The proportion of GCSE entries awarded top grades has fallen from last year but is higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic, national figures show.
Hundreds of thousands of teenagers across the country received their GCSE exam results on Thursday in a year when efforts have been made in England to return grading to pre-pandemic levels.
More than a fifth (22.0 per cent) of UK GCSE entries were awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade – this year, down by 4.3 percentage points on last year when 26.3% of entries achieved the top grades.
However, this remains higher than the equivalent figure for 2019 – before the pandemic – of 20.8 per cent.
Pupils at Ark Greenwich Free School, London, receiving their GCSE results— (PA)
The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover GCSE entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Overall, there were around 203,000 fewer top grades (7/A) compared with last year, but there were 142,000 more top grades awarded this year than in 2019.
Here we take a look at the percentage of GCSE students awarded the top grades (7/A or above) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for 2022 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019:
Students at the City of London Academy— (Getty Images)
– North-east England 17.6% (2022: 22.4%; 2019: 16.4%)
– North-west England 18.6% (2022: 23.1%; 2019: 18.6%)
– Yorkshire & the Humber 18.2% (2022: 22.4%; 2019: 17.8%)
– West Midlands 18.4% (2022: 22.8%; 2019: 18.1%)
– East Midlands 18.5% (2022: 22.5%; 2019: 18.3%)
– Eastern England 21.9% (2022: 26.2%; 2019: 20.5%)
– South-west England 20.8% (2022: 25.3%; 2019: 20.4%)
– South-east England 24.4% (2022: 29.2%; 2019: 23.5%)
– London 28.4% (2022: 32.6%; 2019: 25.7%)
– England 21.6% (2022: 26.0%; 2019: 20.7%)
– Wales 21.7% (2022: 25.1%; 2019: 18.4%)
– Northern Ireland 34.5% (2022: 37.0%; 2019: 30.5%)
– All 22.0% (2022: 26.3%; 2019: 20.8%)
Pupils at Ark Greenwich Free School, London, receiving their GCSE results— (PA)
Here is the GCSE pass rate (entries awarded 4/C or above) by nation and region:
– North-east England 65.3% (2022: 71.2%; 2019: 63.8%)
– North-west England 64.8% (2022: 70.3%; 2019: 64.9%)
– Yorkshire & the Humber 64.4% (2022: 69.6%; 2019: 64.1%)
– West Midlands 63.9% (2022: 69.9%; 2019: 63.8%)
– East Midlands 65.8% (2022: 71.5%; 2019: 65.8%)
– Eastern England 68.6% (2022: 73.7%; 2019: 67.1%)
– South-west England 69.2% (2022: 74.2%; 2019: 68.3%)
– South-east England 70.7% (2022: 75.5%; 2019: 70.2%)
– London 72.6% (2022: 76.7%; 2019: 70.6%)
– England 67.8% (2022: 73.0%; 2019: 67.1%)
– Wales 64.9% (2022: 68.6%; 2019: 62.8%)
– Northern Ireland 86.8% (2022: 90.0%; 2019: 82.2%)
– All 68.2% (2022: 73.2%; 2019: 67.3%)
