AoC responds to GCSE resit results

Catherine Sezen, Director of Education Policy, Association of Colleges, said: “Congratulations to all those who are receiving GCSE results today, and to the colleges who have supported so many to achieve a grade 4 or above.

“We know that colleges have once again managed dramatic growth in retake numbers this year, with entries to the November series up by 24% for GCSE English and 13% for GCSE maths. These are mostly college students over the age of 16 who resat because they had not achieved a grade 4 at secondary school.

“It’s positive to see that the proportion of students who have gained a grade 4 in maths has increased from 2023. The results for GCSE English need further scrutiny, but it needs to be remembered that entry approaches differ from college to college and year to year. We expected the Pearson 2.0 results to be lower than the November 2023 sitting due to the standards set in summer 2024, however, the proportion of entries to Pearson 2.0 amount to less than 25% of all entries in English language.

“AoC has consistently called for a review of both English and maths qualifications at Key Stage 4 and post-16, and we are hopeful that the ongoing curriculum and assessment review will shine a light on what qualifications are appropriate for this cohort of students to ensure they can go on to succeed in life beyond college."

You can read a more detailed briefing here.