Just over three-quarters (75.3%) of GCSE grades for 16-year-olds in England are at grade 4 or above, up from 69.9% in 2019 when formal exams last took place, but down from 79.1% in 2021.Overall, GCSE results are higher than in 2019. Top grades for 16-year-olds in England have also increased on 2019, with 27% of entries achieving a grade 7 and above, up by 5.2 percentage points compared to 2019, and 3 percentage points lower than 2021.

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• GCSE results 2022: business applauds the next generation
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• UK industry hails first T-Level successes
• A level results day 2022: ‘record progression’ to higher education

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Levelling up a key issue

One of the main talking points on GCSE results day is the regional attainment disparities across England. Just under a third of GCSE grades were 7 and above in London, compared to just over a fifth in the North East, and in Yorkshire and the Humber.Elsewhere in the British Isles, 25.1% of GCSE grades issued were grade A/7 or above in Wales, 68.6% were grade C/4 or above and 97.3% were grade G/1 or above.In Northern Ireland, 37% of students received grade A/7 and above, and outcomes at grade C/4 and above were up 7.8 percentage points from 2019 to 90%. STEM subjects continued to account for over 40% of entries.Students in Scotland received their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams earlier this month.

Gender attainment gap narrows

Secretary of State for Education, James Cleverly, said: “Students receiving their results today should be extremely proud, and I want to congratulate them all. The teaching profession has worked incredibly hard, and these results are a testament to the resilience of both our students and staff.”Statistics published by the Government today also show:

• entries at grade 4 or above for 16-year-olds in England were 77.2% for GCSE English and 75.1% for GCSE maths
• the attainment gap between boys and girls narrowed compared to 2021 at the top grades
• the proportion of grades at 7 and above in independent schools in England has dropped by 8.3 percentage points on 2021, compared to 2.4 percentage points in academies, narrowing the gap between the two groups at this grade
• 369,220 certificates across 141 qualifications have been awarded since March 2022, 96% of which are Technical Awards taken alongside GCSEs.

2022 results 'a staging post'

All GCSEs this year have been subject to more lenient grading, reflecting a staging post between 2021 and 2019 grades.Dr Jo Saxton, Chief Regulator for England, said: “Students collecting GCSE results today can be so proud of their achievements – a testament to their hard work and resilience over the past two years.“As with A level results, today’s GCSE results are higher overall than those of 2019, and – as we have always said – lower than in 2021, when there was a different method of assessment.“It makes sense to compare this year’s results with those of 2019 when exams were last sat. These results overall, coming as they do broadly midway between 2021 and 2019, represent a staging post on that journey.”Commenting on the June 2022 exam series, in which 95% of students were able to sit final exams compared to 75% last year, Christine Özden, Chief Accountable Officer of IGCSE and O level provider, Cambridge International, said: “This year has been another tough one - the pandemic has continued to disrupt our lives and learning in different ways. Some of our students and teachers have been affected by school closures and ongoing restrictions."More than ever, I congratulate Cambridge students for their hard work towards these results. They’ve shown great resilience and dedication to get to this point, and I am proud of everyone’s achievements. They can now progress to new opportunities and experiences, and I’m confident they have the skills, knowledge and courage to succeed in every choice they make."I also want to express special thanks to Cambridge schools and teachers. Their commitment and passion for education has been fundamental to their students’ success.”

Share your news and celebrate your school’s IB, GCSE, BTEC and A level and T level achievements with us in our ongoing coverage of A level and GCSE results days 2022.

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