This statistic shows the GCSE results/pass rates in England (UK) from the academic years 2004/2005 to 2015/2016. The results are split by level of attainment and if English and mathematics were included. The peak for results during this period was 2011/12 when the pass rates for each category were for the most part equal to, or higher, than any other year.

Education and training national achievement rate tables.

In 2025, 70.5 percent of female students and 64.3 percent of male students achieved a C/4 grade or higher at GCSE level in the United Kingdom. This grade level is considered a 'pass' in the United Kingdom and throughout this period female students have consistently outperformed male students, with both male and females achieving their highest pass rates in 2021.

In Summer 2025, GCSE students in the United Kingdom had a pass rate (achieving a grade of C/4 or higher) of 67.4 percent, compared with 67.6 percent in the previous year. The COVID-19 pandemic, and closure of schools in the UK led to exams throughout the country being cancelled, with grades in 2020 and 2021 based on assessment by teachers and schools. During this provided time period, the highest pass rate was reported in 2021, when 77.1 percent of GCSE entries achieved a pass grade, while it was lowest in 1988, when just 41.9 percent of entries were awarded a pass grade. Gender attainment gap Among female students, the proportion of GCSE entries that received a pass rate in 2025 was 70.5 percent, compared with 64.3 percent of male students. This attainment gap between male and female students has been a consistent feature of GCSE exam results in recent years, with female A-Level students also outperforming their male counterparts. Among undergraduates, this gap is less pronounced, with UK degree results for 2023/24 showing female undergraduates attaining only slightly higher grades than males. Growing negativity about UK education system According to a survey conducted in April 2025, approximately 39 percent of British adults thought that education across the country was in a bad shape, compared with 31 percent who thought it was doing well. This is down from 2021 when just under half of adults believed that the national education system was good, and just 27 percent who thought it was bad. Although education currently lies behind several other issues for Britons in terms of importance, such as the economy, immigration, and health, the growing discontent about education will likely be one of the many issues the current Labour government will have to face in the coming months.

This table covers data published in the Welsh Government's annual "Examination Results" release. It provides information on the number of GCSE entries into each subject group and the percentage of those entries achieving each GCSE grade. For more information see the Weblinks. Note that this year, the definition of this table has changed. This table now includes entries taken in previous years, and discounted exams are excluded. This is so that the table is consistent with the rest of the key performance indicators. Figures should be treated with caution - it is possible for pupils to have entered more than one exam within a small number of subject groups.

In the 2022 to 2023 school year, pupils from the Chinese ethnic group had the highest Attainment 8 score out of all ethnic groups (65.5 out of 90.0).

Education and training national achievement rate tables. Note qualification level does not reflect the level of attainment and is only provided to allow users to more easily filter for different types of provision.

Key Stage (KS) 4 is the stage of the National Curriculum between the ages of 14 and 16 years. GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is the principal means of assessing pupil attainment at the end of compulsory secondary education. Grades A* to G are classified as passes, grades A* to C as good passes and grades U and X as fails. This indicator relates to pupils achieving 5A*-C grades or equivalent including GCSE English and Maths taken at the end of KS4.

Source: Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)

Publisher: DCLG Floor Targets Interactive

Geographies: Local Authority District (LAD), County/Unitary Authority, Government Office Region (GOR), National

Geographic coverage: England

Time coverage: 2004/05 to 2007/08

Type of data: Administrative data

In 2025, 9.4 percent of students in the United Kingdom achieved the highest possible grade (an A*) in their A-Levels, with more than a quarter of entries achieving a B, the most common individual grade level in this year. Grades between 2020 and 2022 were generally a lot higher than in previous years due to the different grading circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further Education in the UK A-Levels are the main academic qualifications taken following compulsory education in the UK. Among 16 to 17-year-old's around 43 percent were undertaking A/AS Levels in 2024, making it the most common pathway for this age group after high school. A further 20 percent were studying for other Level 3 qualifications, such as on more vocational BTEC courses, and around 3.5 percent were on apprenticeships, or taking part in work-based learning programs. Approximately 6.2 percent of this age group were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), although the share of this age group in this category has fallen since the mid 2000s. Maths remains most popular subject In Summer 2025, over 112,000 of 882,500 A-Level entries were in Mathematics, making it the most popular subject for students at this level. Maths was followed by Psychology, at around 75,900 entries, Biology at 71,400 entries, and Chemistry at 63,500 entries. The most popular humanities subject was History at 44,700 entries, with English Literature being the most popular English subject that year at 37,900 entries. For the A-Levels more technical equivalent (T-Levels) the most popular subject was that of Education and Early Years, a subject focused on the teaching of young children.

National level number of GCSE entries achieving each grade across subjects in all schools for pupils at the end of KS4 in 2023/24.

