Many learners in Wales will receive their GCSE, Skills Challenge Certificate and vocational qualification results today, following the second year that learners have taken formal exams and assessment since 2019.
Philip Blaker, chief executive at Qualifications Wales, said: “Congratulations to everyone in Wales receiving their results today. You have demonstrated what you know, understand and can do, and should be very proud of your achievements.”
Exams and assessments took place again this summer for the second time since they were cancelled during the pandemic. To support learners during the transition back to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements, advance information was provided, and supportive grading was put in place.
Across Wales, results are broadly midway between those awarded in 2019 (the last year before the pandemic) and 2022 (the first year learners sat exams as we emerged from the pandemic). This supportive grading approach was announced back in September; it marks the next step on the Welsh qualification system’s journey back to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements.
Mr Blaker continued: “Thank you to all the schools and colleges for their hard work supporting learners as we’ve taken the next step on our journey back to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements.
The journey back is important when we consider long-term fairness for learners. Formal exams and assessments allow learners to demonstrate their knowledge and achieve grades based solely on the work that they have produced, whilst also allowing us to have comparability in approaches year on year. The grades that learners achieve measure their attainment and allow them to progress into further education, higher education or employment.
There may be some learners who don’t achieve the grades that they had hoped for. My advice to them is try not to worry if you haven’t got the grades you need for your chosen progression route. There are many options available and different pathways to explore, and support will be available if you need guidance.”
Working Wales offers free, impartial advice on what options are available. Visit https://workingwales.gov.wales/how-we-can-help/young-persons-guarantee for more information and support.
GCSE results
- results in 2023 were awarded broadly midway between 2019 and 2022
- 300,409 GCSE grades were awarded this summer. This is fewer than last summer, but more than in 2019. There were fewer entries from learners in year 10 and below this year, compared to last year, but more than in 2019
- 21.7% of GCSE grades issued were grade A/7 or above, 64.9% were grade C/4 or above and 96.9% were grade G/1 or above
- for 16-year-olds taking A*-G GCSEs, 9.0% of grades issued were grade A*, 22.0% were A* to A and 65.6% were A* to C
- these results are for exams that were sat this summer. They do not give a full picture of all the GCSEs that 16-year-olds in Wales have achieved, because they don’t include any grades for GCSEs they may have achieved in previous exam series
- results published by JCQ for all learners include Wales A*-G GCSEs and 9-1 GCSEs designed for use in England. As the grade scales do not directly align, results are published for key grades A/7, C/4 and G/1
The full details of results for GCSE and Skills Challenge Certificate in Wales are available on the Qualifications Wales website. There is also additional background information on how qualifications were awarded this year and help and support for learners as they consider their next steps.