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| 'Five good GCSEs' obtained by 59% | 'Five good GCSEs' obtained by 59% |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Latest statistics show 59% of England's secondary school pupils achieved five or more qualifications equivalent to GCSE grade C or above in 2006. | Latest statistics show 59% of England's secondary school pupils achieved five or more qualifications equivalent to GCSE grade C or above in 2006. |
| This was 1.9 percentage points higher than in 2005, at the end of Key Stage 4 of the curriculum, when most are 16. | This was 1.9 percentage points higher than in 2005, at the end of Key Stage 4 of the curriculum, when most are 16. |
| It was 58.1% on the old measure: the performance of 15-year-olds. | It was 58.1% on the old measure: the performance of 15-year-olds. |
| Attainment on the new standard for this year's league tables - five good grades including English and maths GCSEs - was 45.8%, up 0.9 percentage point. | Attainment on the new standard for this year's league tables - five good grades including English and maths GCSEs - was 45.8%, up 0.9 percentage point. |
| Girls continued to outperform boys, particularly at the higher grades: 63.9% of girls achieving five or more grade C or above and 54.3% of boys. | Girls continued to outperform boys, particularly at the higher grades: 63.9% of girls achieving five or more grade C or above and 54.3% of boys. |
| There are marked differences between state schools and the independent sector. | There are marked differences between state schools and the independent sector. |
| Of the 47,540 privately-educated pupils, 88.1% got five good GCSEs by the end of Key Stage 4, 72.7% including English and maths. | Of the 47,540 privately-educated pupils, 88.1% got five good GCSEs by the end of Key Stage 4, 72.7% including English and maths. |
| END OF KEY STAGE 4 Five or more grades A*-C: 59.0%girls: 63.9%boys: 54.3%state schools: 56.7%independent: 88.1%Including English and maths: 45.8%girls: 50.2%boys: 41.5%state schools: 43.6%independent: 72.7% In state-maintained schools, 56.7% of the 644,658 pupils got five good grades, 43.6% including English and maths. | END OF KEY STAGE 4 Five or more grades A*-C: 59.0%girls: 63.9%boys: 54.3%state schools: 56.7%independent: 88.1%Including English and maths: 45.8%girls: 50.2%boys: 41.5%state schools: 43.6%independent: 72.7% In state-maintained schools, 56.7% of the 644,658 pupils got five good grades, 43.6% including English and maths. |
| In the new academies, 49.1% got five good grades - and 30.9% including English and maths. | In the new academies, 49.1% got five good grades - and 30.9% including English and maths. |
| The government's national target - which relates to 16-year-olds - is that by 2008, 60% will achieve the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A* to C. | The government's national target - which relates to 16-year-olds - is that by 2008, 60% will achieve the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A* to C. |
| The Department for Education and Skills has not been meeting its 2002 spending review target for an annual improvement of two percentage points. | The Department for Education and Skills has not been meeting its 2002 spending review target for an annual improvement of two percentage points. |
| It says the average annual rise has been 1.6 points. | It says the average annual rise has been 1.6 points. |
| As well as GCSEs the statistics include GNVQs and other vocationally-related qualifications - and also just over 7,000 AS-levels taken early by some students. | As well as GCSEs the statistics include GNVQs and other vocationally-related qualifications - and also just over 7,000 AS-levels taken early by some students. |
| They are provisional, and are now being checked for the final school-by-school league tables for 2006 which will be published in January. | They are provisional, and are now being checked for the final school-by-school league tables for 2006 which will be published in January. |
| 'Not complacent' | 'Not complacent' |
| Schools Minister Jim Knight said he wanted to congratulate school staff, pupils and parents on "these excellent results", which showed improvements across the board. | Schools Minister Jim Knight said he wanted to congratulate school staff, pupils and parents on "these excellent results", which showed improvements across the board. |
| "The last few weeks have seen a range of pessimists criticise our schools and teachers, describing even quickly improving schools as failing," he said. | "The last few weeks have seen a range of pessimists criticise our schools and teachers, describing even quickly improving schools as failing," he said. |
| "In actual fact, the results today show that fewer schools are failing their pupils with a record proportion of children leaving with five good passes including English and maths and more and more children hitting the highest grades. | "In actual fact, the results today show that fewer schools are failing their pupils with a record proportion of children leaving with five good passes including English and maths and more and more children hitting the highest grades. |
| "But more needs to be done. One child not reaching their full potential in one school is one too many," he added. | "But more needs to be done. One child not reaching their full potential in one school is one too many," he added. |
| Core concerns | Core concerns |
| The Conservatives said the detailed statistics raised grave concerns about the country's ability to compete with highly educated young people in India and China. | The Conservatives said the detailed statistics raised grave concerns about the country's ability to compete with highly educated young people in India and China. |
| Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said the gap between the headline figure and those who had obtained English and maths had widened for the seventh year running, to a record 13 percentage points. | Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said the gap between the headline figure and those who had obtained English and maths had widened for the seventh year running, to a record 13 percentage points. |
| It was 18 points if science was included - and 26 when a modern foreign language was taken into account. | |
| This means that three-quarters of 16-year-olds are not achieving a C grade or higher in this important combination of core academic subjects," he said. | This means that three-quarters of 16-year-olds are not achieving a C grade or higher in this important combination of core academic subjects," he said. |
| "This is not a trend that points to increasing standards in our schools." | "This is not a trend that points to increasing standards in our schools." |
| Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Sarah Teather said the government should be ashamed that so many young people did not have a sound grasp of maths and English. | |
| ¿Getting more students to take more GCSE subjects is pointless until we¿ve got a handle on why so many struggle with basic skills," she said. | |
| Advanced level | Advanced level |
| The A-level and AS-level results have also been published and, for the first time, include a much wider range of other, vocational Level 3 qualifications. | The A-level and AS-level results have also been published and, for the first time, include a much wider range of other, vocational Level 3 qualifications. |
| As a result, a new points score has been devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. | As a result, a new points score has been devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. |
| The average points per candidate were 737.7. | The average points per candidate were 737.7. |
| On the old measure, which used the university admissions service "tariff", this was 287.4, which was 9.6 higher than in 2005. | On the old measure, which used the university admissions service "tariff", this was 287.4, which was 9.6 higher than in 2005. |
| Most candidates (94.5%) achieved the equivalent of two or more A-level passes, up 1.3 percentage points. | Most candidates (94.5%) achieved the equivalent of two or more A-level passes, up 1.3 percentage points. |
| More than one in 10 candidates (10.6%) achieved at least three A grades, up 1.1 percentage points from the previous year. | More than one in 10 candidates (10.6%) achieved at least three A grades, up 1.1 percentage points from the previous year. |