GCSE results day: hundreds of thousands of pupils await grades – live updates | GCSEs

Critical thinking and problem solving are among the skills children could be encouraged to develop as part of a revised curriculum, the school standards minister has said.

Catherine McKinnell told Sky News:

I think there’s been a lot of quite right discussion about the curriculum.

We know that times move on and young people need to develop not only a knowledge that sets them up for life but the skills as well, and we know that there are so many important skills that young people need today that perhaps in my day were not quite the priority – critical thinking, problem solving, being adaptable to what comes next whatever their future holds.

So, we will be looking at the curriculum across the board. We’ve got a curriculum and assessment review because the two are very linked – what you teach and how you assess it are very connected.

And, you know, that won’t be a short process because it needs to be done really well. It needs to be done in consultation with schools and with experts, and also take input from young people as well.

And we want to make sure that we have a really rich and broad curriculum that gives every young person the best start in life, and that’s what we’re going to make sure we deliver.

Schools standards minister Catherine McKinnell has echoed the message that “a whole range of options” are available for young people after finishing their GCSEs.

She told Sky News:

I think for young people there are a whole range of options, and I think that’s a really important message to give today as well that, you know, some young people will get the results they’re expecting; some will do better; some may not get what they hoped for.

But actually, there are opportunities available, whether that’s in vocational training, whether that’s in sixth form, whether that’s in a college, whether it’s an apprenticeship, or whether it’s going into the workplace, and I just think it’s really important as a government that we make sure that those opportunities are available and that we keep building those opportunities as well.

And that’s one of the big priorities for this government, it’s to make sure that those opportunities are spread far and wide because, as you say, young people need to make their choices but we know that across the country it’s not always evenly spread how those decisions can be made.

We want to make sure that they are choices and it’s not down to a lack of opportunity or anything the government could do to make sure that they get the best education and the best opportunities available.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) is reminding GCSE students that apprenticeships are an alternative option to A-levels.

Jennifer Coupland, chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), said:

I want to say huge congratulations to all the students getting their GCSE results today. They are a massive credit to their schools and parents. A Levels will be an excellent next step for many of them, but continuing full-time academic learning doesn’t work for everybody.

There are now over 700 apprenticeships and 20 T Levels, which all involve substantial on-the-job training. More and more young people are choosing this route into exciting careers every year.

There’s more information on apprenticeships and T-levels at www.instituteforapprenticeships.org.

School results are expected to be “in line with last year”, according to school standards minister Catherine McKinnell.

McKinnell told GB News:

We’re expecting the results this year to be in line with last year.

And I think we do need to remember that this is a cohort of young people that have overcome incredible challenges in their time in secondary education.

They were the generation of children that have gone through Covid and they’ve experienced huge amounts of – they should be incredibly proud today of their achievements.

And I think it is incredibly exciting, it’s also incredibly nerve-racking for these young people, so I know they’re waiting for their results, and it’s a very exciting day.

I think it’s a day of celebration of these young people and also the teachers, who have worked incredibly hard to get them to this point today.

Teachers’ salaries should be increased to attract them into the deprived communities where pupils are less likely to achieve top grades to address the attainment gap, Teach First has said.

Teach First CEO Russell Hobby said:

Congratulations to all pupils receiving their GCSE results this morning. While many will be celebrating today – we know pupils from poorer background are significantly less likely to be receiving top grades. This is despite them having the same hopes, dreams and potential as their wealthier peers.

Great teachers are key to cracking this – so we need to pay them fairly, treat them well and get them to the communities where they can make the greatest difference. A results day where every child receives the grades they deserve is possible, but that means investing in their futures today.

Teach First is a teacher training social enterprise.

GCSE students need “change and significant improvements” to their experience, including broadening the curriculum and reducing the number of exams they sit in year 11, the school leaders’ union is urging.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

It is high time for change and significant improvements to the experience of students in key stage 4. That includes broadening the curriculum and the choices students have, reducing the number of exams they sit at the end of Year 11, scrapping the restrictive EBacc and abandoning the Maths and English re-sit policy.

We warmly congratulate students as they receive their results across a wide range of qualifications. Today’s results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of students and the school and college staff who have supported them.

Students receiving their results today should feel especially proud of what they have achieved – they navigated the start of secondary school during the pandemic, some have been taught in unfit school buildings, and support from the previous government left much to be desired.

Today’s GCSE results are likely to show “the same unacceptable, entrenched regional disparities” seen every year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has warned.

She said:

We know this week’s results are likely to show the same unacceptable, entrenched regional disparities we have seen time and time again. That is why we are committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity – including by delivering a broader, richer curriculum – and ensuring that young people in all corners of our country can reach their potential.

In 2023, the gap between the lowest performing region (North East) and the highest performing region (London) grew by 1.4ppt since 2019 at grade 7 and above.

Phillipson added:

Congratulations to each and every young person receiving their results today and thank you to the dedicated teachers and staff who have worked tirelessly to guide and support them.

These pupils have shown remarkable resilience and determination, defying unprecedented disruption throughout the pandemic, RAAC and strike action. From A levels and T Levels to apprenticeships, they now have an exciting range of options available to them.

Ofqual is expecting overall results for GCSE to be broadly similar to last summer as grading returns to pre-pandemic levels for the second year in a row.

Apart from Maths, English and Science subjects, provisional entries data shows that among the top 10 most popular subjects are History, Geography, Religious Studies.

Provisional entries data shows that the biggest overall percentage increase in entries this year (since 2023) is in Statistics.

Hundreds of thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland await grades