Another bumper year as GCSE pass rate continues to rise in Southwark

24 August 2018

Southwark students and schools have once again excelled to achieve yet another set of outstanding GCSE results.

Against a backdrop of continued change to the exam system, initial results from the majority of Southwark secondary schools show that a greater percentage of Southwark students than ever before achieved a good GCSE pass.

Students received a mixture of both alphabetical and numerical grades as part of a continued shake up of how GCSEs are assessed.

Todays results showed that 69.2 per cent of Southwark students achieved grades 9-4 for English and mathematics combined. This is 0.8 percentage points above the 2017 pass rate of  68.4 per cent.

Provisional results indicate that approximately half , 49.4 per cent, of pupils achieved a strong pass of grades 9 to 5 in English and mathematics, representing an improvement of 1.5 percentage points for 2018.

This year a further 20 subjects, including combined science, were graded numerically alongside English literature, English language and mathematics which were the first subjects to be marked according to the new system in 2017.

Grade 9 is a new grade that has been created to recognise the achievements of the very highest performing students, with grade 4 being the closest numerical equivalent of the outgoing C grade. Grade 5 is now considered a strong pass.

Early indications suggest results for the English Baccalaureate have also once again improved, 41.6 percent of pupils achieved grades 9-4 this year resulting in a provisional  increase  of 4.5 percentage points above those in 2017.

Cllr Jasmine Ali, Cabinet Member for children, schools and adult care said: “Firstly I want to congratulate every teenager who sat their GCSEs this year. Collecting your GCSEs is a huge milestone for many teenagers and there are lots of choices open to young people to decide on their next steps. Whether going on to higher education or taking another route, I hope that these results are the start young people need to fulfil their future aspirations, whichever path they choose.

“This is another outstanding set of results that continue a trend of improving results in Southwark. Teachers, parents and of course pupils should be incredibly proud of themselves for once again delivering improved results all while the examination system continues to change. On behalf of everyone at Southwark Council, very well done to everyone.”

Page last updated: 24 August 2018