Tutoring Service Launched For GCSE Students

As students across Northern Ireland receive their GCSE results, Belfast City Council has launched a new programme to help young people make the grade in English and Maths.

Free tutoring sessions will be delivered outside of school hours throughout the year and during holiday periods. The programme will help those who need additional support to achieve at least a C grade in English and Maths.

Students predicted a low C grade or below in either subject, who live in or attend school in Belfast, will be recommended for their programme by their teacher.

Chair of Belfast City Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Deirdre Hargey said: "Today is an important and memorable day in the lives of young Belfast students as they receive their GCSE results and take another step towards their future careers. Some will be over the moon, some disappointed.

"We've committed to supporting all young people to fulfil their potential in the Belfast Agenda, our community plan – and our new GCSE support programme will now give young people a much greater chance of accessing opportunities after their compulsory education ends.

"Our people are our greatest resource in Belfast – and we want to see inclusive growth taking place. No matter what a student's background is, we want them to have the best chance of reaching their goals and ambitions, so I recommend that as many students as possible avail of this excellent new programme."

Pupils who sat their GCSEs performed well overall this year, with 82.2% celebrating A*-C grades across the region. A slight improvement of 0.5% was recorded in English, while success rates in Maths grew by 3.2%.



(JG/CM)