News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

Liveblogs

Big regional variations in GCSE grades

There’s a political row brewing over the big disparities in GCSE grades in different regions.

The GCSE pass rate is just 69.6% in Yorkshire & the Humber as compared to 76.7% in London.

The percentage of GCSE entries awarded the top grades also varied sharply, from 23.1% in North-west England to 32.6% in London and 37% in Northern Ireland.

Yorkshire & the Humber scored 22.4%.

Asked on Sky News about possible reasons for disparities, shadow education minister Stephen Morgan said: “Because the Government failed children and the children recovery plan hasn’t actually made a real difference across the country.”

While education secretary Will Quince told Times Radio: “It’s a huge priority. Ensuring that wherever you live up and down our country that you have access to a world-class education, and you have the same opportunity – whether you live in Bournemouth or Barnsley – is really important to us, and every year up until the pandemic we’ve been closing the attainment gap.”

GCSE grade percentages by nation and region

The percentage of GCSE entries awarded the top grades (7/A or above)

  • North-east England 22.4% (2021: 24.5%; 2019: 16.4%)
  • North-west England 23.1% (2021: 25.9%; 2019: 18.6%)
  • Yorkshire & the Humber 22.4% (2021: 24.4%; 2019: 17.8%)
  • West Midlands 22.8% (2021: 25.3%; 2019: 18.1%)
  • East Midlands 22.5% (2021: 25.1%; 2019: 18.3%)
  • Eastern England 26.2% (2021: 28.5%; 2019: 20.5%)
  • South-west England 25.3% (2021: 29.1%; 2019: 20.4%)
  • South-east England 29.2% (2021: 31.9%; 2019: 23.5%)
  • London 32.6% (2021: 34.5%; 2019: 25.7%)

The GCSE pass rate (entries awarded 4/C or above) by region

  • North-east England 71.2% (2021: 75.5%; 2019: 63.8%)
  • North-west England 70.3% (2021: 75.0%; 2019: 64.9%)
  • Yorkshire & the Humber 69.6% (2021: 73.5%; 2019: 64.1%)
  • West Midlands 69.9% (2021: 74.3%; 2019: 63.8%)
  • East Midlands 71.5% (2021: 75.4%; 2019: 65.8%)
  • Eastern England 73.7% (2021: 77.1%; 2019: 67.1%)
  • South-west England 74.2% (2021: 78.6%; 2019: 68.3%)
  • South-east England 75.5% (2021: 79.3%; 2019: 70.2%)
  • London 76.7% (2021: 79.7%; 2019: 70.6%)
Liveblogs