The 3 Most Important Insights From GCSE Results Day 2022

After the first undisrupted exam season in three years, all the results are in. Last week saw A Level grades fall from the teacher assessed grades of 2021. Nonetheless, those results still exceeded 2019’s pre-Covid outcomes. But has this trend repeated itself for this year’s GCSE cohort?

The answer is yes. The rate of top grades and passes have declined from 2021. Yet they still both remain well above 2019’s results – the most meaningful like-for-like comparison. Both pupils and the DfE can claim this as a big win. Exam candidates’ hard work has paid off, while the DfE’s efforts to tackle grade inflation seem to be working. 

On a day where teenagers across the country will have much to celebrate, these are the most important things to know about today’s GCSE results.

 1. Grades are down on 2021 (but up on 2019)

 73.2% of GCSE grades were marked at the pass threshold of 4/C and above, contrasting with 77.1% in 2021. This remains well above 2019’s figure of 67.3.

Top grades follow the same pattern. 26% of entries were graded above 7/A; down 2.5% on 2021 but soaring ahead of the 20.6% figure for 2019.

The higher fail rates will mean more resits next year. We also expect that the drop in top grades will see more appeals lodged with exam boards.

 2. Girls are still outperforming boys (but the gap is narrowing)

As usual, girls have secured a greater share of top grades and passing grades than boys. But this year, it seems like the gap is narrowing

30% of girls were awarded 7/A or above, compared to just 22.6% of boys. However, the gap has fallen by 1.6% on 2021.

76.7% of girls received passing grades versus 69.8% of boys. This 6.9% gap is fractionally lower than 2021’s 7.0 point difference.

 3. Regional divides have grown

This year’s results reveal a stark gap in attainment levels across the country.

Pupils in London and the South East are significantly more likely to achieve top grades than their peers in other regions.

Top grades accounted for 32.6% of results in the capital, against just 23.1% in the North West. The North East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber were the lowest performing regions, tied on 22.4%.

The second-highest performing pupils came from the South East, where 29.2% of candidates scored top grades. This is significantly higher than the 25.3% for their neighbours in the South West.

These divides, while largely similar to 2021, are wider than they were in the preceding years. This suggests that the pandemic has accentuated pre-existing disparities.

 How schools can improve next year’s results

2022’s GCSE cohort deserves a big round of applause. They have overcome two years of chaos and isolation to secure an impressive set of results. We hope that they feel proud of what they have achieved this year.

It is clear that there is still a way to go in repairing the damage to learning wrought by the pandemic. We’re here to help your school ensure that 2023’s GCSE cohort have the chance to do better, no matter where they come from.

Over the next academic year, Teaching Personnel will help schools across the country put their their School-Led Tutoring catch-up funding to the best use. Our high-quality, targeted tuition has helped thousands of pupils excel.

We will build personalised learning plans around your pupils’ needs and abilities. Our tailored approach develops each learner's understanding and self-confidence, leading to higher marks.

Let’s work together to grow your pupils’ grades in 2023.