GCSE Results On The Rise Again

Once again, GCSE results have smashed all previous records, with pass rates rising for the 23^rd year in a row.  Despite another slump in students taking a German or French GCSE, 70% of entries were awarded at least a C grade.

That is up 2% on the results from 2009, with nearly 23% of these entries at least earning an A or A* grade, which is up 1% on last year.  Whereas there was nosedives in the language results, Science seems to be standing out as a shining academic subject, with huge rises in passes and exams undertaken in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.  Overall, it is an significant improvement on the results from last year.  The government will be delighted to see a 2% increase on students passing the standard English Literature and English Language courses, after a slip in standards in 2009.  Add into the equation that there was an overall slip in entries from last year; these results do consequently stand out very highly. 

For the second successive year, boys got the better of girls in higher grades for Maths, which is one of the most competitive subjects around nowadays.  Despite that surprise, females are still doing better on an average basis than males.  A director of JCQ, (Joint Council for Qualifications) Jim Sinclair gave this reaction.

“Students and their teachers can be proud of their achievements.  The increased entries in biology, physics and chemistry, as well as the improvements in English and Maths results is very good news indeed.”

Of course, some are claiming that the GCSE exams are getting easier with every passing year; hence the results improve year-in, year-out.  However, this might be done to students putting in harder work than ever before, especially with the uncertainty of further education opportunities, as many can highlight from last week’s outstanding A Level results. 

GCSE exams may be under-fire once again and some critics will say that these exams simply do not stretch today’s everyday students.  However, that shouldn’t take the gloss off these fantastic results, so congratulations to all those students who worked extremely hard to get top-notch exams results in both GCSE and A Level standard. 

Heartbreak For Many As The University Scramble Begins

Last Thursday’s hugely successful A Level results were meant to be full of joy, satisfaction and vindication at two years of hard, successful work.  However, for many thousands, the frantic scramble has begun to get into University, due to record amount of young people applying for higher education study.

Although the competition for places is getting tougher than ever before, it does surprise many outsiders than students who collected straight A grades have not been given confirmed places to the University course of their choice.  Overall, the A Level pass rate rose again, for the 28^th year in succession, with 98% of entries getting an E grade or higher and 27% of students were given an A grade, a 0.3% increase on 2009’s results. 

With the amount of applications that have been received this year, UCAS, the organisation responsible for supplying students with higher education courses have warned that margin for error has been restricted this year and is encouraging students to take a year out, or apply for part-time and apprenticeship courses.  For many though, these alternatives are simply not an option.  More than 660,000 students have applied for University places this year, whereas only 380,000 applied and got into University last year, including myself.  Many of the top-class Universities such as London, Birmingham and Durham have already said that they are full up and have no options remaining.

The recession has made this the biggest and most challenging year for students and with budgets cuts having to be made by most Universities, this just adds to the frustration for many.  There is bound to be many disappointing faces and heartbreak for many students.  The rush to get a spot through UCAS clearing service is now well and truly on.