Today is the day that young people across the country have been waiting for, with a mix of excitement, curiosity and even fear: GCSE results day. So how are the results shaping up?
A*-C pass grades are up to 69% from 68.8% in 2014, while learners receiving the top grade of A* has fallen marginally by 0.1%.
With the government’s focus on upskilling in English and maths, it’s encouraging to see that the results in both subjects have improved; 65.4% of learners have achieved an A*-C grade in English, up from 61.7% last year, while maths results have improved by 0.9%, as 63.3% of learners achieved A*-C.
The minimal changes in pass rates and top grades achieved suggests a level of stability at GCSE level ahead of intended government changes coming into effect next month. The introduction of the new-look GCSEs will be staggered, with the new maths, English language and English literature GCSEs rolled out in September 2015. Other core and optional subjects will be implemented in September 2016. The new qualifications will place a substantial focus on end-point examination, eliminating January exams and coursework.
It’s vital that learners have consistency when studying at GCSE level, as their resulting grades have such a significant impact on their future. The constant changes to qualifications, their assessments and even the significance of the learner’s final grades can have a negative impact on young people who have to change their way of learning on a regular basis.
Aside from results, the number of entries in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) has increased by over 78,000 from 2014. This is encouraging to see as the STEM sector is set to produce thousands of jobs in the coming months and years; the number of jobs available in the renewable energies sector in particular is expected to quadruple by 2020.
We’d like to congratulate all learners on their results today, but also to stress that you still have valuable options open to you if your GCSE grades aren’t quite what you expected. It’s important that learners who aren’t as academically inclined are given the opportunity to prove themselves in their learning and beyond. That’s why post-school vocational pathways offer such value; from Apprenticeships and Traineeships to vocational courses in areas of the learner’s interest assessed throughout the qualification rather than with an end-point exam, there’s a pathway for everybody.
While some people still believe that vocational education is not as prestigious as the academic route, research by The Edge Foundation has shown that the skills required for 90% of the most in-demand occupations of the future can be gained by completing vocational qualifications. By 2022 there are set to be an additional 3.6 million job vacancies in a range of sectors and skill levels, all of which value and employ people with vocational qualifications.
