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Wait is over for GCSE students

Posted on Friday 25th August 2017

Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Cllr Gail Giles praised the work of everyone involved in helping pupils to prepare with the changes to how GCSEs are now delivered in schools.

“Congratulations to all the pupils, staff, parents and carers who have worked so hard to achieve these results. I know there were changes to subject curriculums which everyone had to contend with and it is therefore unfair, even impossible, to compare this year’s results with last year’s GCSEs.

“However, I am sure all support will be provided to ensure they can enter their school’s sixth form or further education courses to continue their paths to university or enter employment”.

“To this end there are many apprenticeships on offer and we hope this gives pupils the chance to look to their future with confidence”.

“We need our young people to gain skills which will secure them good careers in the future and take advantage of jobs on offer in the businesses who are based here”.

“I wish all our students success” said Cllr Giles.

In a statement issued by the  EAS (Education Achievement Service) learners across South East Wales were congratulated for their hard work in the first year of the revised GCSE exam arrangements.

Provisional regional GCSE results indicate:

  • The percentage of pupils gaining the Level 2 threshold is 52.1%. The Level 2 performance measure indicates the percentage of pupils who achieved at least 5 GCSEs A*- C (or equivalent), including English/Welsh 1st language and Mathematics.

 

  • The percentage of pupils gaining at least 5 GCSEs A*/A (or equivalent) is 15.6%

(There are currently no Wales figures available for comparison for the figures above.)

  • The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE English Language A* - C is 61.5%. This compares to the Wales average of 64.8%.
  • The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE Welsh Language A* - C is 66.9%. This compares to the Wales average of 73.6%.
  • The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE mathematics A* - C is 56.9%. This compares to the Wales average of 60.0%.
  • The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE mathematics numeracy A* - C is 55.7%. This compares to the Wales average of 58.5%.
  • The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE science A* - C is 52.7%. This compares to the Wales average of 34.8%.

These figures are based on results reported directly from schools. These results include all pupils in the year 11 cohort, including those educated other than at school.

This year we are unable to meaningfully compare regional or local authority results to previous years as the revised examinations focus in part on different skill sets and knowledge than in previous years. Despite this the region is already working with schools to track individual pupil performance over time which will mean that school leaders and our local authorities are well positioned to gauge where schools are progressing well or where they may need additional support.

The regional trend this year has experienced increased variability in results. Communications from the examination awarding body and the regulator throughout this academic year indicated that this variability was to be expected. As in previous years we have been talking to post-16 providers to ensure that no learner is disadvantaged and that they are provided with appropriate pathways following results. 

*In Newport the percentage of pupils gaining the Level 2 threshhold is 54.7 per cent. The Level 2 performance measure indicates the percentage of pupils who achieved at least 5 GCSEs A*- C (or equivalent), including English/Welsh 1st language and Mathematics.

*In Maths and Numeracy the figure for Newport is 63.8 per cent and for English it is 62.1 per cent.

 

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