Commenting on the annual issuing of exam results in UK schools and colleges, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

“We congratulate students on their achievements this summer.

“With more and more demands placed on our schools and colleges, this is a reminder of the fantastic leadership and dedication of our teachers and headteachers, who work tirelessly to secure the very best outcomes for their pupils. They should be congratulated too.

“It is vital that every pupil, irrespective of background, has the opportunity to progress and achieve their full potential. So it is welcome that the Government has committed to a national plan to tackle child poverty. A national workforce plan is also essential to ensure that every pupil has the high quality professional support they need, irrespective of where they live.

“The Government’s stated commitment to tackling the disadvantage gap and ensuring that a pupil’s educational outcomes do not depend on their parents’ ability to pay must now be translated into a key spending priority by the new Government.”