Early indications suggest that young people in County Durham are maintaining the high standards of previous years with best entry GCSE results showing that 63 per cent of pupils have achieved five A*-C grades, including English and maths.
This is a very pleasing achievement against a backdrop of significant changes in the examination system, which now mean that local authority averages will be determined by pupils’ first entry results and not their best results.
This means that only the results of the first exams sat by pupils after September 29, 2013, are taken into account and any subsequent re-sits, where a pupil might achieve a higher grade, do not count towards a local authority’s overall average. As a result County Durham’s average will be reported nationally as 59 per cent of pupils achieving five A*-C grades, including English and maths.
Caroline O’Neill, head of education at Durham County Council, said: “We are delighted that young people have worked so hard to achieve overall best entry results of 63 per cent. Although the national average is not yet available it is likely that this will once again place County Durham above the national average. These excellent results reflect the continuing hard work and commitment of all staff and pupils in County Durham’s schools.”