a quarter on last year. | There were more than 380,000 GCSE entries among these older pupils, re-taking English and maths after Year 11, up by a quarter on last year. |
| Even without these older pupils re-sitting exams, there has been a fall in the results of 16 year olds, with the proportion getting A* to C declining by 1.3% points. | Even without these older pupils re-sitting exams, there has been a fall in the results of 16 year olds, with the proportion getting A* to C declining by 1.3% points. |
| This year's results were down for maths, English, history and geography. | This year's results were down for maths, English, history and geography. |
| Gender gap | |
| The gender gap has widened further - with 71.3% of entries by girls getting a C grade or above, compared with 62.4% of boys. | |
| While the overall results were downwards, in Northern Ireland the proportion of passes increased slightly to 79.1% and top A* grades rose to 9.3%. | While the overall results were downwards, in Northern Ireland the proportion of passes increased slightly to 79.1% and top A* grades rose to 9.3%. |
| In Wales, the level of A* to C passes remained at 66.6%, with A* grades rising slightly to 6.1%. | In Wales, the level of A* to C passes remained at 66.6%, with A* grades rising slightly to 6.1%. |
| There has been a continuing reduction in the number of pupils taking GCSEs a year early, down by about a quarter compared with last year. | There has been a continuing reduction in the number of pupils taking GCSEs a year early, down by about a quarter compared with last year. |
| League tables now only count the first time a pupil sits an exam, discouraging entries by younger pupils. | League tables now only count the first time a pupil sits an exam, discouraging entries by younger pupils. |
| This will be the last year before the start of a major change in how GCSEs are graded in England and how school performance is measured. | This will be the last year before the start of a major change in how GCSEs are graded in England and how school performance is measured. |
| A revised set of GCSE exams are going to graded by numbers - from 9 down to 1 - rather than the current letter-based system in a process that will be phased in from next year. | |
| There will also be a new way of assessing schools in England, to be introduced later this year, called Progress 8, which will measure how much progress pupils make in secondary schools, rather than their raw results. | |
| School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said he was "pleased to see that there are more GCSEs being taken in the core academic subjects, those that give students a wider range of opportunities. | |
| "And for those 17-year-olds who have struggled to achieve good grades in maths, we are seeing 4,000 more successful re-takes of those exams; delivering better prospects for every one of those young people." | |
| Are you awaiting GCSE results? Do you have questions for a GCSE results expert? Share your comments and questions via haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you awaiting GCSE results? Do you have questions for a GCSE results expert? Share your comments and questions via haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |