19th August 2008
CANDIDATE’S “GOOD LUCK” MESSAGE FOR PUPILS
“Good luck for your GCSE results!” is the message for students this week from Donna Hutton, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Clwyd West.
Mrs Hutton said:
“GCSE exam results are due out this Thursday and I hope our students do as well as their colleagues taking Vocational, Welsh Baccalaureate and “A/AS” Levels this year.
“I know the Tories, in particular, have poured scorn on rising levels of achievement. But instead of always knocking our young people they should be celebrating! Continually improving results show that school and colleges programmes are working and that students are being encouraged into subjects in where they can do well.
“Students’ results in ‘A’ levels, ‘Ass’ and the Welsh Baccalaureate just announced, as well as in a range of Vocational qualifications last month, show they are improving all the time, and in many cases doing better in Wales than in other parts of the UK. I hope GCSE results are just as good.
“Just like the terrific achievements we are seeing at the Olympics, this year’s exam and vocational results are the product of sustained hard work and application over a long period. Good exam and course results are not a flash in the pan either, so let’s really get behind young people and appreciate their successes.”
ENDS.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Welsh Assembly Government, 14th August 2008
Results for Welsh A, AS and the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma published on 14th August 2008 show 97.6 percent of A level, and 88.5 percent of AS entries this year resulted in pass grades; both slightly above the overall pass rate for all UK entries.
“FFORWM”, 23rd July 2008 (the national organisation representing all 25 further education colleges and institutions in Wales)
Every year since 2001/02, the number of vocational qualifications awarded in Wales has increased. Now, 37% of all post-16 qualifications in Wales are linked to vocational qualifications. This is matched by Scotland, but is higher than England (32%) and Northern Ireland (26%).
From Welsh Joint Education Committee, 14th August 2008
A level subject entries across Wales and England increased to a record 52,600, a 10% increase on the comparable figures in 2007. WJEC’s AS Level entries have also increased, from 65,600 last year to 70,500 this year, and entries for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma rose from 1,538 in 2007 to 1,857 in 2008.