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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| GCSE top-grade pass rate rises | GCSE top-grade pass rate rises |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| GCSE grades have improved again, with more top grades being achieved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | GCSE grades have improved again, with more top grades being achieved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| More than 600,000 students are getting their results, and almost one in five exam entries has been awarded an A* or A. The overall pass rate fell slightly. | More than 600,000 students are getting their results, and almost one in five exam entries has been awarded an A* or A. The overall pass rate fell slightly. |
| The proportion of entries getting grades of A* to C rose from 62.4% to 63.3%, while 19.5% got an A or A*. | The proportion of entries getting grades of A* to C rose from 62.4% to 63.3%, while 19.5% got an A or A*. |
| The gap between boys and girls continues to narrow. Science entries rose, but French and German fell. | The gap between boys and girls continues to narrow. Science entries rose, but French and German fell. |
| However, more people are taking Spanish (entries are up 3 percentage points) and other modern languages as a whole - these include Chinese, Arabic and Polish - are up 5.5 percentage points. | However, more people are taking Spanish (entries are up 3 percentage points) and other modern languages as a whole - these include Chinese, Arabic and Polish - are up 5.5 percentage points. |
| There was a tiny fall in the overall pass rate - entries marked from A* to G. It fell from 98.1% to 98%. The total number of entries rose a little to just over 5.8m. | There was a tiny fall in the overall pass rate - entries marked from A* to G. It fell from 98.1% to 98%. The total number of entries rose a little to just over 5.8m. |
| The proportion of entries achieving A* to A rose from 19.1% to 19.5%. | The proportion of entries achieving A* to A rose from 19.1% to 19.5%. |
| The improvement this year is testament both of effective teaching and the dedication and hard work of students Jim Sinclair, JCQ | |
| Results in both English and Maths improved slightly, with more pupils scoring at least a grade C in these two key subjects than last year. | Results in both English and Maths improved slightly, with more pupils scoring at least a grade C in these two key subjects than last year. |
| In English, the proportion being graded from A* to C went up from 61.6% to 62.2%. For maths, the proportion rose from 54.3% to 55.2%. | In English, the proportion being graded from A* to C went up from 61.6% to 62.2%. For maths, the proportion rose from 54.3% to 55.2%. |
| Analysts had said schools in England in particular had been under pressure to improve in maths. The government had said its priority was to get the basics right. | Analysts had said schools in England in particular had been under pressure to improve in maths. The government had said its priority was to get the basics right. |
| Girls still outshine boys, but boys continue to catch up across the grades, narrowing the gap. | Girls still outshine boys, but boys continue to catch up across the grades, narrowing the gap. |
| For example, in grades A* to C, the gap narrowed by 0.6 percentage points. | For example, in grades A* to C, the gap narrowed by 0.6 percentage points. |
| 'Positive signs' | 'Positive signs' |
| The statistics were published by the Joint Council for Qualifications - the umbrella group for all the main examination boards. | The statistics were published by the Joint Council for Qualifications - the umbrella group for all the main examination boards. |
| Its director, Jim Sinclair, said: "The improvement in the GCSE results this year is testament both of effective teaching and the dedication and hard work of students. | Its director, Jim Sinclair, said: "The improvement in the GCSE results this year is testament both of effective teaching and the dedication and hard work of students. |
| "There are positive signs overall, with increased entries in mathematics and science, and the performance in all subject areas improving." | "There are positive signs overall, with increased entries in mathematics and science, and the performance in all subject areas improving." |
| Fewer students are studying foreign languages. | Fewer students are studying foreign languages. |
| GCSEs: Key facts 19.5% entries graded A* or A63.3% graded A* to COverall pass rate 98%French and German entries downSingle science entries up | |
| Exam entries in German were down 10.2 percentage points from last year to just 81,000, while French fell 8.2 points. Teenagers at state schools no longer have to study a foreign language after the age of 14. | Exam entries in German were down 10.2 percentage points from last year to just 81,000, while French fell 8.2 points. Teenagers at state schools no longer have to study a foreign language after the age of 14. |
| There was also a fall in the number of students taking history - entries were down 1.6 percentage points. | There was also a fall in the number of students taking history - entries were down 1.6 percentage points. |
| Subjects such as media studies, business, and statistics increased sharply. | Subjects such as media studies, business, and statistics increased sharply. |
| Schools minister Jim Knight congratulated students. | |
| He said was particularly pleased that the gap had narrowed a little further this year between boys and girls. | |
| "That's very encouraging," he said. "Girls outperform boys all over the western world, we need to do better particularly with English and writing." | |
| He acknowledged that some businesses were not happy with school leavers' basic skills. | |
| "They tell us that we are doing well on computing skills but we need to do better in English and maths." | |
| This was why schools were being required to meet "much tougher" standards in these core areas, he said. |