Top GCSE grades fall but remain above pre-pandemic levels

Hundreds of thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their GCSE exam results on Thursday in a year when grades were expected to return to pre-pandemic levels in all three nations.

More than a fifth (21.8%) of UK GCSE entries were awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade – this year, down 0.2 percentage points on last year when 22.0% of entries achieved the top grades.

This is higher than the equivalent figure for 2019 – before the pandemic disrupted schooling – of 20.8%.

The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover GCSE entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The proportion of entries getting at least a 4 or a C grade – considered a “standard pass” – has fallen from 68.2% in 2023 to 67.6% this year – a drop of 0.6 percentage points, but higher than 67.3% in 2019.

The overall rate for grades 1/G or above is 97.9%, down from 98.0% in 2023 and 98.3% in 2019.

In England, exams regulator Ofqual said it expected this year’s national results to be “broadly similar” to last summer, when grades were brought back in line with pre-pandemic levels.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer – a year later than in England.

It comes after Covid-19 led to an increase in top GCSE and A-level grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams.

But last week, the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades rose on last year and surpassed pre-pandemic highs.

According to figures from Ofqual, the number of 16-year-old students in England who received a 9 – the highest grade under the numerical grading system – in all their subjects has risen on last year.

Some 1,270 16-year-olds in England taking at least seven GCSEs achieved a grade 9 in all their subjects, compared with 1,160 last year and 837 in 2019.

But the overall number of entries for GCSE has increased by 4.8% on last year.

While traditional A*-G grades are used in Northern Ireland and Wales, in England these have been replaced with a 9-1 system, where 9 is the highest.

A 4 is broadly equivalent to a C grade, and a 7 is broadly equivalent to an A.

The latest Ofqual figures show the attainment gap in GCSE results between private and state schools in England has widened at the top grades this year.

This summer, nearly half (48.4%) of private school entries scored a grade 7 and above compared to 19.4% of those at comprehensive schools – a gap of 29 percentage points. Last year this gap was 28.2 percentage points.

But the gap between private and comprehensive schools has narrowed compared to 2019 – when it was 29.3 percentage points.

Figures from JCQ show that London and the South East remain ahead in top grades compared to other regions of England, with more than a quarter of entries scoring at least a grade 7 (London 28.5%, South East 24.7%).

At the other end of the table, the North East has the lowest proportion, with 17.8% of entries scoring at least a grade 7.

The gulf between London and the North East has closed marginally – this year the gap was 10.7 percentage points while in 2023 it was 10.8 percentage points.

Many of the pupils who are receiving their GCSE results were in Year 7 when schools closed due to the pandemic.

Leaders in the education sector have warned that the cohort has had to overcome a series of challenges in their secondary schooling in recent years.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the results show “significant differences” in regional outcomes for GCSEs in England.

He said: “This suggests that relative levels of prosperity and socioeconomic disadvantage continue to play a huge part in educational outcomes, and addressing these gaps must be a key priority for the new government working alongside the education sector.

“We have to do more to support our schools and colleges. Funding and teacher shortages, combined with post-pandemic issues around mental health, behaviour and attendance, have made circumstances particularly challenging.”

Schools minister Catherine McKinnell said: “I want to congratulate both students and teachers on their achievements today despite the many challenges they’ve had to overcome over the past few years to get here.

“While this is a moment to celebrate, I am deeply concerned about the inequalities in our education system with where you live and what type of school you attend still being too big an influence on your opportunities.”

Nearly 373,000 vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) results have also been awarded to pupils.

Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator of Ofqual, said: “Consistent, rigorous standards of grading are producing consistent results. It is evidence that we have settled back into a pattern of dependable and trustworthy results.”

Margaret Farragher, chief executive of the JCQ, said: “These achievements are hard-earned and students should feel justly proud to have reached this important milestone in their educational journey.”

Jill Duffy, chairwoman of JCQ board of directors and chief executive of OCR exam board, said: “We’re seeing a record number of results issued today, and every one of them represents a student’s hard work, as well as that of their teachers, parents, and support staff.”

In Scotland, results for National 5 qualifications earlier this month showed the pass rate was 77.2%, down from 78.8% last year and 78.2% in 2019.