GCSE results: Hackney students ‘excel yet again’ in face of major reforms

All smiles: Petchey Academy students with their results. Photograph: Hackney Council

Schools across Hackney are celebrating after students defied upheaval to the GCSE system to deliver a strong set of results.

This year’s cohort was the first to feel the impact of controversial reforms, introduced in 2015 under former Education Secretary Michael Gove, which mean English and Maths are now graded from 9-1 rather than A*-G.

But students, who also had to contend with tougher exams in core subjects, took the changes in their stride as two thirds passed English and Maths by achieving a C/4 grade.

Results in English Language and English Literature were at least 10 per cent higher than national figures.

Delight: pupils at Clapton Girls’ Academy celebrate. Photograph: Hackney Council

Over 76 per cent of students passed English Language, compared to the national average of 64.9 per cent, and 82 per cent earned grade 4 in English Literature, higher than the 72 per cent nationally.

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Hackney’s deputy mayor, said: “Congratulations to everyone who collected their GCSE results this morning. Yet again Hackney’s young people have excelled, and I’m very proud of all of our schools for the contribution they make in helping their pupils to make a great start in life.

“I wish all of our students the very best for the future.”

To find out more about the GCSE reforms, and for stories from schools across Hackney, take a look at our results day coverage here.