Across all schools, around 200,000 fewer GCSE entries than last year achieved a grade 7 or above, the equivalent of an A or A*
Private schools and grammars have led a record drop in top GCSE grades as the Government attempts to return to pre-pandemic standards.
Across all schools in the UK, around 200,000 fewer GCSE entries than last year achieved a grade 7 or above, the equivalent of an A or A*.
The share of top grades has fallen to 22 per cent, from 26.3 per cent a year earlier.
The fall is a result of measures to bring an end to pandemic grade inflation. Exams were scrapped because of lockdown restrictions and replaced with teacher assessments in 2020 and 2021, when the share of top grades hit a record 28.9 per cent.