New GCSE results are readily available

This is certainly not the case. All GCSE results, including those using the new grading system, are provided in the provisional detailed individual school results published on 24 August.

The committee clearly stated that only students at La Mare de Carteret High, the Grammar School and St Anne’s sat English and/or maths exams with the new grading system.

Guidance has been provided by the exam boards on the equivalence of a numerical grade to the letter grades your readers may be more familiar with. The committee has used these equivalences to calculate the 5+ A*-C grades (including English and Maths) and the other

published statistics for each individual school and across the Bailiwick.

As highlighted to your reporter, these equivalences are freely available via our website www.gov.gg/KS4.

The Guernsey Press reported all these individual school statistics and your readers will have been able to see how those schools with students who sat exams attracting the new grading system had performed in relation to their performance in previous years and also in comparison with other schools.

While the majority of jurisdictions, including England, Wales, Northern Ireland and our near neighbours in Jersey, only report a simple pass rate statistic on results day, Guernsey endeavours to provide three key performance indicators for each school as well as across the Bailiwick on that day. We published the percentage of students achieving 5+ A*-C or 9-4 (including English and Maths); percentage achieving 5+ A*-C or 9-4 and the percentage achieving 5+ A*-G or 9-1.

The committee would like to reiterate that all students are included in the Bailiwick calculations, including those at our special schools or who were absent from school for health or other reasons. All results of all GCSE and Level 2 qualifications are included in our individual States school and Bailiwick data.

In common with all other jurisdictions, results are provisional when announced. A period of re-marks and appeals follows before all results are able to be analysed and finalised. The same process applies to results in the Bailiwick. We will publish final progress and attainment data as usual in our Annual Report and Statistical Digest which is freely available online.

The committee understands that the new grading system for some GCSE exams may be difficult for parents, employers, members of the public and indeed members of the media to understand. Careers Guernsey sent out a flyer to all employers included on its work experience database in advance of this year’s results advising them of the new grading system and explaining what it means.

Members of Education staff were also available for media interviews on results day. The Guernsey Press did not take up this offer.

We are happy to answer any further questions or provide any guidance as required.

ALAN BROWN,

Director of Education,

The Office of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.