GCSE divide: Trafford tops national rankings while Rochdale falls behind

MCRJourno

New research has revealed stark disparities in GCSE results across Greater Manchester, with Trafford among the best-performing areas in the UK and Rochdale ranking close to bottom.

According to new data, 66.39% of Trafford students achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths during the 2023–2024 academic year.

That figure places Trafford fourth nationally and marks an improvement of nearly 5% from the previous year.

Rochdale, meanwhile, had one of the lowest pass rates in the country, with just 34.80% of students achieving a grade 5 or higher - the eighth-worst result in the UK.

The study highlights growing concern over regional educational inequalities, particularly between affluent southern boroughs and northern towns.

Of the top 10 highest-performing areas, eight are in London or the South East, with Kingston upon Thames topping the list at 70.39%.

Only Trafford and Wokingham fall outside the capital region.

The data also underscores a strong correlation between GCSE outcomes and household income.

Knowsley, which recorded the lowest pass rate at 22.85%, has an average disposable household income of £17,262 - well below the national average of £21,679.

In contrast, high-performing boroughs such as Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea have average incomes exceeding £60,000.

The research team at QR Code Generator analysed the percentage of students achieving a high pass in English and Maths during the 2023-2024 academic year to determine the schools with the highest and lowest pass rates.

Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator, said: "Pupils should not have to grow up in areas with high disposable incomes in order to achieve good GCSE results, but unfortunately this data presents the opposite."

The findings have renewed calls for increased investment in education and extracurricular support for students in underserved northern areas.

Full rankings and data are available via the UK government’s Explore Education Statistics portal.