GCSE students set high watermark

Record success in quest for five A*- C grades

The Department of Education says for the first time, 60% of students gained five A*- C grades in their exams, including English and maths.

The figure excluding those core subjects is 70%, slightly up on last year. 

Nearly 800 Year 11 students at the Island's five secondary schools sat exams in around 50 subjects, ranging from performing arts to business studies.

Between them, the students entered 7,500 exams, 20% of which were International GCSEs.

Almost 19% of entries produced the top A* and A grades, while the overall GCSE pass rate, where students are graded from A* - G, was 98.7%.

Minister for Education and Children Tim Crookall said: "The Island’s students and our schools have built on the successes of previous years and have met the challenges associated with changing qualifications."

He added: "This has resulted in continuing success with an impressive percentage of passes at higher grades."

The department says the results are not comparable to the UK's, which span all exam entries, including from the Isle of Man, selective and independent schools and further education colleges.

The Island's independent school King William's College says 94% of all exams entered by its students were awarded A* - C grades.

The majority - 80% - were for the IGCSE qualification, described by Acting Principal Joss Buchanan as 'more traditional and often more rigourous'.

Forty-seven per cent of all exams were awarded A* and A grades.

Mr Buchanan said: "Coming on the back of some very strong IB results in July, this has been a highly successful summer for the College".