GCSEs: Minister defends policy after 'volatile' results

The schools minister has defends the government's GCSE policy changes, after a warnings of "volatility" in results.

Hundreds of thousands of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been receiving their results, with a sharp fall in English grades, but a rise in A* to C grades across all subjects.

GCSE pupils in Wales, which did not follow the reforms, have closed the gap with other parts of the UK.

Nick Gibb told BBC News the changes had been "very important... to ensuring we have a generation of young people leaving education well-equipped".