Hansard

GCSE

Volume 505: debated on Tuesday 2 February 2010

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Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of students achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or higher reckoned by (a) grades achieved in GCSE qualifications and (b) all grades achieved in GCSE qualifications and other accredited qualifications equivalent to a GCSE in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. (300699)

Mr. Coaker

Prior to 1997 the Department included only achievements in full course GCSEs in the five or more GCSEs at grade C or higher measure.

Percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more A*-C grades in:

GCSEs only

GCSEs and equivalents

1990

34.5

—

1991

36.8

—

1992

38.3

—

1993

41.2

—

1994

43.3

—

1995

43.5

—

1996

44.5

—

1997

45.1

45.1

1998

46.2

46.3

1999

47.7

47.9

2000

48.8

49.2

2001

49.4

50.0

2002

50.2

51.6

2003

50.0

52.9

2004

51.2

53.7

2005

53.2

56.8

2006

53.9

59.0

2007

54.6

61.4

2008

56.7

65.3

2009

57.5

69.7

Notes:

1. Column headed GCSE only

Prior to 1997 is full course GCSEs

From 1997 onwards also includes GCSE short courses.

From 2004 onwards also includes vocational GCSE single and double awards.

2. Column headed GCSEs and equivalents

Includes everything in the GCSE only column—plus

From 1997 to 2003 GNVQs are counted as equivalents.

From 2004 onwards all accredited level 2 equivalents are counted as equivalents. A full list can be found here:

http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk

3. Figures from 2005 onwards relate to pupils at the end of key stage 4 in all schools.

Figures prior to 2005 relate to 15yearolds (age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August) in all schools.

Source:

Achievement and Attainment Table data

Michael Gove

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of students achieved five or more A* grades at GCSE in (a) independent and (b) comprehensive schools in (i) 2003, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2007. (304905)

Mr. Coaker

The figures requested are given in the following table:

Number and percentage of students who achieved five or more A* grades at GCSE in selected years

Comprehensive Schools

Independent Schools

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

2003

8,416

1.6

7,441

16.8

2005

10,576

2.0

9,163

19.6

2007

12,094

2.2

9,575

20.5

The 2003 data relate to 15 year-olds at the start of the school year.

The 2005 and 2007 data relate to pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.

Keith Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools in (a) Leicester, (b) the East Midlands and (c) England did not meet the Government's target for GCSE examination passes in the latest period for which figures are available. (312226)

Mr. Coaker

The National Challenge seeks to ensure that by 2011, at least 30 per cent. of pupils in every school achieve five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and mathematics. As listed in the achievement and attainment tables, the 2009 GCSE results show that (a) three schools in Leicester, (b) 25 schools in the East Midlands and (c) 247 schools in England were below this 30 per cent. benchmark. These results confirm that (a) one school in Leicester, (b) 22 schools in the East Midlands and (c) 207 schools in England have risen above 30 per cent. since 2008.

Keith Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of students who took GCSE examinations in 2009 failed by one mark to achieve their predicted grade in (a) Leicester, (b) the East Midlands and (c) England. (312227)