BRAINY youngsters have smashed the number of top GCSE grades awarded for the second year in a row - despite a gruelling exam shake-up.
More than one in five GCSE entries scored one of the three top grades this year - up from 20.5 per cent last summer despite fears the exams were too tough for youngsters.
And girls are still smashing it - leading the way with A/7 grades by 6.5 per cent this year.
The staggering results fly in the face of leading teaching unions who argued the new numerical system had left some students so stressed they refused to sit exams.
The National Education Union (NEU) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) claimed eight of ten school leaders said the new courses had caused less able students to struggle.
And one deputy head teacher told the union: “Lower-attaining students are completely demoralised by these new exams.
"We have an increasing number refusing to attempt mocks and actual exams. This has never happened before.”
STUDENTS FIGHTING BACK
But the figures show students have fought back to receive top grades - at least a 7 or an A grade.
The top grade is at the highest level since 2015 and marks the second year-on-year rise in a row.
And teens getting at least a 4 or a C grade is also the highest since 2015, data published by the Joint Council for Qualifications reveals.
The figures also showed total of 67.3 per cent of UK entries scored a C/4 or above - up from 66.9 per cent last year.
Despite being notoriously tricky, more teens are getting a higher grade in maths - with more than half receiving a C/4 or above.
How do the new GCSE grades work?
The new system is numerical as opposed to letters:
- 9, 8 and 7 are equivalent to A* or A
- 6, 5 and 4 are equivalent to B or C
- 3, 2 and 1 are equivalent to D, E, F or G
- A U is equivalent to ungraded
It's the same story for English - with 62 per cent scoring a C/4, which is an increase from last year.
The results come despite the biggest exam shake-up for a generation - with GCSEs now proving more difficult with less coursework to fall back on.
Historically, GCSE students would get a letter assigned to their performance in each subject, from an A*, the best possible mark, to a U, for a paper which failed to achieve any grade.
But GCSEs now have numerical grades from 1-9 awarded instead of the traditional lettered results.
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A total of 25 subjects were awarded new grades for the first time this year with most students picking up their results today given numerical grades.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Today is a proud day for students, teachers and parents up and down the country, and I wish them all the very best for their results.
"It should also be an exciting day. It's a day that marks the culmination of years of hard work and opens doors that can create life-changing opportunities."
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