PUPILS across Cardiff received their GCSE results today.
Similarly with A-level results, GCSE results across the city were lower this year compared to last, but higher than in 2019, according to Cardiff Council.
The council’s data, based on provisional WJEC GCSE results announced today, shows that 26% of GCSE results for 2024 were graded A* to A.
The Wales average, also based on the same provisional results, was 19.2%.
In terms of GCSE entries resulting in A* to C grades, the percentage for Cardiff was 67.4% and the Wales figure was 62.2%.
Here’s what students in one Cardiff school that we visited, Mary Immaculate High School, had to say about receiving their results today.
Minh Hoang arrived at Mary Immaculate in November 2023 having come from Vietnam.
“I was so scared [when I first arrived] because it is not my first language,” said Minh, 16.
“It felt very difficult to learn English. In my first lesson, I couldn’t understand anything at all.”
She expected to get a C or a D, but ended up with an A.
Minh added: “I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t sleep last night. I was so nervous.”
Minh got four As, two As and 2 distinctions and she is going on to study maths, further maths and physics at St David’s College.
Kristian Hill, 16, got five As and an A and said he was “over the moon” with his results.
He said: “I did much better than I thought. I am absolutely chuffed to bits.
“I got all of the grades that I wanted… and I am looking forward to seeing where it can take me in the future.”
Speaking of the last year, he added “It has been challenging at times, but I think all of the hard work that I have put in… has paid off.”
He’s going on to study computer science, psychology and English at Cardiff and Vale College.
Tinodiwanashe Tandi, 16, said she didn’t have words to describe how she felt this morning before going to collect her results from Mary Immaculate.
“When I look at these results, I feel proud. Not just myself, but I am also going to make my family proud.”
She got three Bs, five As and a C.
Tino added: “All of that revision , not going out to town to McDonalds with my friends – it was all worth it.”
She is going on to do her A-levels in physics, maths, digital technology and business at Bishop of Llandaff.
Her ambition is to go into the tech industry or follow in her father’s footsteps and become an aircraft engineer.
Tino said: “I come from a family full of aircraft engineers. My dad… he is my inspiration and I really aspire to be like him.”
Summer 2024 marked the final step in a return to the usual way that exams in Wales were graded before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mary Immaculate headteacher, Huw Powell said it was amazing to celebrate GCSE results with students.
He said: “It is one of the best bits of the job, actually – being on that educational journey with them and seeing them thrive, seeing them do well and then move on to be amazing members of our community.”
However, he said he was disappointed that some of the support systems and help for youngsters was removed for summer exams this year.
Mr Powell added: “The impact of Covid wasn’t just with pupils who were in secondary school.
“The impact was those youngsters in primary and the huge knock on effect for them now getting to this point.
“Saying that, they worked hard, they worked with their teachers and we’ve made every single effort we can to overcome those barriers for them and for them to succeed.”
