GCSE results day 2021: Recap updates as students collected grades across Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham, Havant and Waterlooville

We will be bringing you all the latest updates throughout the morning.

Including photos, videos and reaction.

So stick with us!

Schools minister Nick Gibb said the Government wanted examinations to return next year.

Speaking to Sky News he added: “We’ve already announced the adjustments to the exams – we expect all young people to be taking exams in 2022 but we will be making adjustments to those exams to reflect the fact that this cohort will have had disruption to their education as well.

“And the regulator Ofqual will be saying more about the grading standard that will be used for those exams in the autumn term.”

In 2020, A-level grades were moderated by an algorithm which caused a lot of uproar - and this was scrapped for GCSE grades that year.

The algorithm has not returned for 2021, the grades are based on teacher assessment

The Met Office has released its latest weather forecast for today (GCSE results day).

In Portsmouth it will be ‘cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime’.

There will be highs of 21C and lows of 15C.

The temperatures will be highest between 2pm and 4pm.

Sarah Bennet headteacher at Crookhorn College said: ‘ The current Year 11 students have taught us what resilience and tenacity is all about.

‘Their entire GCSE course was largely disrupted and there was so much uncertainty throughout the two years.

‘However, the students have risen to the challenge every time and proved through their hard work and the commitment to their studies what can be achieved with a positive outlook and a determination that has left us as staff at the College so proud of them.

‘The way the students were awarded their grades this year has of course been markedly different to any previous year.

‘They underwent a long series of assessments which focused on the subject material that they had been taught. In many ways this process was more wearing than the standard exam series, but the students stayed focused and committed to submitting the best possible evidence for their portfolio’s right up until the end.

‘So many of our students are leaving us today with a set of grades that are an outstanding testament to personal achievement.

‘As Headteacher and as a College we are absolutely delighted in how well they have done and most of all, in how well they conducted themselves through this very difficult two years, and so it is with a huge amount of pride that we watch them leave, successful and resilient for the next stage of their education journey. ‘

Schools minister Nick Gibb praised teachers for their efforts to ensure that teacher-assessed grades worked this year to deliver GCSE results, but said the system will not be used in the long term.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We should be congratulating those hundreds of thousands of young people getting their GCSE and other grades today, enabling them to go on to T-levels or A-levels or an apprenticeship.

“They have worked hard in very challenging circumstances over the last 18 months.

“And also to say thank you to the teachers who have administered the teacher-assessed grades system, with all the guidance they have received and the evidence they have needed to compile and send into the exam board, so thank you to those teachers for administering that difficult and challenging system this year.”

From left: Emily Ingram, Dylan Evans, and Amelia Todd, all 16.

Hampshire County Council is congratulating all GCSE students for their hard work and achievements over the 2020/2021 academic year, and their ongoing resilience despite the various difficulties caused by COVID-19.

The County Council’s Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Roz Chadd, said: “It has been another challenging year for pupils, parents and schools alike. With the disruption caused by lockdowns, pupils and teachers having to self-isolate at various points over the year, and the changes to the GCSE process, it’s been inspiring to see how people have rallied round and overcome these adversities.

“I wish to thank parents and carers for the support they have given their young people during this time, and I am also deeply grateful to all secondary school staff for the additional work they have shouldered this year to ensure pupils could be properly assessed for their GCSEs. This year’s results show that pupils in Hampshire schools have achieved well yet again – congratulations to you all.”

Tash Islan and Opal Andrews, both 16.

Tash is pleased with his results but says that it has been a difficult couple of years due to the pandemic, while Opal is waiting for her mum to open her results envelope

It was a successful results day for students at UTC Portsmouth, with 83% of them achieving five grade 4s or higher (including English and Maths).

Over 50% of students received a grade 7 or above in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, with 100% of students achieving grade 4 or above in those qualifications.

James Doherty, Principal of UTC Portsmouth said: “I am very proud of the progress these students have made in their two years of study with us. The dedication they showed to their studies during the difficult last 18 months has been outstanding, with an almost seamless transition between in college and remote learning to keep their progress towards the grades they are being awarded today on track.

“Well done and good luck to everyone, whether they are continuing their studies in a new environment or studying with us for a further two years to be joined by more fantastic students from other schools across the region who share their passion for STEM.”

Picture: Habibur Rahman

A total of 28.9% of entries were awarded 7/A or above, up from 26.2% in 2020.

Some 77.1% of entries received a 4/C grade or above. This is another record high, and is up from 76.3% in 2020.

The overall rate for grades 1/G or above is 99.0%, down slightly from 99.6% in 2020.

Girls have extended their lead over boys in the top grades. The proportion of female entries awarded 7/A or above was 33.4%, 9.0 percentage points higher than male entries (24.4%). Last year, girls led boys by 8.0 percentage points (30.2% girls, 22.2% boys). This year’s figures are the highest on record for both girls and boys.

The gap at grade 4/C has narrowed for the fourth year in a row. A total of 80.6% of female entries were awarded 4/C or higher, compared with 73.6% for boys, a lead of 7.0 points. Last year the gap was 7.9 points.

The most popular subject this year in terms of entries was science double award, with a total of 896,138 entries, up 2.0% on 2020.

Maths remains the second most popular subject, with 811,135 entries, up 0.3% on 2020.

English was the third most popular choice this year, but also saw the biggest percentage fall in entries of any major subject, down by 2.4% from 799,473 to 780,231.

Spanish saw the biggest percentage rise in entries of any major subject, jumping by 4.7% from 109,594 to 114,795.

Overall there were 5,745,945 GCSE entries, up slightly (0.9%) on last year’s figure of 5,692,464.

The Henry Cort Community College was pleased to report some outstanding achievements by its students in their GCSEs and other qualifications this summer.

The school made special mention to Abigail Balsdon, Rio Bardouille, Bradley Garner, Melania Greentree, all of whom significantly outperformed their target grades despite the disruption caused to their education due to the pandemic. 

Top performers were Michael Thomas who achieved straight 9s in all subjects, William Backhouse, Dylan Bidiscombe and William Campbell all averaged grade 9s across their subjects.  Grace Park overcame significant adversity to achieve similar scores.

The top performers in Year 10 in PE and RE, both Sophie Howe and Joe Waldron significantly outperformed their targets. Sophie Howe got a 9 for RE, and distinction* for her NCFE and also separately achieve an AQA unit award of an A*.  Other top achievers include, Alex Downer, Lily Burnham, Morgan Etherington and Harmony Storey who achieved top grades in both subjects.

Principal, Claudia Cubbage, said: “We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students, especially after such a difficult and disrupted couple of years. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure students are all able to progress onto further education and study, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future and wish them well.”

UTC Portsmouth pupil Bethany Tyas, 15, of Havant, pictured being hugged by her mum, Samantha Tyas, as she collected her GCSE results.

Bethany, who bagged a 9 in computer science, as well as four 8s, four 7s and a level two Distinction in engineering, said: ‘It’s a massive relief - I’ve done way better than expected. It means so much, especially after going through Covid.’

Picture: Habibur Rahman