Speaking about the qualification results today, Daniel Maney, Senior Wales Organiser for the National Education Union Cymru, said:
“Congratulations to all students receiving their GCSE, Welsh Baccalaureate and other Level 2 qualification results today. Their determination, resilience and hard work, alongside the efforts of educators, parents and carers who support them, deserve great credit.
“This day however comes with disproportionate high stakes and unnecessary anxiety for many students. Too many students are trying to succeed despite all the challenges they currently face due to the underfunding of the education system in Wales and an inability to access the additional learning needs support they require.
"Whilst this year’s candidate entry levels are effected by the ongoing move to made for Wales qualifications and the results across the whole curriculum are broadly stable from last year, it is really unhelpful to compare results from one year to the next. End of course exams are far from the best and fairest way to assess students' skills. Some qualifications awarded today use a mixture of assessment methods but are no less robust.
“As September approaches and the move towards made for Wales qualifications in 2027 continues, we need to ensure that these new qualifications use a range of assessment methods, which capture what young people can do. The measurement of skills or knowledge should be tailored to the needs of a subject, not the one-size-fits-all of exams. Broader, mixed methods of assessment would help cultivate skills more effectively and allow all students the chance to show what they can do. We also need to ensure that we don't increase the workload of teachers, but trust their judgement, without adding too much unnecessary bureaucracy.
“For those who have secured the grades they needed to go on to Further Education, we congratulate them and wish them well. It’s also important to remember today that for those young people who don’t get the results they want it isn’t the end of the road. They can speak to their school and local college about the options that are available – there are lots of courses out there.”