GCSE RESULTS: North East schools buck trend

The sharp drop in GCSE grades nationally does not mirror the regional picture, with top grades in the North East seeing the smallest change.
The North East has bucked the trend for GCSE pupils receiving the top grades.The North East has bucked the trend for GCSE pupils receiving the top grades.
The North East has bucked the trend for GCSE pupils receiving the top grades.

This year’s GCSE grades have seen a significant fall in pupils achieving A* and A grades. However, the official results show that while the North East has seen a dip of 0.3 per cent in numbers of pupils achieving the coveted top grades, it is the region with the smallest change since last year.

Other regions, such as the North West and Eastern Regions, have seen a one per cent drop since 2015, while the North East leads the way with the lowest drop, followed by London with 0.5 per cent.

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However, the region did experience a change for the worse in A* to C grades since 2015, down 2.1 per cent from last year’s 67.2 per cent.

The overall drop in GCSE grades is being blamed on the significant number of pupils aged 17 or over being required to resit English and maths. An extra 31,038 entries for English and 42,649 in maths have skewed this year’s results, as candidates resitting these exams have achieved significantly lower grades than their younger counterparts taking the exam for the first time.

Mike Parker, director of SCHOOLS NorthEast, said: “Nationally, schools were expecting mixed results and this year’s GCSEs are a reflection of the impact that ‘one-size-fits-all’ government policies can have on education.

“There are significant issues stemming from this year’s results that need addressing. The gender gap has widened further, with far more girls achieving grade C or above than boys. The choice of subjects remains heavily divided, continuing to fuel gender stereotypes; a far greater proportion of boys chose STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, while girls showed a heavy inclination toward humanities and social sciences.

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“The Government’s emphasis on the English Baccalaureate and the new Progress 8 assessment criteria seem to be putting schools off teaching more creative and vocational subjects. The Government should reconsider their approach and make sure they provide all pupils with the opportunity to excel, whether it is in English and maths or design and technology.”