Warwickshire celebrates GCSE results
Many Warwickshire pupils will be celebrating today (Tuesday 24 August) as they receive the results of their GCSEs and vocational examinations.
Full county data is not available until later in the year but early indications are that Warwickshire headteachers are anticipating improved results again this year with expected results above the national average.
Warwickshire County Council has been working closely with schools, with a focus on the number of pupils achieving five or more higher grade GCSE passes including English and mathematics, and standards continue to improve.
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council, Portfolio Holder for Children Young People and Families, said: “This is such an important and exciting time for those opening their GCSE result envelopes.
“May I congratulate all students on their achievements and wish them luck for the future, whether they decide to stay in education or pursue training or employment opportunities.
“The long hours of hard work and dedication of all the teaching staff, plus the support of parents, that contributed to the students’ success should not go unnoticed today.
“It will be a while before we receive full and verified results for the county, but we are optimistic that the vast majority of Warwickshire pupils have been successful in reaching their target grades.”
Around 6,000 sixteen-year-olds sat their GCSEs this year. And, as a result of continuing partnership working between schools, colleges and training providers, increasing numbers of 16-year-olds are also celebrating success with GCSE equivalent qualifications, such as Young Apprenticeships, BTECs and other practical and applied learning qualifications.
Bob Hooper, Head of School Improvement at Warwickshire County Council, added: “I am sure many young people will be celebrating today as they receive the GCSE results which will enable them to move on to the next stage in education, training or employment. It is marvellous to see the hard work of both teachers and students produce successful outcomes.
“Although thousands of students will be delighted with their results, we recognise that some students may not have achieved the grades that they expected. Excellent support is available to young people through their school, college and local Connexions service. They can advise on a wide range of career opportunities open to teenagers to continue their learning at school, college or in employment-based training.”
Last year 53.8 per cent of pupils in Warwickshire schools gained five or more GCSE grades A* to C or equivalent including English and mathematics, compared with the national figure for maintained schools of 50.7 per cent.
Warwickshire’s figure was 2.4 percentage points higher than its results for the previous year.