GCSE results are now available, revealing how students have fared in their exams. This year’s outcomes reflect the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Schools and students across the country are celebrating impressive achievements, with many expressing pride in their results and excitement for the next academic steps.
For many, it’s an emotional time as they secure the grades they have worked hard for, or are disappointed to have just missed out.
Since 2017, the way GCSEs are graded in England has been different. Whereas before they were given letter grades the same as A-Levels, ranging from A* to G, they are now given a number ranging from 9 to 1.
As GCSE results are released for over a million students, there’s growing concern about rising numbers of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment, or training. Recent ONS figures show an increase in this demographic, with the number of disengaged youths rising to 872,000 in April to June 2024, up from 798,000 in the same period of 2023. This equates to 12.2% of all young people.
Speaking about the initial thoughts on this year’s GCSE results, Rajeshwari Iyer, co-founder, CEO of sAInaptic stated that, “Given this was the first year with absolutely no additional help from exam boards, good to see that there was no fall in performance. In fact we saw an increase of 0.9% in top grades awarded while the overall results were 0.1% higher than last year.”
“It’s still dis-heartening to see that some gaps are not closing – for e.g. boys continue to outperform girls in maths, physics and statistical subjects, even though overall, girls outperform boys across all subjects. Disturbing trend is seeing an increase in the number of students failing English and maths. Contributing factors could be an increase in the population within this sub-group and also because grades have now settled back to pre-covid levels,” she added.
Reflecting on the current state of education and assessment in the UK, Rajeshwari highlighted areas of concern and needed improvements. She noted, "The focus has been on restoring exam results to pre-Covid levels, and this year’s results show that the assessments and their marking were conducted fairly and consistently across the country. No additional aids were given to students, ensuring a level playing field. The completion of government tutoring programs also contributed to these results, reflecting the overall effectiveness of the current approach."
“To close the gender gap in engineering and maths, we need to engage girls from a younger age. The government should focus on introducing experts into primary education. London's high grades are partly due to state grammar and independent schools with qualified teachers, better infrastructure, and innovative tools like AI, which give these schools an edge in exam preparation. Regional differences in education stem from deep-seated socio-economic gaps, and change will take time. With the new education secretary's promise to tackle these disparities, we hope disadvantaged areas will receive the support needed to improve. However, this disparity is likely to persist, leading to continued regional inequalities in job opportunities,” she added.
Offering advice to students who may be disappointed with their GCSE results, she said, “GCSEs don’t define your future. While good grades are important for university entry, focus on studying what you excel in and seek support when needed. Embrace every opportunity and remember that alternative paths can also lead to success. There’s no need to fear—many have found success through their Plan B.”
Reflecting on this year’s student performance, Rajeshwari noted, “Students need more support in STEM subjects, where tools like sAInaptic can make a difference. Unlike traditional revision methods, sAInaptic offers feedback-driven practice on extended response questions, mirroring actual exam formats. This approach helps students prepare more effectively without increasing teachers' marking workload.”
