Photograph by Steven Depolo
The number of teenagers obtaining grades A* to C in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland has falen for the second year in a row.
The proportion of exam scores in this top bracket has fallen from 69.4% in 2012 to 68.1% this year, with more than 600,000 pupils receiving their results.
The proportion of scores receiving an A* or A grade also from from 22.4% to 21.3%, and the overall pass rate fell for the first time since General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) replaced O-Levels in 1988.
The analysis released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) show a rise in the number of 15 year olds taking GCSE exams, which is blamed for bringing down the overall results. They also described a rise in the number of people taking the core subjects of maths, English, and individual sciences, as well as history, geography, languages, and humanities.
Whilst more people are taking science GCSEs, the pass rate has fallen over the last year following the introduction of a new syllabus which is considered notably more difficult than its predecessor, with the decline in grades expected.
Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said:
“Today’s results show that the EBacc has not just arrested the decline in the study of academic subjects at GCSE – it is reversing it.
It is very pleasing to see the increase in these important subjects – the ones that will keep pupils’ options open in the future. I am particularly delighted to see a languages revival – with an increase in the number of entries to French, German and Spanish GCSEs after years of decline.
The EBacc is the platform for young people to go on to A levels and high-quality vocational study. It will help them compete with their peers in the world’s best education jurisdictions, where they are expected to study a rigorous academic core.”
Head teachers have noted the turbulence within the exam system at the moment, with ASCL General Secretary Brian Lightman saying:
“There is a lot of good news to celebrate today. More students are taking languages, 16 year-olds have done very well, and performance in many of the academic subjects is up. Students and teachers should be congratulated on all the hard work that has gone into this year’s results.
It is clear that the bar has been raised on grading in key subjects this year, especially in science. We don’t object to making GCSE grading tougher but it needs to happen in a planned, coherent way that is understood by employers, universities and parents. The piecemeal changes we’ve had in the last few years make it impossible to compare grades from one year to the next…
There is no doubt that the Ebacc has had an impact, especially in languages. The increased take up in languages is welcome, but we need to make sure that this is not at the expense of other subjects like music and design and technology, which are equally important.”
The teachers unions are concerned about the unprecedented drop in pass rates, and the move away from the modular GCSE structure to one based purely on examinations, saying:
“It is worrying that the overall pass rate for GCSEs has fallen for the first time ever, and that the proportion of exam entries graded between an A* and a C has dropped too. Grades awarded for English, maths and science fell overall. The good news though, is that there has been a jump in the number of students taking foreign languages and humanities at GCSE.
However, we have serious concerns about the government’s plans for GCSEs from 2015 and believe that many students will be disadvantaged by the move away from a modular GCSE structure to an exam at the end of two years.”
