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19 April 2026

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Exam results

“Significant drop” in top grades for GCSE science as entries rise

The number of pupils taking science at GCSE has increased by nearly four per cent – but overall science results have fallen, data released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) shows. The number of entries to science, additional science and further additional science this year increased by 7.5 per cent. More than 750,000 young […]

Cramlington School celebrates GCSE results despite inadequate Ofsted rating

Cramlington Learning Village, a teaching school which is to lose its status after it was found to be inadequate by Ofsted last month, has seen a 5 per cent rise in GCSE results this year. The academy, which caters for 2,000 pupils in Northumberland, had 58 per cent of students achieve five or more A* […]

Struggling pupils excel thanks to secondary modern’s extra support

Two pupils who struggled to focus on their studies during their time at Baylis Court School have achieved well above their GCSE targets thanks to extra support from their teachers. Inshal Javaid (pictured above) battled with attendance and punctuality issues throughout school. During year 11, following her mock exams, Inshal realised that she was going […]

Birmingham school marks improvement with GCSE results rise

Staff at Bournville School, in Birmingham, are celebrating today after an eight per cent rise in the number of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths. The school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in September 2013, but head Nicola Gould said an improvement in teaching standards is driving improvement. […]

Joe says no to cancer with outstanding grades

A cancer diagnosis earlier this year did not stop Joe Sims from achieving nine A* and A grades at Burnt Mill Academy. The brave 16-year-old found a lump in his neck in February and feared his chances of succeeding in the summer’s exams had been ruined. He was diagnosed with a rare form of Hodgkins […]

Free school disappoints with 28% GCSE rate

An education trust is launching an external review after less than a third of pupils at one of its free schools achieved five or more A* to C grades in its first set of GCSE results. Just 28 per cent of the 47 pupils at Saxmundham Free School, in Suffolk, achieved five or more A* […]

Bumper increase in English results at Sir John Gleed School

Sir John Gleed School, in Lincolnshire, came to Schools Week’s attention during our investigation into inadequate academies which were good or outstanding before converting. Of the 28 schools, it had been inadequate for the longest time (since April 2013). After featuring on our front page, reporter John Dickens visited the secondary modern school to see […]

GCSE Maths 2015: Has there been a big drop in scores?

Something is apparently amiss with maths. Several school leaders raised concerns in the past 24 hours with Schools Week regarding much lower scores in GCSE maths. Brian Lightman, general secretary of union ASCL, confirmed this view. He said: “You have stable national statistics but under that there is a significant number of schools – we […]

Carer Natasha gets top grades after car crash a day before exams

Despite being run over a day before her exams, Ark Helenswood Academy student Natasha Burrows, who is also a registered carer for her mum, has passed six GCSEs and three BTec courses. After being hospitalised following a car accident, 16-year-old Natasha worried for her future career as she missed her first exam. “The day before […]