GCSE statistics: This year's results in numbers

Students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales have received their GCSE results, with pass rates rising in all three countries
Results were initially calculated using a controversial algorithm that was scrapped at the eleventh hour in favour of using grades submitted by teachers
REUTERS
David Child20 August 2020

Hundreds of thousands of youngsters have today received their GCSE results, with the proportion of top grades surging to a record high after scores were based on teachers' estimates amid cancelled exams due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than one in four GCSE entries in England scored one of the three top grades this year, up from just over a fifth last summer, figures from exams regulator Ofqual showed on Thursday.

Results were initially calculated using a controversial algorithm that was scrapped at the eleventh hour in favour of using grades submitted by teachers.

The Government was forced into a U-turn over the system after an outcry over A-level results last week, which saw some pupils downgraded by up to three grades by the algorithm.

With that in mind, here's the rundown of all the GCSE results day 2020 official figures.

Lucy Young

What are the pass rates this year?

Traditional A*-G GCSE grades have been scrapped and replaced in England with a 9-1 system, with 9 the highest result. A 4 is broadly equivalent to a C grade, and a 7 broadly equivalent to an A.

The new grades system was phased in over a four-year period, with core subjects including maths and English being among the first topics to be affected by the new system in 2017.

More than three in four (78.8 per cent) of entries were awarded at least a 4 in England this summer. The figure marks an 8.9 percentage point uptick on last year's results, data from Ofqual shows.

The proportion of students who received a grade 7 or above meanwhile hit a record high based on available data with 25.9 per cent of all entries obtaining such a mark, up from 20.7 per cent in 2019.

The overall GCSE pass rate also rose to 99.6 per cent from 98.3 per cent last year.

The most popular subject this year was the science double award with 814,708 entries, followed by mathematics (734,301) and English (733,551). The least popular subject was engineering with 2,818 entries.

Meanwhile, the proportion of entries receiving top grades (7 or above) in mathematics rose from 15.9 per cent to 19.0 per cent, while in English it jumped from 13.9 per cent to 18.7 per cent.

In three subjects, over half of all entries were graded at level 7 or above: chemistry (53.2 per cent of entries), physics (53.0 per cent of entries) and biology (52.8 per cent of entries).

The biggest jump in percentage points in the proportion of entries receiving the top grade in a single subject was in engineering, where the figure rose from 11.3 per cent in 2019 to 26.4 per cent in 2020.

The overall GCSE pass rate in England rose to 99.6 per cent this year
PA

In Northern Ireland, outcomes increased across all grades, with 37.1 per cent of pupils achieving grade A* to A - up by 5.7 percentage points on last year.

The proportion of pupils receiving A* to C grades also increased, up 7.6 percentage points to 89.4 per cent, while the number receiving A*-G grades increased by 0.9 percentage points to 99.7 per cent.

And in Wales, the first official estimates from exam regulator Qualifications Wales showed almost 26 per cent of pupils had received A*-A grades, compared to 18.4 per cent in 2019.

More than 74 per cent received A*-C grades, compared to 62.8 per cent in 2019.

Meanwhile, almost all pupils - 99.6 per cent - received passes at A*-G grades, compared to 97.2 per cent last year.

What has the reaction to the results been?

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said those receiving their GCSE results today should feel “incredibly proud” of what they have achieved “in the face of immense challenge and uncertainty”.

He said: “This is an exciting day and young people now can look forward to taking their next steps, whether that is returning to schools and colleges in September to do A-levels or our brand new T-levels, or taking one of the many other routes available like starting an apprenticeship.

“I also want to pay a special tribute to teachers and school leaders this year who have shown dedication, resilience and ingenuity to support their students to get to this moment.”

Stormont education minister Peter Weir also issued a statement congratulating GCSE students.

“These outcomes reflect the assessments made by the people who know you best, your teachers,” he said.

“I appreciate the past few months have been particularly challenging but our young people have demonstrated a determination not to let this pandemic put their lives on hold. Today, they have been awarded qualifications which reflect their hard work and will enable them to move forward confidently with their future plans.

“Teachers and school leaders had a very difficult job to do and I want to express my appreciation for their hard work and commitment to their students in challenging circumstances.”

But there was also anger from some quarters after the exams chaos continued on Thursday when BTEC students were told they could no longer receive their grades - which had been due to be published - after exam board Pearson announced on Wednesday night they were being pulled so that they could be re-graded in line with GCSEs and A Levels.

The decision affected hundreds of thousands of pupils and prompted a stern rebuke from the National Education Union’s co-general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted.

She said the Government must now “must put an end” to the “incompetence” around the issuing of the BTEC results, adding: “Teachers know their students better than any model or algorithm and it will be a relief to many that the grades they receive are now a fairer reflection of their achievements."

Dr Bousted continued: “To add to the GCSE and A-level fiasco, the decision by (examiner) Pearson not to issue BTEC results at the eleventh hour compounds the upsetting and chaotic experience for students.

“Government must put an end to this incompetence and work quickly to ensure every young person gets the grades they deserve to move on to the next stages of their lives.”

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