• Several academy chains reported improvements in GCSE results yesterday: Ark's five schools reported an average rise of 12.6%, with 60% of pupils at Burlington Danes gaining five GCSE passes incl. English and Maths; two Harris schools pushed pass rates up more than 20% to 60% and 61%, and ULT announced that all 17 of its schools had exceeded the national threshold of 30% pupils gaining the five passes with English and Maths. Times


• French is no longer one of the ten most popular subjects at GCSE, prompting calls for government action to revive modern languages in state schools. Independent schools - accounting for 7.7% of GCSE entries - put forward double that proportion, 15.3% for French. The general secretary of the Association of School and College leaders suggested the situation would be improved by using qualifications other than GCSEs to accredit achievement in languages. Times


• Ministers have been accused of fatally undermining the new diplomas as figures show that only 3,000 teenagers completed the qualifications and half of teenagers taking the 'higher' diplomas at sixth form level failed to complete their courses. This high rate was blamed on the complexity of courses, which often require pupils to travel between schools and colleges to complete different components; others blamed a lack of political support. Telegraph


• Britain's top comprehensive school is to offer degree courses for sixth formers. Thomas Telford school in Shropshire topped the GCSE results tables this year, attributing its success to its freedom from local authority control. The school day contains only three periods and runs from 8.30am to 6pm; students are allowed to start GCSEs as soon as they arrive at the school and start AS levels at 15. Telegraph


• The number of GCSEs sat early has rocketed this year. There was a 46% increase in the proportion of children sitting exams age 15 or younger, meaning around one-in-ten exams are now taken by children before the age of 16. One in four entries gained at least an A, as an independent school headmaster calls for quotas of each grade to prevent inflation. Telegraph


• The north-south divide so apparent at A-Level is replicated at GCSE, where children living in the south east are 40% more likely to gain As in their GCSEs than those living in the north east. 72% of exams taken in the south east were graded at least a C, compared to 66.1% of exams in the north east. Results were lowest in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Telegraph


• The Times finds GCSE results with a twist in the tale. Times

• Sexually transmitted infections are at record highs with 482,696 new cases in 2009, a rise of 3% on the previous year. The Health Protection Agency has said the number of cases is too high, but that more testing will have contributed to the rise, and that the figures highlight the vulnerability of young women in particular. One in ten 16-19 year olds treated for an STI will return the next year with another. Telegraph


• Are we on the way to realising the big society? John Mohan contradicts Philip Blond's claim that volunteering rates have 'doubled' lately, to argue that they are stable and a substantial expansion is required to realise Cameron's vision. A recent survey suggests that there is a 'civic core' of middle-aged, well educated professionals: two thirds of unpaid help is given by this 7% of the population. This means civic participation and unpaid help is greatest in the most affluent areas. Guardian


• On the joepublicblog, a recipient of disability living allowance explains why 'efficiency savings' in the welfare system may be devastating. Particularly worrying: the intention to replace specialist welfare rights advisors with generic benefits staff; reduce the appeals process and the existing loss of personal social workers for rotating 'duty officers'. Guardian

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