Pupils across County Durham receiving their GCSE results have been praised for their hard work in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Students are receiving their results today which, for the first time since the pandemic began, will be based upon end of year exams.
Durham County Council has commended pupils for their commitment to their studies to achieve their results following a period of disruption during the pandemic, which meant they have spent less time in the classroom.
In County Durham, there was a higher proportion of pupils achieving a grade five and above in English and maths, a higher proportion of children achieving the pass grade of four in English and maths, and a greater percentage of pupils achieving success in science, humanities and languages, than the last year that formal examinations took place.
Cllr Ted Henderson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “I would like to give my congratulations to all the pupils who are receiving their GCSE results today.
“After such testing times, to say our young people deserve great credit is an understatement. There were lockdowns, remote learning, and teachers and pupils being sent home with Covid-19. They didn’t get to see friends and were taken out of the routine of school.
“When you take these things into account, you recognise the enormity of what students have been through – not just academically, but mentally and emotionally. Considering all of this, they should feel especially proud of their achievements.”
Pupils who did not receive the grades they hoped for and those looking for careers advice can visit www.durhamworks.info where they will find information on apprenticeships, recruitment and training for 16 to 24-year-olds across the county.
