GCSEs in England hit by high absence levels and mental ill health, heads say

School leaders tell of abnormal levels of pupil anxiety amid plan to lower grades back to pre-pandemic levels

High levels of persistent absence and mental ill health have undermined pupils' GCSE results to be published later this week, headteachers have said, as education experts warn of 300,000 fewer top grades being awarded in England this year.

School leaders who spoke to the Guardian said they experienced unprecedented numbers of pupils failing to turn up or walking out in the middle of exams.