Schools Minister Jim Knight today welcomed further improvements in the proportion of young people gaining five good GCSEs as well as an increase in the proportion of children mastering the basics of English and maths.

Key figures published today in the Statistical First Release: GCSE and Equivalent Results for Young People in England, 2005/06 (Provisional) show:

  • A major increase in the proportion getting 5 good GCSEs. The percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving 5+ A-C has risen by 1.8 percentage points from 56.3% to 58.1% - the second biggest rise since 97. Over 350,000 more young people have gained five good GCSEs over the period 1997-2006 thanks to the improvements made in our schools;
  • More pupils are mastering the basics. The percentage of 15-year-old pupils getting 5+ A*-C including English and maths has risen by 0.8 ppts in the last year to 45.1%. This represents an increase of 9.5 ppts since 1997; *An increase in pupils studying single science. Entries for chemistry and physics GCSE have increased by 7% each;
  • Fewer low attaining schools. Provisional figures indicate that the number of schools failing to equip at least a quarter of their pupils with five good passes has been slashed to around one tenth of the rate of 1997; and
  • *Excellent improvemens in some of our most challenging schools: Many schools with high FSM have seen the largest increases in the proportion of pupils achieving five good GCSEs.

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