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Official Statistics
Provisional entries for GCSE,
AS and A level: summer 2025
exam series
Published 12 June 2025
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Home Education, training and skills School curriculum
Secondary curriculum, key stage 3 and key stage 4 (GCSEs)
Key stage 3 and 4 exam marking, qualifications and results
Provisional entries for GCSE, AS and A level: summer 2025 exam series
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This report presents provisional figures for the number of entries
for GCSEs, AS and A levels submitted by schools and colleges
in England to exam boards ahead of the summer exam series.
For the 2025 summer exam series, figures represent the
number of entries submitted by schools and colleges to exam
boards by 16 April 2025.
Entries data is collected at the same time every year, at a point
when it should be reasonably complete, although final entries
are always expected to vary to some degree. These figures are
therefore provisional. Our statistics on entries and late entries
give final numbers, which are published later in the year.
Key headlines
Provisional entries for GCSE, AS and A
level: summer 2025
5,777,020 GCSE entries
2021 2022
2023
2024 2025
5.3
5.5
5.7
5.9
M
ill
io
ns
 (M
)
decreased by 0.6% from 2024
821,875 A level entries
2021
2022
2023
2024 2025
700
750
800
850
Th
ou
sa
nd
s 
(K
)
decreased by 0.4% from 2024
The key headlines in provisional entries for GCSEs, AS and A
levels for the summer 2025 series are:
GCSE entries have decreased by 0.6% from 5,811,595 in
summer 2024 to 5,777,020 in summer 2025
Applies to England
Contents
Key headlines
Provide your feedback
GCSE entries
AS and A level entries
Entries by centre type
Contextual information
the proportion of entries by tier was broadly similar in summer
2025 compared with summer 2024 across all tiered GCSE
subjects
A level entries have decreased by 0.4% from 825,355 in
summer 2024 to 821,875 in summer 2025
AS entries have decreased by 12.7% from 59,935 in summer
2024 to 52,295 in summer 2025
Provide your feedback
We welcome your feedback on our publications. If you
have any comments on this statistical release, or how to
improve it to meet your needs, please complete our short
survey or email our statistics team.
GCSE entries
The overall entry for GCSEs has decreased by 0.6% from
5,811,595 in summer 2024 to 5,777,020 in summer 2025. This
interrupts the trend of slowly but steadily increasing entries for
GCSE for the past 5 years.
Table 1. GCSE entries from summer 2021 to summer 2025
Year
group
Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
Year
10 and
below
95,580 107,400 99,780 92,405 92,435
Year
11
4,847,140 4,928,640 5,090,115 5,296,815 5,212,910
Year
12 and
above
358,350 313,210 353,940 422,380 471,675
All
year
groups
5,301,075 5,349,250 5,543,840 5,811,595 5,777,020
The majority of GCSE entries are from year 11 students. Entries
from year 11 students have decreased in summer 2025
compared with summer 2024 (a decrease of 1.6%). However,
there was a 0.2% increase in the size of the population of those
aged 16 in England, from 697,673 in 2024 (according to ONS
population estimates in 2022) to 699,401 in 2025 (according to
ONS population estimates in 2023).
The decrease of 0.6% for GCSE entries in summer 2025 is due
to a drop in entries for both EBacc subjects and non-EBacc
subjects.
Table 2. GCSE entries for EBacc and non-EBacc subjects
from summer 2021 to summer 2025
Subject
types
Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
EBacc
entries
4,337,685 4,378,110 4,554,415 4,776,805 4,751,520
Non-
EBacc
entries
963,390 971,140 989,430 1,034,790 1,025,500
Percent
EBacc
entries
81.8% 81.8% 82.2% 82.2% 82.2%
Percent
non-
EBacc
entries
18.2% 18.2% 17.8% 17.8% 17.8%
Change from previous year in GCSE
entries for EBacc subjects
The overall entry for all EBacc subjects in summer 2025 has
decreased by 0.5% from 4,776,805 in summer 2024 to
4,751,520 in summer 2025.
There have been decreases in entries for 8 out of 15 EBacc
subjects with the largest percentage decrease in German (down
7.6%). The decrease in German entries is a change from an
increase seen in the provisional entries report for 2024 where
there was a 3.4% increase compared with 2023. English
language saw the largest increase in entries this year, up by
2.3%.
Please note that entry in combined science is double counted
because combined science is the equivalent of 2 GCSE grades.
Please also note that ancient languages entries include ancient
history as well as ancient languages entries.
