GCSE results day 2021: Recap updates as students collected grades across Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham, Havant and Waterlooville
After months of waiting, students have finally collected their GCSE results across the Portsmouth area today.
Exams have once again been cancelled due to Covid pandemic – and so the grades are based on teacher assessment this year.
GCSE results day took place a week earlier than usual in 2021 and A-levels were moved forward to Tuesday instead of taking place today.
Students across the Portsmouth area will be picking up their grades in person this morning.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said pupils collecting their GCSE and BTEC results on Thursday should be proud after they faced learning in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
He tweeted: ‘Good luck to students receiving their GCSE and BTEC results today. Young people across our country are hugely talented and should be proud of all they’ve achieved in such exceptional circumstances. Thank you to their teachers and support staff who have worked so hard this year.’
Schools minister Nick Gibb said pupils receiving their GCSEs had been through an ‘exceptional year’ because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Gibb said: ‘This is an exceptional year, designed to make sure that despite the pandemic, despite the fact we had to cancel exams, because it wouldn’t have been fair for children, young people, to sit exams when they’ve had such different experiences of Covid – the different levels of self-isolation and so on – so a teacher-assessed system was the best alternative to make sure they can go on to the next phase of their education or careers.’
We had reporters out at schools across the area this morning, to get all the latest updates and reactions.
Recap the updates in our live blog below.