GCSE Outcomes For Pupils In Cardiff Continue To Rise

Cardiff’s secondary schools are celebrating once again this year after GCSE results published today point to a further improvement in the city’s performance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The provisional results show that the percentage of pupils in Cardiff secondary schools achieving at least five A* to C grades, including mathematics and English or Welsh has risen by over three percentage points to 62.4%. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The capital city has seen this figure, a key indicator known as the ‘Level 2+ threshold’, rise in the past four years by 13 percentage points. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year has also seen positive improvements in the Level 1 (5 or more GCSEs at A*- G) and Level 2 (5 or more GCSEs at A*-C) measures by 1.5% and 1.6% respectively. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Some GCSE successes from around Cardiff ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Cardiff High broke the 90% barrier of pupils achieving the Level 2+ threshold while almost 100% of pupils gained five or more GCSEs at A*-C.
• St Illtyd’s RC High, Mary Immaculate High and Eastern High all increased their Level 2+ results by 7 percentage points or more
• Llanishen High School increased their Level 2+ results by 7 percentage points up to 69.8%
• A number of schools achieved over 95% at Level 2: Cardiff High, Fitzalan, Bishop of Llandaff CiW High, Radyr Comprehensive, St Illtyd’s RC High and Mary Immaculate RC High ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following its monitoring visit earlier this year, Estyn clearly recognised the progress made to improve attainment in Cardiff and these latest GCSE results are further confirmation that the city is making positive strides in raising standards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The city council also recently launched the Cardiff 2020 strategy, the city’s renewed vision for education and learning, which has been endorsed by partners across education and business to ensure that standards continue to rise. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Welcoming this further increase in performance, Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: “I want to congratulate all the pupils and staff on another improved set of GCSE results this year. Speaking from personal experience I know how stressful it is for pupils and their parents as the calendar counts down to results day and having visited some schools it was great to witness first-hand the hard work and dedication paying off.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of the City of Cardiff Council, Cllr Phil Bale, said: “These are really important results for the city as we see an increase once again this year. Education is everyone’s business in Cardiff and we want to encourage partnership working to support our schools and young people. Well done to all the students receiving their results today, their families for all the support they’ll have given and our hardworking staff and governors at schools across the city.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The figures quoted are for all pupils in the Year 11 age group in Cardiff, including special schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Results are provisional at the time of publication. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​