GCSE celebrations for East Riding students

Many East Riding schools and pupils are celebrating their GCSEs results today, with early indications suggesting secondary schools and academies have maintained the strong position achieved in recent years.

Over the past three years numeric grades have replaced letters for the vast majority of subjects and from next year all subjects will be graded from 1 to 9.  A grade 4 is equivalent to the old grade C and classed as a ‘standard pass’.  A grade 5 is classed as a ‘strong pass’. The reformed GCSEs have been deliberately made more difficult, as well as being mostly graded on examinations and not on coursework.

In the East Riding, provisional outcomes indicate that in 2019 the proportion of students achieving a standard pass or grade 4 or better in English and maths is 67 per cent. The proportion gaining grade 5 (a strong pass) is 45 per cent.

Provisional results suggest East Riding schools achieved an attainment 8 score of 48, similar to last year’s figure. Progress 8 score is the measure used to determine ranking in secondary school league tables, but this year’s figures will not be available from the Department for Education until October 2019.

East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor Julie Abraham, portfolio holder for children, young people and education, said:  “We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of young people throughout the East Riding as they receive their GCSE results. The dedicated professionals working in our schools provide a high quality education for all our young people, and today’s outcomes are the culmination of many years of hard work from students and teachers alike.

“These results have been achieved despite the very low level of funding for East Riding schools from the Department for Education compared to other regions of the county. This is down to the hard work of young people and their families supported by dedicated school staff, and is a tribute to the way schools and young people have responded to the challenges of the reformed GCSE examinations. ”

Jamie O’Brien, the council’s principal improvement adviser, said:  “These results are a testament to the hard work of our young people, as well as the dedication and commitment of teachers and support staff in all our schools. We are proud of the accomplishments of young people throughout the East Riding - achieved with the support of their carers and families. We greatly appreciate the hard work of head teachers, teaching and support staff that have contributed to these impressive results.”