Examination results: September 2020 to August 2021 (provisional)

Main points

Pupils in Year 11

• In 2020/21 the percentage of entries awarded A* to A and A* to C was the highest since 2008/09 (data between 2008/09 and 2014/15 is available on StatsWales).
• The percentage of entries awarded at each individual grade at A*, A and G was higher in 2020/21 than the previous year. The percentage of entries awarded at each individual grade between B and F was lower or the same as the previous year.

Selected pupil characteristics

• The gap between boys and girls increased over the last year at grades A* to A and A* to G but decreased at grades A* to C, with girls outperforming boys in all three grade ranges.
• The gap increased at A* to A, A* to C and A* to G grades between pupils eligible for free school meals and those not eligible, with pupils not eligible for free school meals outperforming pupils eligible for free school meals at all three grade ranges
• The gap between White British pupils to Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils increased at A* to A and A* to C grade ranges, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils outperforming White British pupils. The gap at A* to G was negligible. 

Pupils aged 17

• A similar pattern is seen in A level results.
• The percentage of entries awarded A* to A grades was the highest since 2008/09 (data between 2008/09 and 2014/15 is available on StatsWales).
• The gap between boys and girls increased at A* to A and A* to C grades, with girls outperforming boys. The gap at A* to E was negligible.

Note

Suspension of performance measures

Due to the cancellation of the normal examination period in 2020/21 and ongoing disruption to schools as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the then Minister for Education confirmed that the Welsh Government will not to calculate or publish performance measures for 2019/20 or 2020/21, for both Year 11 and sixth form cohorts.

The analysis presented in this release is based on grade distributions that are consistent with other information released by Qualifications Wales and the Joint Centre for Qualifications (JCQ) (see definitions). These grade distributions allow the results to be interrogated at a finer level and show results at both the upper and lower ability ranges.

Centre assessed grades

Following the cancelation of public examinations, all qualifications that would have been sat as examinations in the 2020/21 summer term have been awarded through a centre determined grade model. Grades were determined by schools and colleges, based on their assessment of learners’ work, using a range of evidence (including non-examination assessments, mock exams and classwork).

Pupils that were awarded a qualification before the summer 2020 examination series will not have a centre determined grade but the grades they were awarded in a written examination.