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| Students waiting for GCSE results | Students waiting for GCSE results |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Teenagers across Wales are waiting to receive their GCSE results following two years of coursework and exams. | Teenagers across Wales are waiting to receive their GCSE results following two years of coursework and exams. |
| Last year, 62.3% of students in Wales achieved grades A-star to C, with 6.3% achieving the top A-star grades. | Last year, 62.3% of students in Wales achieved grades A-star to C, with 6.3% achieving the top A-star grades. |
| The results will be published at 0930 BST and experts are waiting to see if boys have closed the gap on girls. | The results will be published at 0930 BST and experts are waiting to see if boys have closed the gap on girls. |
| In last year's results, nearly 60% of girls got five or more passes at C or above, compared with just over 48% of boys. | In last year's results, nearly 60% of girls got five or more passes at C or above, compared with just over 48% of boys. |
| Education Minister Jane Hutt is now so concerned by the gap that she has ordered an inquiry into why boys are lagging behind. | Education Minister Jane Hutt is now so concerned by the gap that she has ordered an inquiry into why boys are lagging behind. |
| Education Minister Jane Hutt is concerned by the gap between boys and girls | Education Minister Jane Hutt is concerned by the gap between boys and girls |
| The schools inspection service Estyn is due to report back on the issue in the autumn. | The schools inspection service Estyn is due to report back on the issue in the autumn. |
| Some experts believe the structure of some GCSE courses can favour girls, arguing that they are more likely to do well in coursework and longer-term projects than boys. | Some experts believe the structure of some GCSE courses can favour girls, arguing that they are more likely to do well in coursework and longer-term projects than boys. |
| There is also concern that doing well at school is not seen as "cool" by some boys. | There is also concern that doing well at school is not seen as "cool" by some boys. |
| But Derec Stockley, director of examinations and assessment at the WJEC said he wanted to challenge the view held by some that coursework put boys at a disadvantage. | But Derec Stockley, director of examinations and assessment at the WJEC said he wanted to challenge the view held by some that coursework put boys at a disadvantage. |
| "When we look at the work provided by boys and girls, there's very little difference between their levels of achievement," he said. | "When we look at the work provided by boys and girls, there's very little difference between their levels of achievement," he said. |
| Language concern | Language concern |
| "We're looking forward to what Estyn's report is going to say about why there is such a gap." | "We're looking forward to what Estyn's report is going to say about why there is such a gap." |
| Another big question is what the future holds for modern foreign languages. | Another big question is what the future holds for modern foreign languages. |
| Back in 2003, 10,100 students took French, but by last year, that figure had dropped to 8,851 and there are fears Thursday's figures could see a further fall. | Back in 2003, 10,100 students took French, but by last year, that figure had dropped to 8,851 and there are fears Thursday's figures could see a further fall. |
| German has also seen a big drop recently, from 2,706 in 2003 to 2,346 in 2006. | German has also seen a big drop recently, from 2,706 in 2003 to 2,346 in 2006. |