Nottinghamshire County Council has congratulated its young people in schools across the county who have been receiving the results of their GCSE examinations.

The provisional results for Nottinghamshire based on 43 out of 55. This includes 10 special schools. Provisional data shows that:
•60.4% of pupils obtained five or more A* – C grades including English and mathematics – down -3.0% on 2013 (63.4%)*
•English Baccalaureate is 26.4% – this is a student’s performance measure in English, mathematics, two science, history or geography and a foreign language – up 3.7% on 2013 (22.7%)*
•71.9% of students made the expected three or more levels progress between the level they achieved in English at the end of primary school (or Key Stage 2) and their GCSE English results compared with 70.2% in 2013*
•And 66.8% of students made the expected three or more levels progress between the level they achieved in maths at the end of primary school (or Key Stage 2) and their GCSE maths result compared with 69.1% in 2013*.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s committee vice-chairman for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Kate Foale, said: “I would like to congratulate Nottinghamshire pupils and their teachers who have worked so hard to achieve these results.

“For many of our young people, these results will be a cause for great celebration, confirming plans for their post-16 education. However, for some, results may be disappointing, but I would encourage those students to seek advice from their teachers or the exam results helpline for information on what to do next.

“From September last year all students were expected to continue to access education or training until their 18th birthday. And the increase in apprenticeship opportunities will provide some pupils with appropriate work based opportunities.

“It is estimated that more than 7.0% of young people in Nottinghamshire of academic age 16 and 17 are currently participating in an apprenticeship. This is above the regional figure and twice the national figure which reflects the highly effective partnership working between schools, colleges and local and national businesses.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s School improvement team has continued to forge partnerships across the county to ensure that the most successful schools are able to work alongside others.

Forty of the 45 secondary schools in Nottinghamshire have converted to academy status. However, most secondary head teachers and their staff maintain professional partnership links with the authority aspiring for excellence for all Nottinghamshire’s young people.