Results out for reformed GCSE exams

Pupils have received their results today, 23 August, and 90 per cent of entries are for the reformed qualifications, which are more difficult and are mostly marked on final exams.

The GCSEs in England were graded from 9 to 1.

732 pupils who sat seven or more reformed GCSEs have received straight 9s across those subjects, with girls (68 per cent) outperforming the boys (32 per cent).

This year 2,025 candidates achieved all grade 9s in English language, English literature and maths compared to 2,050 last year.

There is a narrowing of the gap in attainment between girls and boys at grades 4/C and above (down 0.5 percentage points on last year), with 73.8% of girls getting these grades compared to 64.6% of boys. This pattern is repeated among the top grades (grade 7/A and above), where the gap is down 1.1 percentage points on last year – 24.6% of entries by girls compared to 18.1% for boys.

Figures show there were more than five million entries in GCSEs in England this year, up 0.9 per cent on last year, despite a decrease in the number of 16 year olds in the population.

Results show that among 16-year-olds in England entries into the English Baccalaureate have gone up by 1.2 per cent with attainment improving in these subjects.

Entries into modern foreign languages have increased, driven by rises in Spanish (up 5.3%) and German (up 2.5%) while entries in French have remained broadly stable in line with population change.

Entries into individual sciences have increased – 22.8% in biology, 19.2% in chemistry, 17.6% in physics and 10.8% in computer science.

Entries into geography and history have increased by 4.7% and 2.2% respectively.

Entries and attainment in maths are broadly stable, with 71% of entries getting a grade 4 or above (up from 70.7% last year).

Entries in English subjects are broadly stable and attainment has increased, with 71.8% of entries getting a grade 4 or above (up from 71.2% last year).