Results day for new GCSEs

The big news over the summer was that GCSE results in England included the new grades for English Language, English Literature and Maths.

As outlined on these pages last December, these subjects are now graded from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade, while all other subjects retained the existing A* to G scale. Another 20 subjects will have the numerical grading in 2018, with most others following in 2019, and during this transitional phase students will receive a mixture of letter and number grades.

Ahead of results day, we were to note that new GCSE content is more challenging, and fewer grade 9s would be awarded than A*s in previous years. As news of results came in from the British boarding schools we work with, it was clear that their students acquitted themselves very well in the newly rigorous exams. Nationally, only 3% of candidates achieved Grade 9, and these students are well represented within that figure!

One of the many advantages of independent schools is their increased freedom to choose the qualifications and curricular they offer, and many of the schools we recommend also offer IGCSEs, which are unaffected by the reforms and garner at least as much recognition and respect amongst universities and employers.

If you would appreciate guidance as to which English boarding school, offering which exams, would suit your child, please do contact us.

Photo courtesy of Wellington School