Region’s GCSEs worst in country yet again

Fewer pupils achieved five good GCSE passes, including English and maths, in the region’s secondary schools than anywhere else in England this summer.

More than 27,000 pupils – 45 per cent of those sitting GCSEs in Yorkshire – failed to achieve this benchmark.

The statistics published yesterday by the Department for Education (DfE) also show Yorkshire schools have the lowest level of pupils who make the expected progress between the ages of 11 and 16.

The figures are based on provisional results from this summer’s GCSE results. Detailed league tables showing the performance of every school will be published in January next year.

Around 40 per cent of 16-year-olds in Yorkshire sitting maths exams – 22,800 – did not make the progress expected during secondary school compared with their performance in the subject at 11 years old. In English, 30 per cent of pupils – 17,233 – failed to show the expected improvements.

The tables also show how many pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate – a new performance measure awarded to students who achieve A* to C passes in six GCSEs comprising English, maths, two sciences, history or geography and a modern language.

In Yorkshire only one in eight pupils achieved this in GCSE results this summer. Only the North East had a lower proportion of pupils achieving the new standard.

Tables show 12 per cent of Yorkshire’s exam candidates earned the necessary grades. However only 17 per cent of the 59,155 students actually took the exams needed to earn the “E-bacc.”

Less than a third of students took a modern language GCSE in Yorkshire’s secondary schools.

Barnsley was Yorkshire’s worst performing area based on the number of pupils achieving five A* to C grades, including English and maths – the benchmark against which schools are measured.

In Barnsley 56 per cent of pupils failed to achieve this.

Three other council areas in Yorkshire saw the majority of students failing to hit this standard: Hull, Bradford and Sheffield.

North Yorkshire was the strongest performing area in the region with 63 per cent of GCSE students earning five good grades including English and maths. York was the second best with 62 per cent of students achieving this.

Girls outperformed boys both in Yorkshire and nationally.

Around 14,800 boys, 49 per cent of those who sat GCSEs in the region this summer, did not pick up the five good grades including English and maths.

There were around 12,300 girls who failed to achieve this – just over 42 per cent of the region’s female GCSE candidates.

Nationally 58 per cent of boys and 62 per cent of girls achieved the five GCSE target.

At A-level, however, boys outperformed girls earning more top grades this summer.

Some 13.1 per cent of boys scored three or more A or A* grades, compared to 12.5 per cent of girls, DfE figures reveal.

One in five teenagers were awarded two A grades and a B.

The statistics show that three times as many private school pupils are achieving three or more top grades than those educated in the state sector. In total, 31.8 per cent of private school pupils scored at least three A* or A grades, compared to 10.9 per cent of those who went to state schools.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said these figures were “astonishing”.

“We must close this gap – which is why we are driving up teaching standards across the profession and developing a world-class curriculum for all.”

He added: “A-levels are a key stepping stone towards higher education and future careers. It’s only right that we make sure our qualifications match the best in the world and keep pace with the demands of employers and universities.”