Families have been counting down the days, anxiously awaiting the marks that could change change their children’s future.
And today is the big day - GCSE results day.
Tensions have been higher than usual due to the the newly restructured grading system, providing for more challenging exams.
Schools have traded in the traditional A-G grading system for a numerical one, where scores are ranked from 1-9.
A grade of C or higher is represented by a score of 4 or higher, and an A translates to a 7 or up. The new grading scale causes more differentiation between brighter pupils, making for more difficult GCSEs.
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) recently released a statement from Sally Collier, Chief Regulator:
“Today’s results are the second set for reformed GCSEs [...] These new GCSEs are more challenging and will better prepare students for further study or employment.”
She assured students that they will have “achieved the grades their performance deserves”.
Sally Collier's statement ahead of today's #GCSE results. pic.twitter.com/aapKj1t4dU
— Ofqual (@ofqual) August 23, 2018
However, it seems not all of the second-level pupils agree with Sally’s statement.
In fact, research from the National Citizen Service revealed that students have felt more stressed than ever about their academic performance.
73% of students said the new grading system increased their stress levels, and 65% of young people felt the new grading system wouldn’t accurately represent their ability.
The Department for Education’s former mental health tsar, Natasha Devon, has seen accounts of this increased anxiety first-hand.
She told The Independent: “Academic anxiety has now replaced body image worries as the number one reason pupils give for feelings of panic and distress.”
As results continue to pour in today, we will see the new grading system in action and how it, combined with its resulted increased pressure, has affected the next generation of learners.
