GCSE results: proportion of entries with highest grades soars

Proportion awarded grades 7, 8 and 9 rises from 21.9% last year to 27.6% as exams regulator accepts school assessments

• GCSE results: news and reaction – live blog

The proportion of the highest GCSE grades awarded in England this year has jumped by 26%, in the wake of the government’s examinations U-turn, according to figures released by the regulator Ofqual.

Following the government’s decision to scrap calculated grades and replace them with school-assessed grades in most cases, the proportion awarded of grades 7, 8 and 9 – equivalent to the old A and A* grades – awarded to Year 11 pupils rose from 21.9% last year to 27.6% this year.

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