Table 3. Percentage change in EBacc entries in summer
2025 compared to summer 2024
Subject
grouping
Entries in
summer
2024
Entries in
summer
2025
Percentage
change in
entries
Combined
science
926,750 934,500 0.8%
Mathematics 842,575 856,430 1.6%
English
language
807,725 825,940 2.3%
English
literature
623,590 614,800 -1.4%
History 312,410 293,835 -5.9%
Geography 287,600 291,880 1.5%
Biology 183,360 171,690 -6.4%
Chemistry 174,745 163,100 -6.7%
Physics 174,735 162,865 -6.8%
Spanish 129,935 131,985 1.6%
French 130,650 128,155 -1.9%
Computing 93,980 89,610 -4.7%
Other
modern
languages
42,460 42,945 1.1%
German 35,110 32,430 -7.6%
Ancient
languages
11,175 11,360 1.6%
Total 4,776,805 4,751,520 -0.5%
Entries in EBacc subjects over time and
by year group
Like with GCSE entries overall, this decrease in entries for some
EBacc subjects interrupts previous trends of continuing
increases over the past 5 years.
Entries for combined science, Geography, Spanish and other
modern languages have continued to increase this year as in
recent years.
Table 4. Entries in EBacc subjects from summer 2021 to
summer 2025
Subject Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
Mathematics 758,755 749,390 786,815 842,575 856,430
English
language
729,605 719,790 754,910 807,725 825,940
English
literature
572,765 582,680 601,945 623,590 614,800
Combined
science
840,955 854,450 881,925 926,750 934,500
Biology 171,835 174,605 180,125 183,360 171,690
Chemistry 165,710 167,190 173,530 174,745 163,100
Physics 164,330 166,550 172,725 174,735 162,865
Computing 77,245 79,135 88,530 93,980 89,610
Geography 268,180 279,205 283,020 287,600 291,880
History 278,880 278,750 298,155 312,410 293,835
French 125,655 126,185 126,560 130,650 128,155
German 37,035 36,000 33,945 35,110 32,430
Spanish 109,655 116,355 121,670 129,935 131,985
Other
modern
languages
25,225 36,310 39,270 42,460 42,945
Ancient
languages
11,860 11,510 11,290 11,175 11,360
There are some slight changes to entries by year group in 2025
compared with previous years. In all subjects, most entries are
from candidates in year 11, but the proportion of entries from
candidates in year 10 and below (“early entries”) in other modern
languages is consistently higher than in other subjects. The
percentage of entries for mathematics and English language
from students in year 12 and above has increased in summer
2025 when compared with summer 2024.
Table 5. Percentage of candidates by year group in EBacc
subjects from summer 2021 to summer 2025
Subject Year
group
Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Ancient
languages
Year
10
and
below
9.0% 8.3% 8.7% 7.9%
Ancient
languages
Year
11
89.4% 89.7% 89.6% 89.9%
Ancient
languages
Year
12
and
above
1.6% 2.0% 1.7% 2.2%
Biology Year
10
and
below
0.7% 0.9% 0.7% 0.6%
Biology Year
11
96.5% 96.3% 96.6% 96.5%
Biology Year
12
and
above
2.8% 2.8% 2.7% 2.9%
Chemistry Year
10
and
below
0.7% 0.6% 0.5% 0.5%
Chemistry Year
11
98.1% 98.0% 97.8% 97.8%
Chemistry Year
12
and
above
1.3% 1.4% 1.6% 1.8%
Combined
science
Year
10
and
below
0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Combined
science
Year
11
98.7% 98.9% 98.8% 98.7%
Combined
science
Year
12
and
above
1.1% 1.0% 1.1% 1.3%
Computing Year
10
and
below
1.5% 1.7% 1.3% 0.9%
Computing Year 97.6% 97.4% 97.6% 97.8%
11
Computing Year
12
and
above
0.9% 0.9% 1.2% 1.2%
English
language
Year
10
and
below
0.7% 0.8% 0.6% 0.4%
English
language
Year
11
79.6% 82.5% 81.4% 79.1%
English
language
Year
12
and
above
19.7% 16.6% 18.0% 20.5%
English
literature
Year
10
and
below
3.7% 2.9% 2.2% 1.6%
English
literature
Year
11
95.7% 96.5% 97.1% 97.6%
English
literature
Year
12
and
above
0.7% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8%
French Year
10
and
below
1.7% 2.1% 1.8% 1.7%
French Year
11
97.8% 97.4% 97.7% 97.8%
French Year
12
and
above
0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5%
Geography Year
10
and
below
0.6% 0.5% 0.4% 0.3%
Geography Year
11
98.7% 98.9% 98.9% 98.8%
Geography Year
12
and
above
0.7% 0.6% 0.8% 0.9%
German Year
10
and
below
1.5% 2.2% 2.4% 2.3%
German Year
11
98.1% 97.3% 97.2% 97.1%
German Year
12
and
above
0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.6%
History Year
10
and
below
0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.4%
History Year
11
98.9% 99.0% 99.0% 99.0%
History Year
12
and
above
0.6% 0.5% 0.6% 0.6%
Mathematics Year
10
and
below
0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3%
Mathematics Year
11
76.7% 79.1% 77.6% 75.3%
Mathematics Year
12
and
above
23.0% 20.6% 22.1% 24.4%
Other
modern
languages
Year
10
and
below
23.8% 31.5% 35.8% 37.2%
Other
modern
languages
Year
11
71.6% 63.7% 59.6% 58.6%
Other
modern
languages
Year
12
and
above
4.6% 4.8% 4.6% 4.2%
Physics Year
10
and
below
0.5% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%
Physics Year
11
98.5% 98.5% 98.2% 98.0%
Physics Year
12
and
above
1.0% 1.1% 1.4% 1.5%
Spanish Year
10
and
below
2.0% 2.9% 2.8% 2.6%
Spanish Year
11
97.4% 96.5% 96.6% 96.8%
Spanish Year
12
and
above
0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6%
Change from previous year in GCSE
entries for non-EBacc subjects
The overall entry for non-EBacc subjects has decreased by
0.9% from 1,034,790 in summer 2024 to 1,025,500 in summer
2025.
