GCSE Results

[Dusty Bin]

Are my GCSE results available for everyone to see either online or in newspapers etc. I have to go to my school this morning to collect them, but will other people be able to see my results before I do?

[leg758end]

no

[Dusty Bin]

Thanks. My friend says her dad has told her that schools let local newspapers have their GCSE results so they can print them. Can I stop mine being printed?

[New Judge]

I think you will find, Dusty that the figures published in the press and on TV do not provide details of individuals' results.

They will simply say something like "25% got grade A in maths" or "250 out of 300 got grade A in English".

These "general" figures are released to the media before individuals get their results so that the stories can be run alongside your own individual jublations.

[squarebear]

Your local newspaper wil lprobably print them. Get in touch with them if you don't want them shown.

[~Karen~]

They do print the results, with names. First inital and surname usually. I read local papers as part of my job.

[New Judge]

I find what you both say most surprising.

This is confidential information which should not be in the public domain. The principle of data protection is that data should not be held on named individuals unless it is necessary, and then only if strict guidelines are followed.

Naming a child who attends a specific school clearly is sufficient to identify them and I would say that the papers concerned are contravening the law.

In view of some of the ridiculous lengths that some organisations go to under the guise of "data protection" (often erroneously) I'm surprised nobody has chalenged this practice before now.

[CheekyChops]

Our local paper names students as well.

[squarebear]

I always thought ALL local papers name students with their grades.

[squarebear]

New Judge - We only have one school in the area where children go to do GCSEs, so it's obvious where any child in our town between 13-16 goes to school.

[aka pixi]

Our local paper does the results thing too. Today it was the A Level results, next week they will start on the GCSE results.

[lucystrong]

I've never heard of this happening, but I think Northern Ireland are a bit different when it comes to results anyway, as league tables are not published.
I am a teacher and have received the results of all the entrants at my school, but they are to be treated in confidence, I would not dream of divulging the information to anyone.

[aka pixi]

I just looked in the paper. It says the name of the college, the students inital and surname and the exams they took, but not the results.

[Tups]

I, too, am a teacher and have never before considered the problem of confidentiality but you are quite right; a pupil is entitled to privacy. Perhaps someone needs to take this up with their local MP?

[JonnyBoy12]

I was the guinea pig 20 years ago with the first GCSEs in 1988. Never mind everyone else seeing the results, I did not want to see them myself! No, they do not print the actual grades, just the number taken and passed, so your secret is safe.