This Statistical First Release (SFR) provides updated information on the overall achievements of young people in GCSE examinations and other accredited qualifications in 2009/10. The information is taken from data collated for the 2010 Secondary School Performance Tables, which has been checked by schools. The results shown in this SFR are based on pupils reaching the end of Key Stage 4, typically those starting the academic year aged 15. Two new indicators are included in this publication: the percentage of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate and the percentage of pupils achieving GCSE English and maths at grade A*-C. Accredited iGCSEs are included in the figures for the first time in 2010 as equivalent to GCSEs and have been counted towards the new indicators mentioned above as well as existing measures. The impact of their inclusion has been shown in the tables where appropriate. The SFR includes national figures, local authority figures, urban and rural classifications and local authority district figures.

Percentage of those aged 16 who get qualifications equivalent to 5 GCSEs at Grades A* to C by school

Source: Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)

Publisher: Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)

Geographies: County/Unitary Authority, Government Office Region (GOR)

Geographic coverage: England

Time coverage: 1994 to 2008

Type of data: Survey (census)

Notes: Data all relate to 15 year olds not 16 as in the target definition. The local and regional figures are based on data provided only by relevant maintained schools and discount pupils who have recently arrived from overseas.

National level percentage of GCSE (and equivalent for unreformed GCSEs) entries achieving each grade across subjects in all schools for pupils at the end of KS4 in each year since 2009/10.

FOCUSONLONDON2012:SKILLS:DEGREESOFQUALIFICATION London’s diverse economy, and status as one of the most important cities in the world calls for a highly skilled workforce. Qualifications are considered an important predictor of success in a labour market. This edition of Focus on London, authored by Slawek Kozdras, explores the skills and qualification levels of young people before moving on to an analysis of adults’ qualifications and the skills that different occupations in London require. REPORT: Read the full report as a PDF. PRESENTATION: This interactive presentation focuses on achievements of 15 year olds, and compares trends of GCSE results in London, and England, with results in the OECD PISA tests, and shows that while GCSE results are still rising sharply, results in the PISA tests have a slight downward trend in London and the UK. View Degrees of Qualification on Prezi.com CHARTS: The motion chart shows the relationship between percentage of pupils achieving 5 good GCSE grades with the proportion of 19 year olds achieving level 3 qualifications, at borough level, and shows how these measures have changed since 2005. Motion Chart DATA: All the data contained within the Skills: Degrees of Qualification report as well as the data used to create the charts and maps can be accessed in this spreadsheet. FACTS: Some interesting facts from the data… ● Boroughs with the highest increase in the proportion of pupils achieving 5 GCSEs at least A*-C level, including in English and mathematics (maintained schools), between 2005/06 and 2010/11: Tower Hamlets (+26%) Southwark (+23%) Haringey (+23%) -32. Ealing (+7%) ● Regions with the highest proportion of people aged 25-44 with degree-level qualifications: London (51%) Scotland (44%) South East (41%) -13. Merseyside (30%) ● Industries with the highest percentage of people with degree-level qualifications: Banking and finance (64%) Public administration, education and health (63%) Other services (53%) -9. Agriculture, forestry and fishing (23%)

Percentage of pupils who attempted the subject, achieving grades A*-C in selected GCSE subjects in maintained schools

Source: Department for Education and Skills (DfES)

Publisher: Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)

Geographies: County/Unitary Authority, Government Office Region (GOR), National

Geographic coverage: England

Time coverage: 2004/2005

Type of data: Administrative data

Figures are calculated as those achieving at least 5 GCSE grades A*-C (or equivalent) divided by the number of all 16 year old pupils (those pupils on the school roll at the time of the Annual School Census each year, who were aged 15 at the start of that academic year), expressed as a percentage at both national and school level. Education plays a number of roles in influencing inequalities in health, if health is viewed in its widest sense. Firstly, it has an important role in influencing inequalities in socioeconomic position. Educational qualifications are a determinant of an individual's labour market position, which in turn influences income, housing and other material resources. These are related to health and health inequalities. As a consequence, education is a traditional route out of poverty for those living in disadvantage. The roles of education set out above imply a range of outcomes which are not readily measurable. However, inequality is observed when looking at educational achievement. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, as measured by being in receipt of free school meals, have lower educational achievement than other children. This indicator relates to the Public Service Agreement (PSA) performance management framework 2008-2011, as follows: • PSA Delivery Agreement 10 Indicator 4 Increase the proportion achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) including GCSEs in both English and Maths at KS4 to 53% by 2011 (baseline 2006 of 46%); • PSA Delivery Agreement 11 Indicator 2 Decrease the achievement gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and their peers achieving the expected level at key stages 2 and 4. Legacy unique identifier: P01092