By Carole Dennett
As previously reported, the Isle of Wight’s GCSE results for 2025 place the county at the bottom of national rankings once again. According to Ofqual data, Island pupils sat 9,460 GCSE exams, but local performance fell significantly below national outcomes across key benchmarks.
Nothing should detract from those young people who have worked hard and obtained good grades, but many other young Islanders are clearly not reaching their full potential and – despite good intentions – the local education authority appears unable to improve the picture. Here is more detail about the IW’s performance in individual subjects.
Across all subjects, just 2.3 per cent of entries achieved the highest grade 9 – less than half the national average. More broadly, only 14.5 per cent of grades were at 7 or above, compared to 23.0 per cent nationally. The proportion of students achieving a standard pass (grade 4 or above) was 62.5 per cent, also trailing a long way behind the national figure of 70.5. Each of these statistics puts the Island at the bottom of all English counties.
The disparity is particularly worrying in key core subjects. While maths results at standard levels were closer to national expectations – 69.6 per cent of students achieved grade 4 or above, 2 per cent below the national average – English Language results were 8 per cent lower. This has real consequences – a grade 4 in English and maths is often the minimum requirement for many career paths and further education options and resits are often required.
Pupils face real challenges in attaining the higher results which better prepare them for A-levels in maths, sciences and technical subjects. For instance, only 13.5 per cent of Island students earned grade 7 or above in maths; the national figure is 21.5. The Island also scored badly in higher results for separate sciences – Biology, Chemistry and Physics – typically aimed at more able pupils; however Combined Science results were below, but closer to national levels.
Modern foreign languages also remain a weak spot. With just over 400 entries, outcomes were poor in both French and Spanish at all levels.
The only subject in which Island pupils beat the national trend were Film & Media Studies, and they did so at both 4+ and higher levels; however both were studied by a relatively small number of students.
This cohort of youngsters faced particular challenges; their secondary education started during the pandemic, and that disruption may have had an impact, but the Island has been at or near the bottom of national league tables.
These local results come amid broader national concerns. This year’s GCSE outcomes have prompted warnings from education leaders about widening attainment gaps for white working-class children, and the long-term impact on disadvantaged communities. There are concerns, clearly affecting the Island, that failing top grades in some areas will make access to sixth forms, apprenticeships, and, ultimately, university places much harder for students from those areas.
An IW Council spokesman said: “We know these results don’t reflect the ambition we hold for our young people. We remain absolutely committed to raising standards and outcomes for young people on the Isle of Wight. By working strategically with school leaders, academy trusts and teachers, we are strengthening curriculum design, investing in professional development, and creating the conditions for great teaching to flourish.”
“Change doesn’t happen overnight, but there is a real commitment across our schools to raise achievement. These results highlight the importance of our long-term improvement strategy, and we are confident that the collective determination of our schools and partners will deliver the sustained progress our children and families deserve.”