GCSE results for August 2025 show wide variations in grades depending where students sit the exams
GCSE exams start in Wales in the coming days and now the results for last August for every area of Wales have been revealed in official data. The statistics show huge variations around Wales depending on where pupils sit their GCSEs.
Statistics from the Welsh Government show the local authorities performing best for GCSE results for pupils sitting them in year 11 in the 2024-25 school year. The data shows which areas get the best results for A*-A, A*-C, and overall pass rates A*-G.
The figures comparing council areas are for the 2024-25 academic year and show two of the most affuent areas of Wales coming out top. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
Pupils at St Richard Gwyn RC High in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, with their 2025 GCSE results(Image: St Richard Gwyn High)
Children eligible for free school meals do less well than their more affluent peers and pupils with higher absence rates also do worse.
Figures show the councils with the highest percentages of A*-As may not have he highest percentages of A*-C or overall pass rates A*-G. This may be an indication of a focus for top results rather than overall grades A* to G. The gold standard are A* to C grades.
The top 10 council areas in Wales for GCSEs A*-A 2024-25The top 10 council areas in Wales for GCSEs A*-C 2024-25
- Monmouthshire 73.1%
- Vale of Glamorgan 72.1%
- Ceredigion 69.1%
- Powys 69%
- Cardiff 68.2%
- Newport 65.5%
- Bridgend 65.8%
- Swansea 65%
- Gwynedd 63.8%
- Pembrokeshire 64.6%
GCSE Results in full by council area 2024-25
Anglesey
Entries 6,331
A*-A 16.1%
A*-C 58.6%
A*-G 96%
No grade 4%
Entries 12,298
A*-A 19.4%
A*-C 63.8%
A*-G 97.3%
No grade 2.7%
Conwy
Entries 9,039
A*-A 16.5%
A*-C 60%
A*-G 95.7%
No grade 4.3%
Denbighshire
Entries 10,332
A*-A 16.7%
A*-C 60.9%
A*-G 94.6%
No grade 5.4%
Flintshire
Entries 14,923
A*-A 18.1%
A*-C 63.1%
A*-G 97.1%
No grade 2.9%
Wrexham
Entries 11,497
A*-A 14
A*-C 59.6%
A*-G 95.5%
No grade 4.5%
Powys
Entries 10,876
A*-A 21.4%
A*-C 69%
A*-G 97.9%
No grade 2.1%
Ceredigion
Entries 5, 847
A*-A 21.1%
A*-C 69.1%
A*-G 97.4%
No grade 2.6%
Pembrokeshire
Entries 10,723
A*-A 19.1%
A*-C 64.6%
A*-G 97.4%
No grade 2.6%
Carmarthenshire
Entries 16,737
A*-A 17.4%
A*-C 631%
A*-G 96.7%
No grade 3.3%
Swansea
Entries
22,068
A*-A 22.6%
A*-C 65%
A*-G 96.7%
No grade 3.3%
Neath Port Talbot
Entries 13,435
A*-A 15.5%
A*-C 60.5%
A*-G 96.1%
No grade 3.9%
Bridgend
Entries 13,953
A*-A 21.6%
A*-C 65.8%
A*-G 97.1%
No grade 2.9%
Vale of Glamorgan
Entries 16, 337
A*-A 29%
A*-C 72.1%
A*-G 96.9%
No grade 3.1%
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Entries 25,620
A*-A 16.5%
A*-C 60.9%
A*-G 97.2%
No grade 2.8%
Merthyr
Entries 5,236
A*-A 14.8%
A*-C 59.1%
A*-G 96%
No grade 4%
Caerphilly
Entries 16,820
A*-A 14.9%
A*-C 59.1%
A*-G 95.8%
No grade 4.2%
Blaenau Gwent
Entries 5,107
A*A 13.8%
A*-C 57.3%
A*-G 97.3%
No grade 2.7%
Torfaen
Entries 9,487
A*-A 14.5%
A*-C 56.8%
A*-G 95.3%
No grade 4.7%
Monmouthshire
Entries 7,316
A*-A 28.5%
A*-C 73.1%
A*-G 97.5%
No grade 2.5%
Newport
Entries 16,685
A*-A 21.8%
A*-C 65.5%
A*-G 96.4%
No grade 3.6%
Cardiff
Entries 37, 781
A*-A 26.7%
A*-C 68.2%
A*-G 96.1%
No grade 3.9%
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