The council share this news on GCSE results day. Ed
Provisional figures reported by schools indicate GCSE students on the Isle of Wight have attained higher grades than in previous years.
Schools have today (Thursday) provided their provisional results to the Isle of Wight Council, with the majority reporting improvements overall.
This year GCSE content has been made more challenging, following the introduction of a new one to nine rating system by the government.
The grades now run from 9 to 1, with nine being the highest. 9 is a new higher level, actually higher than the old A* grade and will be awarded in more limited numbers than A*.
To understand how the numbers compare against the previous letters, the following graphic from the Department of Education illustrates it more clearly than a description will.
Extended to 20 more subjects
The new system – used in English and maths last year – has been extended to a further 20 subjects.
More students have attained a grade 5 or above in English and maths compared to last year and the preferred government measure of secondary performance, Attainment 8, has increased.
Brading: “Impossible to make comparisons”
Cllr Paul Brading, Cabinet member for children’s services and education, said:
“I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all the students and staff for all their hard work and dedication.
“The new rating system doesn’t directly correlate with the old A* to G grades, so it’s impossible to make comparisons across all subjects.
“However, we’re really pleased with the progress in English and maths and it’s definitely a step forward.
“We will now wait for all the results to be verified, before we fully analyse them.”
Further advice
Any students who wish to discuss their options after receiving their GCSE results can seek information and advice from the council’s Island Futures service.
For more details, visit the Island Futures Website.
Image: Mardio Pictures under CC BY 2.0
