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GCSE results: Nail-biting wait for grades GCSE results: Pass rates and top grades edge upwards
(32 minutes later)
More than 700,000 teenagers are receiving their GCSE results, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, amid claims some exams were too hard. There has been a slight increase in the GCSE pass rate and the percentage of top grades this year, despite concerns about the difficulty of exams.
GCSEs in England have been overhauled in recent years to make them tougher. And a new numerical 9-to-1 grading system has been introduced. The pass rate edged up to 67.3% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - up 0.4 percentage points on last year.
Head teachers say some lower-attaining pupils have been so demoralised they refused to sit the exams. The percentage of papers given a top grade (7 or A and above) rose 0.3 percentage points to 20.8% on 2018.
England's exams regulator insists it is keeping standards the same over time. The rise comes as head teachers in England warned toughened GCSEs were demoralising some candidates.
Exam boards do this during the marking process by making adjustments to grade boundaries, having married the difficulty of papers with the predicted ability of the group of students sitting the exams. More than 700,000 teenagers are receiving their GCSE results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after a string of reforms to the exams system.
This means the percentages achieving different grades nationally do not change very much from year to year. A new numerical grading system and tougher exams have been introduced in England, while elsewhere many GCSEs are still graded A* to G.
The same process happens in the other nations - but in Wales, where different exams are sat, there is an A*-to-G grading system. In England, 837 candidates got a clean sweep of 9s - the very top grade - in all their subjects.
And in Northern Ireland, pupils are receiving their results in a mix of letters and numbers, owing to the combination of examinations taken. However, head teachers have warned that some lower-attaining pupils have been so disillusioned they refused to sit the exams or even their mocks.
Nearly all respondents to an Association of School and College Leaders survey of 554 schools in England said the new exams, which cover a wider syllabus, were harder. "This has never happened before," said one deputy head, responding to an Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) survey.
One deputy head said: "Lower-attaining students are completely demoralised by these exams. England's exams regulator Ofqual and the exams board insist they are keeping standards the same over time through a system of comparable outcomes.
"We have an increasing number refusing to attempt mocks and actual exams. Exam boards do this by making adjustments to grade boundaries during the marking process, having married the difficulty of papers with the predicted ability of the group of students sitting the exams.
"This has never happened before." This means the percentages achieving different grades nationally never changes very much from year to year.
'I cannot do this' But where exams are perceived harder, the grade boundaries may be lowered. For example, on Pearson/Edexcel's higher maths paper, the pass mark - (a 4 in England) - was just 22%.
An assistant head said the exams had been designed without a thought for low-attaining pupils or those with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the comparable outcomes system ensured that candidates were not treated unfairly by the raising of standards.
He said: "I cannot think of anything more dispiriting than going through school thinking every day, 'I cannot do this.' But that is the reality for many students." But Geoff Barton, ASCL general secretary, said while the increased rigour may have been in the interest of the more able students, it had come at the expense of the more vulnerable ones.
Geoff Barton, the association's general secretary, said ministers had increased rigour in the interest of the more able students and at the expense of the more vulnerable.
He called for the exams to be tweaked to make them "less of an ordeal" and said a more "humane way" to assess the abilities of young people was required.He called for the exams to be tweaked to make them "less of an ordeal" and said a more "humane way" to assess the abilities of young people was required.
There were an estimated 5.2 million GCSE entries this summer - up 50,000 on the previous year. The National Education Union warned of the impact these tougher exams were having on student mental health and wellbeing, adding that many young people were left feeling "disillusioned, disengaged and stressed".
'Disillusioned'
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wished students, teachers and parents the best for their results.
"It's a day that marks the culmination of years of hard work and opens doors that can create life-changing opportunities," he said.
"The work this government has done to drive up standards means there has never been a better time to go on to further study.
"We will continue to focus on discipline, outcomes and standards, so whatever path they choose, young people will get a better and better education so they can be full of confidence about their future."
But the National Education Union warned of the impact these tougher exams were having on student mental health and wellbeing.
Assistant general secretary Nansi Ellis said excessive content crammed into too short a time had created an exam system "that is largely about regurgitating facts, with very little time for thinking or deeper learning".
"Not only does this fail to reflect students' ability," she said, "but it is leading to many feeling disillusioned, disengaged and stressed."
Last week, a leaked document revealed the low number of marks required to achieve a grade A in some A-level subjects.Last week, a leaked document revealed the low number of marks required to achieve a grade A in some A-level subjects.
Teachers and students had already complained about the difficulty of some maths papers in particular.Teachers and students had already complained about the difficulty of some maths papers in particular.
Girls are still out-performing boys at every GCSE grade, with more getting 7s/As, 4/Cs and Gs/1, but in Maths is boys still outperform girls.
There were an estimated 5.2 million GCSE entries this summer - up 50,000 on the previous year.
Are your GCSE results not what you expected? If you didn't get what you were hoping for, get in touch and put your questions on what to do next to our experts. A selection will be answered in our coverage. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are your GCSE results not what you expected? If you didn't get what you were hoping for, get in touch and put your questions on what to do next to our experts. A selection will be answered in our coverage. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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