20122-122GIRLS have beaten the boys in this year's GCSE results prompting exam chiefs to call for a reform of the curriculum.

Nationally, this year's GCSE results show a gap in achievement between the sexes with girls out- performing boys by 8.4 per cent at grades A* to C.

There has been an improvement at the top end of the scale with 17.4 per cent of grades being A or A* compared to 16.7 per cent in 2003.

And the number of grades between A* to C has also risen from 58.1 per cent in 2003 to 59.2 per cent this year.

But the overall number of passes has stayed at 97.6 per cent.

Dr Ellie Johnson-Searle, director of the Joint Council for Qualifications, said: "It was clear last week that the one third of the male age group who go on to study at A-level are improving their performance.

"However, the evidence of boys fighting back against the girls at A-level is not replicated at GCSE."

She thinks the education system needs to address the issue of raising the educational aspirations and motivation of all boys from 14 onwards.

In Swindon, an anxious wait for GCSE students was due to come to an end today, as teenagers finally know what grades they have achieved.

Azaria Frost is one of the many students who will be receiving her grades.

The 16-year-old sat 11 GCSEs at Ridgeway School and is spending the summer doing work experience at the Evening Advertiser.

"I've tried not to be nervous because there is nothing you can do about it once you have taken the exams," she said. "I haven't been thinking about results day much as I have been keeping busy but the anticipation is building up.

"I'm looking forward to getting it over and done with now."

She plans to stay on in the sixth form to do A-levels in media, German, philosophy, and English language and literature.

Teachers and education officials hope this year's results will build on the rapid improvement shown in last year's GCSE league tables.

Last year, 49.1 per cent of secondary school students in Swindon achieved the national benchmark of five GCSEs between grades A* and C. The figure was a 2.2 per cent increase on the previous year nearly double the national rate of improvement of 1.3 per cent.

But although Swindon's schools gained ground, the figure is still behind the national average of 52.9 per cent. Churchfields School headteacher Steve Flavin said: "I am hoping that year on year, as Swindon attracts a higher quality of teachers into its schools, the town will exceed government expectations.

"Obviously we are a poorly funded authority. Although everything is not down to money, when we compare Swindon with similar authorities then we are making fantastic progress despite being under-funded."

Bhavani Vadde