London topped England for GCSE results said to reveal “regional disparities”. Around 32 per cent of grades in the capital were the highest scores, compared with 22 per cent in other regions – including Yorkshire and the North East. The success rate in London was also 76.7 per cent, while this fell below 70 per cent in other parts of the country. Henri Murison from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said there was “evidence that there are regional disparities” – particularly between the North and the capital – in the GCSE results released on Thursday. But while London scored the best in England, it came second to Northern Ireland in the UK results. Overall, GCSE grades fell from an all-time high in the Covid pandemic. This was expected in staggered plans to curb grade inflation and followed the same pattern as last week’s A-level results.

Basic points

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Schools need recovery plan for regional attainment gap, charity says

Schools urgently need a turnaround plan after the gap in top GCSE grades widened between the north and south of England, an education charity has said.

Call for urgent school recovery plan as GCSE results show north-south divide widens

Schools North East said this year’s results could be seen as a “map” of the impact of the pandemic on students and schools. Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 14:12 1661431877

Starmer congratulates GCSE students

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labor leader, also sent his congratulations on Twitter: Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 13:51 1661431097

“You’ve had the hardest two years”

GCSE students are doing well from TV presenters Ant and Dec: Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 13:38 1661430158

ICYMI: Oldest person to pass GCSE in Britain

A glamorous pensioner has become the oldest person in Britain to ever pass GCSE exams – aged 92.

‘Sprightly’ pensioner becomes oldest person to pass GCSE exams

Derek Skipper, 92, took his Maths GCSE in May and had a good time Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 13:22 1661429490

Birmingham student ‘ecstatic’ to get apprenticeship points

Gulam-Mustafaa Aslam needed certain grades to secure his apprenticeship offer at huge West Midlands employer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), so Thursday was an “anxious” day for him.

But opening his results at Birmingham’s Rockwood Academy, the news was good with Ghulam wanting to go home and tell his family. “I signed the contract and everything, but I needed the points, so coming here I was very worried. As soon as I opened the envelope and saw my grades, I was excited,” she said. “I needed five fours and guaranteed maths and English. I got a six and a five in English, a five in maths and passed everything else.” Gulam-Mustafaa Aslam has got the grades he needs for his apprenticeship (PA) Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 13:11 1661428341

More delays for BTec students

An examination board apologized to students after thousands were deemed ineligible to award marks on Thursday, a week after other students faced delays in receiving results from the same awarding body. Pearson said around 5,700 students were awaiting their BTec (Business and Technology Education Council) results on Thursday, the day hundreds of thousands of students received their GCSE grades. The awarding body previously said changes this year, made to take account of the disruption to teaching and learning during the pandemic, had “added more complexity to the process” and that without full information it is unable to award the their results to students. Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 12:52 1661427026

State comprehensive students close gap at top ranks with private school students

Around 53 per cent of private school grades received the top grade at GCSE this year, compared with 23.3 per cent at mainstream schools. This achievement gap was smaller than during the Covid pandemic – but still wider than before the pandemic. Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 12:30 1661424566

Parents post about children’s GCSE results

Proud parents are posting on social media about their students’ results today: Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 11:49 1661423741

What are the facts?

Both the overall pass rate and the percentage of top marks have declined this year, according to official figures. Around 73 per cent of GCSE entries received a 4/C, which is considered a pass. That was down from a record 77 percent last year, when grades were awarded by teachers. Meanwhile, 26.3 per cent of GCSEs were given top grades of 7/A or higher this year compared to 28.9 per cent – another all-time high – in 2021. Grades were still higher than before the Covid pandemic – when the pass rate was 67.3 per cent and top grades were 20.8 per cent – in recognition of the disruption they suffered. Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 11:35 1661423186

Next year’s GCSEs should also have mitigations, the association says

Mitigation measures should be put back in place for the 2023 GCSE exams, a headteachers’ union has said. The Association of School and College Leaders said next year’s cohort would also have been “heavily affected” by the pandemic and warned it could be further affected by any future infections over the autumn and winter. Zoe Tidman25 August 2022 11:26