Examination results: September 2021 to August 2022

Pupils in Year 11

• In 2021/22 the percentage of GCSE entries awarded A* to A, A* to C, and A* to G grades decreased from 2020/21. The largest decrease was in the A* to C range with a decrease of 5.0 percentage points.
• The percentage of entries awarded at each individual grade at A*, A, B and C was lower in 2021/22 than the previous year. The percentage of entries awarded at each individual grade between D and G was higher than the previous year.

Selected pupil characteristics

• The gap between boys and girls narrowed over the last year at grades A* to A and A* to C and continues to be negligible at grades A* to G, with girls achieving better outcomes than boys in all three grade ranges.
• The gap widened at A* to C and A* to G grades between pupils eligible for free school meals and those not eligible and narrowed at the A* to A grades. With pupils not eligible for free school meals achieving better outcomes than pupils eligible for free school meals at all three grade ranges.
• The gap between White British pupils and Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils widened at grade ranges A* to A and A* to C, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils achieving better outcomes than White British pupils. The gap at A* to G was negligible.
• Pupils with an Indian background achieved the highest outcomes at GCSE, with 57.8% of entries achieving A* to A.

Pupils aged 17

• In 2021/22 the percentage of A level entries awarded A* to A, A* to C, and A* to E grades decreased from 2020/21. The largest decrease was at A* to C, with a decrease of 7.4 percentage points.

Selected pupil characteristics

• The gap between boys and girls narrowed at A* to A and A* to C grades, with girls achieving better outcomes than boys at A* to C grades. The gap at A* to A and A* to E was negligible in 2021/22.
• The gap between White British pupils and Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils widened at A* to A grades, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils achieving better outcomes than White British pupils. The gap at A* to C and A* to E was negligible.
• Pupils with an Indian background achieved the highest outcomes at A level, with 57.7% of entries achieving A* to A.

Note

Suspension of performance measures

Due to the disruption to schools as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Minister for Education confirmed that the Welsh Government will continue not to calculate or publish performance measures in 2021/22 for both Year 11 and sixth form cohorts.

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

Examinations and centre assessed grades

The 2022 examination period was a transitionary year, where relevant qualifications sat by Welsh pupils returned to written examination. This was not a complete return to pre-pandemic examinations. To compensate for any disruption to the school timetable, pupils who sat exams in 2022 were given a wider choice of questions from the syllabus, with Qualifications Wales setting results broadly midway between 2019 (the last time examinations were sat) and 2021 outcomes.

Pupils that were awarded a qualification during the 2020 and 2021 summer periods were awarded grades based on a centre determined or centre assessed 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).