GCSE statistics on pupil characteristics
GCSE and equivalent qualification results, showing pupil characteristics such as gender, income group and ethnicity.
The Department has today published statistics that show GCSE and equivalent qualification results, broken down by different pupil characteristics such as gender, free school meals eligibility and ethnicity. The statistics can be found online.
Commenting on statistics released today, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:
Whilst the figures show a welcome rise in those achieving the benchmark 5 or more good GCSEs including English and maths, last week’s international comparisons (PISA) point to this country’s education system continuing to slip down the world rankings.
We’re concerned too that the achievement gap between those young people on free school meals and their peers remains stubbornly high, with around 7 out of 10 of the poorest children leaving school without 5 or more good GCSEs including English and maths.
To help raise academic standards for all young people, we are concentrating our efforts on improving reading ability in our primary schools by introducing a progress check at age 6 and focusing on phonics. We are reforming the national curriculum to make sure children leave school with the essential knowledge they need for life, and are allowing more schools to gain academy freedoms. We are also supporting heads and teachers to instil a zero tolerance approach to poor behaviour and low level disruption in class, which can often cause pupils to fall behind in secondary school.
The coalition government’s pupil premium, which equates to an additional £430 in 2011 to 2012 for each of the poorest pupils in our schools, will allow teachers to provide extra support for the children who all too often fall behind in class.
Background
- Last week, the PISA international study showed how our 15-year-olds compare with the best in the world:
| Subject |
Rankings for England |
||
|
|
2000 (32 Countries) |
2006 (57 Countries) |
2009 (65 Countries) |
|
Reading |
7th |
17th |
25th |
|
Mathematics |
8th |
25th |
27th |
|
Science |
4th |
14th |
16th |
- In the last year for which we have figures, just 40 of 80,000 pupils eligible for free school meals made it to Oxbridge.
- The total funding available for the pupil premium will be £625 million in 2011-12, rising each year until 2014-15 when it will be worth £2.5 billion. The pupil premium, a key Coalition priority, will target extra money at pupils from deprived backgrounds - pupils we know underachieve compared to their non-deprived peers - in order to support them in reaching their potential.
- In 2011-12, the pupil premium will be allocated to those pupils eligible for free school meals. We have chosen this indicator because it directly targets pupils and because the link between FSM eligibility and low attainment is strong. However, we aim from 2012 to 2013 to extend the reach of the premium to those who have previously been on free school meals.
- The level of the pupil premium will be £430 per pupil and will be the same for every deprived pupil, no matter where they live. The Coalition’s objective is to reform the underlying funding system to ensure that over time deprived children in every part of the country receive the same level of support. We will consult on how best to meet this objective.
Related links
Secretary of State’s comments on Pisa study Press notice commenting on the PISA international study of 15-year-olds’ educational attainment.
GCSE statistics on pupil characteristics Analysis of GCSE data by pupil characteristics such as gender, free school meals eligibility and ethnicity
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