F for Falling. Why have GCSE results fallen for the first time in exam's history?

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23 August 2012

Thousands of GCSE pupils were devastated today as grades fell for the first time in the 24-year history of the exam.

Hundreds of schools could now be shut or taken over after the drop pushed them below tough new government targets of 40 per cent of pupils achieving five good GCSEs including maths and English.

Figures for 658,000 GCSE pupils show the overall A starred to C pass rate at 69.4 per cent, a drop of 0.4 percentage points. There has also been a sharp fall in the number of teenagers awarded good grades in academic subjects.

The headteacher of Newman Catholic College in Brent said the school is now “in limbo” after 39 per cent of pupils reached the benchmark of five good passes. Richard Kolka said: “It would be wrong to say we are not concerned. We are not sure what will happen.”

It comes after a crackdown on grade inflation and toughening of standards. Top grade A-level results also fell for the first time in two decades. Exam board results show:

The number of top GCSE A starred grades awarded fell by 0.5 percentage points to 7.3 per cent.

A starred to C English grades dropped by 1.5 percentage points to 63.9 per cent.

Top grades in maths fell by 0.4 percentage points to 58.4 per cent and the proportion of students with at least a C grade in combined science fell almost two percentage points to 60.7 per cent.

But the ongoing decline in the number of students opting for languages has stopped, with an increase in those opting for Spanish.

History and geography entries are also up, after the introduction of the English Baccalaureate. Girls are increasing their lead on boys, with the gap between genders scoring top grades growing by 0.4 percentage points. But the most significant change was the overall drop in A starred to C results. Exam boards insisted they have not been under pressure to lower grades.

Andrew Hall, chief executive of the AQA exam board said: “The awarding has been carried out in exactly the same way that it has been before. Have I been leant on by anyone? No.”

Exam boards put the drop in grades down to a new, harder science exam, and changes to the specification of English and maths exams. Newman Catholic College head Mr Kolka added: “I have no idea what will happen.

"The rhetoric from this government is not so supportive as it has been. We are waiting to see what action, if any, is taken.” He said the school will ask for some exams to be remarked after one student had his English coursework mark lowered, even though his folder had not been submitted to the examiners. The original grade was given after a teacher assessment.

Mr Kolka added: “We are above last year’s floor target, but it keeps being put up. The staff have worked very hard, given the number of boys who have English as a second language, and the number who join the school late. It is just the goalposts are shifting.” Brian Lightman of the Association of College Leaders said some of the most successful schools in the country have seen grades drop.

He added: “Sudden change like this is completely unforeseen. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that some schools will have a problem with the new higher standard. It is going to be immensely difficult for these students. I am very concerned about the effect on their lives.”

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Shifting the goalposts for grades, in particular the C/D boundary, has had a huge impact on individual students and the future of schools. It has more to do with politics than with education.”

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F for Falling. Why have GCSE results fallen for the first time in exam's history?

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