Students received their GCSE results today at the Gibraltar College, Westside and Bayside Schools.

This is now the third year where students sit the new GCSE specifications in English and Mathematics and the second year for the majority of subjects at GCSE. For some subjects this is the first year where examinations have taken place for the new specifications and gradings.

These new GCSE specifications have seen an increase to both the breadth and depth of study, with teachers, parents and students highlighting the increased difficulty and added pressure that these changes have caused.

Despite this, students and teachers have risen once again risen to the challenge with a total of 124 grades at level 9 being obtained, 54 at Bayside and 70 at Westside. More impressive are the 1747 grades 9-1 obtained by students out of a maximum of 1754 representing a 9-1 pass rate of 99.6%. This good performance has extended to the subjects which have are still graded using the old letter grading system with an overall A*- G pass rate of 90.6% being obtained.

As with the old grading system, every grade in the new 9-1 grading system is considered a pass, with a grade 4 being designated in the UK as a “Good” pass. The new grade 4 is the benchmark that students would need to attain in order to continue their studies onto A Level, with specific subjects having specific entry criteria.

Once again the Department of Education will be reporting the 9-1 and A* to G pass rates as opposed to the traditional A*- C benchmark. It is important for students, parents, prospective employers and members of the public to recognise that every grade is valuable in the context of the student's education. Every grade attained by our students during their examinations represents a learning journey and it is important that we celebrate the successes of all of our students and their grades.

The Director of Education Jackie Mason commented, “Once again our students have excelled and achieved goals they set for themselves. For the past two years they have worked hard alongside their teachers and parents who have supported them along their learning journey. Our congratulations to all and teachers will continue to support and advice students in their next step of their chosen career path.”

Minister for Education John Cortes said, “Once again those of us who work in Education are very pleased indeed at the levels achieved, and more importantly, the commitment that this reflects from students and teachers.  I want to add my own congratulations to all students, teachers, and families, who also suffer the stress of exams.  My thoughts today also go to those young people of that year group who did not get results, not having sat exams, or who perhaps did less well than they expected or than they would have liked.   I would encourage them to also look at the future with confidence.  The changes we are bringing about in Education will greatly increase the opportunities available to young people, as we will see when the new schools kick into action this year.”