GCSE slump blamed on exam reforms

OLDHAM’S GCSE results are among the worst in Greater Manchester following major changes to the exams and school league tables.

Fewer teenagers in the borough achieved at least five A* to C grades in new tables published yesterday.

Just over half (51.9 per cent) reached the benchmark, down from 57 per cent in 2013. This is the third-worst figure of the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities. Oldham is 121st of England’s 152 local authorities.

The drop reflects the national figure, with results across England having fallen from 59.2 per cent to 52.6 per cent.

Government officials said it was difficult to compare the latest results with previous years due to reforms such as cutting thousands of vocational qualifications from school performance measures, and making only a student’s first attempt at a GCSE count in the tables.

The latest figures show a rise in the number of pupils achieving the Government’s English Baccalaureate — at least a C at GCSE in English, maths, science, history or geography and a foreign language. This increased from 22.8 per cent last year to 23.9 per cent. Almost 17 per cent of Oldham pupils achieved the EBacc - the second lowest figure in Greater Manchester.