Schools and colleges across the Portsmouth area are celebrating exam success.
Last year’s GCSE results nationally were dominated by the controversy surrounding grade boundary changes for English. But many schools across our area defied the national picture and saw a huge improvement in results, with a jump in the number of students passing the ‘gold standard’ – five or more A* to C’s including English and maths.
Now, the Department for Education has released the official results for last year’s GCSE and A-levels.
The results confirmed Portsmouth pupils achieved the city’s best ever ‘gold standard’ GCSE results with one of the largest improvements in the country.
A total of 52.4 per cent achieved the gold standard – up from 45.5 per cent last year. This means there has been a 14 per cent improvement in gold standard results achieved by city pupils in the last three years.
Councillor Rob Wood, cabinet member for children and education at Portsmouth City Council said: ‘We are delighted these results confirm pupils in our secondary schools achieved the best GCSE results we’ve ever seen in Portsmouth and continue the upward trend of recent years. Well done to the pupils and all the schools for these results, which are a tribute to their hard work.
‘We know there is much work still to do to continue to raise the standard of learning in our schools to the level that pupils deserve and so every child and young person can achieve their potential.’
Across Hampshire County Council, which covers Fareham, Gosport and Havant, 59 per cent of pupils achieved the gold standard.
Councillor Roy Perry, the council’s lead member for children’s services said: ‘I am pleased to see that, despite the issues this year with the English GCSE grade boundary changes midway through the school year which have yet to be satisfactorily resolved, Hampshire pupils’ performance at GCSE compares well with national averages.
‘I wish to congratulate pupils and schools on their good results which are testimony to the high quality of teaching in Hampshire schools.’
The national picture saw 59.4 per cent of students achieve the gold standard.
Some schools were affected by the grade boundary changes, and the Department for Education confirmed that any re-sits have not been included in these results.
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