GCSE grades in Wales are down overall on last year, as as exam bosses steer results to back to pre-pandemic levels. Like A-level results last week, grades were expected to dip and they are slightly lower overall compared with 2023 and the last year of "normal" exams in 2019.
The headlines from this year's results are that 19.2% of pupils received A* or A grades compared to 21.7% last year when students got some support to mitigate for Covid disruption to exams. In 2019 18.4% of results were graded A*-A. Just over six in 10 exams were graded A* to C at 62.2%. That was down slightly on 64.5% last year but nearly identical to the 62.8% in 2019.
Regulator Qualification Wales gave advance warning that results overall would be lower and closer to those in 2019 as they steer the system back after what was seen as grade inflation when exams were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 and then sat for the last two years, but with extra help post-Covid. You can follow our live updates as pupils collect their grades here.
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The overall GCSE pass rate at grades A*-G is 96.6% compared to 96.9% in 2023 and 97.2% in 2019, the last pre-Covid year of sat exams with no extra support, results released this morning by the Joint Council for Qualifications show. All important English and maths are among individual subjects with grades slightly down.
This year’s overall results compared with 2019
Exam bosses say comparisons are problematic but if they must be made 2019 is the most similar of the last few years as that was the year of the last pre-Covid "normal" sat exams.
Highlights
Maths and English results are down
Maths
A*-G
For the A* grade this has stayed around the 13% mark for all three years 2024, 2023 and 2019.
In Wales, students take either GCSE Mathematics or GCSE Mathematics - Numeracy, with most taking both subjects.
This year’s figures show that 13.1% of candidates achieved A*/9 – A/7 grades for GCSE mathematics, whilst 48.8% of candidates have been awarded a grade C/4 or above.
At maths numeracy 13% of candidates achieved A*/9 – A/7 grades and 52.3% of candidates have been awarded a grade C/4 or above.
English
A*-G
A*A
Results published by JCQ for all learners include Wales’ A*G GCSEs and the 9-1 GCSEs designed for use in England, which are sat by pupils at Wales' independent schools. As the grade scales do not directly align, results are published for key grades A/7, C/4 and G/1, the JCQ said. Exam bosses say results across the border and for the last few years are not comparable not just owing to Covid disruption, but also because UK education systems are now so different.
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Welsh first language GCSE results
For GCSE English Literature, 19.1% of candidates achieved grades A*/9 – A/7, and 72.4% of candidates have been awarded a grade C/4 or above.
Welsh second language GCSE results
Sciences
Best results were for separate sciences
Separate science results:
More than four in 10 candidates got the very best grades at separate sciences and nearly nine in 10 achieved the gold standard A*-C.
A*/9 – A/7
Science double award results:
A*/9 – A/7 7.6%
A*-C (4 or above) 49.6%
Exam bosses say "the double award qualification and the separate science qualifications are of the same academic standard, however, the separate science subjects continue to attract the highest proportion of the most able students".
Welsh Baccalaureate and Skills Challenge Certificate
Students also picked up their National/Foundation Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate) and National/Foundation Welsh Baccalaureate results. Candidates achieve the National Welsh Baccalaureate by passing the Skills Challenge Certificate at National level and the required supporting qualifications which include a grade A*- C in GCSE mathematics or mathematics-numeracy, a grade A*- C in GCSE English Language or Welsh Language, and gaining grade A*- C in three further GCSEs of which 2 can be equivalent qualifications.
Candidates achieve the Foundation Welsh Baccalaureate by passing the Skills Challenge Certificate at either National or Foundation level and their supporting qualifications at grades A*-G.
A total 24,848 candidates achievedthe National/Foundation Skills Challenge Certificate 16.6% of whom achieved A*- A grades and 86.0% at A*- C.
Of the 25,742 candidates who completed the National/Foundation Welsh Baccalaureate 51.3% gained the National Welsh Baccalaureate, with a further 40.0% gaining the Foundation Welsh Baccalaureate.
How Wales’ GCSE results compare by year, with caveat of Covid disruption:
GCSE grade results for Wales for candidates of all ages but excluding England’s number graded GCSEs, some of which are taken in independent schools in Wale - how results compare by year:
2024 exams sat under “normal” conditions for first time since 2019
2023 exams sat for second time with some, but less support than 2022
2022 -exams sat for the first time since Covid but with support
2021 (teacher assessed grades)
2020 (teacher assessed grades but after a normal school year to March)
A*- G 99.6%
2019 (the last year exams were sat pre-Covid)
Exam regulator Qualifications Wales said "protection" has been put in to ensure grades for some subjects were not too negatively affected by the move back to pre-pandemic arrangements, but in the end exam board WJEC had not had to use this protection. A spokesperson said: “Statistical protection was available in Wales this year to prevent any substantial drops in outcomes at a subject level.
"While grade boundaries in some subjects are lower than in previous series, the standard of performance has been such that it wasn’t necessary for WJEC, the awarding body, to apply the additional protection. Statistics have played their usual role alongside examiner judgement in the setting of grade boundaries.”
England’s GCSE grades are different
England’s GCSEs are graded differently. Pupils are given numbers from 1-9, which are equivalent to G to A*. Exam bosses say the grades from C upwards are equivalent to the grades from 4 upwards in England. And the grades from 7 upwards in England are equivalent to an A or higher in Wales. Critics argue that a grade 9 in England is a higher grade than an A* in Wales as it is given to a smaller percentage of pupils taking the exam, however most in education say that grades 7-9 should be seen in the same way as A and A* in Wales.
This year was different
Students and schools had been warned throughout the year by the regulator Qualifications Wales and exam board WJEC that results were likely to be lower as the system returns to “normal”. Record results were achieved in 2020 and 2021 when exams were cancelled and grades awarded on teacher assessments and in 2022 and 2023 when candidates got extra support such as information on what topics to revise for - this was all to mitigate for lost learning during Covid. None of that support was offered this year.
WJEC exam board sends congratulations
Ian Morgan, Chief Executive, WJEC: “I would like to congratulate GCSE and vocational students on their achievements today. Their results reflect the effort and determination they've demonstrated throughout their studies, and we wish them well as they take their next steps into further education, training, and employment.
“We would like to thank teachers, tutors, and exams officers working at schools and colleges across the country for their hard work, and continued support and commitment to ensuring the successful delivery of this year's exam series. We also want to recognise the contribution of parents and carers who have played a huge role in supporting students achieve today’s results.”
