GCSE results day 2024: New findings name Buckinghamshire as England's top maths genius hotspot

New data from online education resource, Calcworkshop, predicts that Buckinghamshire students will achieve the highest average grades when tomorrow’s GCSE results are released (22 August).

Data covering 2019 to 2023 shows that 34.1% of students in Buckinghamshire achieved top scores of between seven, eight, and nine in maths.

Buckinghamshire ranked highest out of all of England’s regions when it came to average achievements in GCSE maths over the five-year period, with Greater London and Berkshire completing the top three.

Data used by online course system, came from the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), the official body overseeing the results process.

Further information provided by Calcworkshop revealed that Buckinghamshire students average score was 54% above the national average in England. In 2021, 10.4% of students received a grade nine, making it the most successful year in the county.

Jenn Stull, founder of Calcworkshop, said: “GCSE results day is just around the corner. In the coming weeks, students across the country will be preparing to enjoy the fruits of their labour and receive the grades that will dictate their future, whether they choose to pursue apprenticeships at college or A-Levels at Sixth Form.

“This study reveals the counties most likely to exceed expectations in GCSE maths. Based on high-scoring students between 2019 and 2023, Buckinghamshire has been named the number one maths genius hotspot in England, followed by Greater London and Berkshire.

“Additionally, it is interesting to see southern counties dominate the top ten maths genius capitals. In turn, northern counties, such as Cumbria and Merseyside, are found in the bottom ten. This suggests that, in these northern counties, a greater emphasis should be placed on maths learning and revision from 2025 onwards.”

Greater London was the second maths genius capital according to the data, with just 4% fewer top grades being achieved in the past five years. The lowest performing region was the Isle of Wight, followed by Cornwall, with Lincolnshire and Staffordshire sharing the distinction of coming third on the fewest top grade prediction table.