Warning over ‘chronic’ under-performance of boys at GCSEs

• Professor Alan Smithers has labelled the under-performance of boys at GCSE as "chronic" and a "major issue", warning it could hinder the nation's economic competitiveness.
• He highlighted that girls consistently achieve higher grades, with 24.7 per cent of female entries receiving top marks last year compared to 19.0 per cent of male entries.
• Smithers called for an urgent review of "soul-destroying" compulsory GCSE resits and suggested scrapping the English Baccalaureate due to low language take-up.
• Ahead of GCSE results day, he predicted that top grades this year would remain high compared to pre-pandemic levels, despite grading standards returning to normal.
• The Department for Education stated its commitment to ensuring all young people succeed, noting ongoing reviews and reforms to the education system.

IN FULL

Under-performance of boys at GCSE level ‘should be a matter of national concern’ professor says