Highest number of Island students achieve 5 or more A*-C
passes since start of GCSE

The A*-C pass rate in GCSE and the equivalent GNVQ vocational qualifications for Island students has improved at a higher rate than that nationally. The A*- C pass rate improved by 1 per cent to 53.4 per cent against a national improvement of 0.2 per cent. Though at 53.4 per cent the Island figure was below the national figure of 58.1 per cent, 45.7 per cent of students - an improvement on 2002 - achieved 5 or more A*-C passes and 96 per cent of students achieved at least one A*-G pass.

Overall the achievement of individual students has been good in this year's GSCE/GNVQ results. A total of 1577 candidates took a total of 13421 certificates with over a quarter of the grades achieved being A*-B. This is the third year of successive improvement with the number of Island students achieving 5 or more A*-C grades being at the highest level since the implementation of the GCSE qualification.

The Isle of Wight Council executive spokesperson for education and life long learning, Councillor Jill Wareham, said: "I would like to congratulate all students on their achievements, which reflect their hard work and the efforts of the high schools. The continued improvement in the 2003 results is welcomed."

Strategic Director of Education and Community Development, David Pettitt, said: "Within the year on year improvement there are some excellent individual school and student performances. All students and the high schools deserve our congratulations for their hard work and achievements."

Further inquiries

For further information contact Keith Simmonds - Senior Inspector on 01983 823405, or e-mail him on keith.simmonds@iow.gov.uk. Please note that information in respect of each of the five high schools must be obtained from the schools themselves.