Most non-EBacc subjects had a decrease in entries. The largest
percentage decrease was in engineering (down by 21.3%).
There was an increase in entries in statistics (up by 9.2%) and
performing / expressive arts (up by 7.5%).
Table 6. Percentage change in non-EBacc entries in
summer 2025 compared to summer 2024
Subject
grouping
Entries in
summer
2024
Entries in
summer
2025
Percentage
change in
entries
Religious
studies
248,115 242,310 -2.3%
Art and design
subjects
197,500 194,190 -1.7%
Business
studies
127,310 130,065 2.2%
Physical
education
77,905 79,285 1.8%
Design and
technology
80,580 77,770 -3.5%
Food
preparation
and nutrition
56,265 55,035 -2.2%
Social science
subjects
52,355 50,025 -4.4%
Drama 49,410 48,650 -1.5%
Statistics 32,210 35,175 9.2%
Music 32,615 34,555 5.9%
Media / film /
TV studies
33,910 32,555 -4.0%
Citizenship
studies
21,535 21,500 -0.2%
Economics 7,760 7,290 -6.1%
Performing /
expressive
arts
6,675 7,175 7.5%
Classical
subjects
5,005 5,085 1.6%
Other
sciences
2,730 2,540 -6.8%
Engineering 2,925 2,300 -21.3%
Total 1,034,790 1,025,500 -0.9%
Entries for tiered GCSEs
In some subjects, there are 2 tiers of entry: foundation and
higher. Entry by tier has remained broadly similar in most tiered
subjects in summer 2025 compared with summer 2024.
Table 7. Percentage of entries for higher tier from summer
2021 to summer 2025
Subject Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
Biology 88% 86% 85% 84% 84%
Chemistry 89% 86% 86% 85% 86%
Combined
science
41% 40% 40% 37% 38%
French 56% 53% 52% 48% 49%
German 64% 62% 61% 57% 59%
Mathematics 43% 43% 43% 41% 40%
Physics 90% 88% 87% 85% 86%
Spanish 57% 53% 53% 49% 49%
Statistics 61% 58% 53% 48% 46%
AS and A level entries
The overall entries for AS have decreased by 12.7% from
59,935 in summer 2024 to 52,295 in summer 2025. AS level
entries have significantly decreased in previous years following
the decoupling of AS and A levels.
The overall entries for A level have decreased by 0.4% from
825,355 in summer 2024 to 821,875 in summer 2025 despite a
3.8% increase in the size of the population of those aged 18,
which increased from 655,635 in 2024 (according to ONS
population estimates in 2022 to 680,553 in 2025 (according to
ONS population estimates in 2023).
Table 8. AS and A level entries from summer 2021 to
summer 2025
Qualification Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
AS 58,300 64,080 62,785 59,935 52,295
A level 756,230 788,125 806,410 825,355 821,875
Total 814,525 852,200 869,195 885,290 874,170
A level entries by subject
More than half of A level subjects decreased in entry size in
summer 2025 compared with summer 2024. French showed the
biggest overall percentage decrease (down by 8.3%) in summer
2025 compared with summer 2024. The subject with the largest
percentage increase in summer 2025 when compared with
summer 2024 is further mathematics (up by 7.5%).
Please note that entries in ‘other subjects’ is the combination of
subjects with fewer than 2,000 entries as well as those grouped
as ‘all other subjects’ by the Joint Council for Qualifications
(JCQ) for the purposes of results reporting.
Table 9. Percentage change in A level entries in summer
2025 compared with summer 2024
Subject
grouping
Entries in
summer
2024
Entries in
summer
2025
Percentage
change in
entries
Mathematics 101,230 105,755 4.5%
Psychology 76,125 73,565 -3.4%
Biology 69,040 66,100 -4.3%
Chemistry 58,845 59,850 1.7%
Sociology 42,570 42,035 -1.3%
Physics 40,315 42,025 4.2%
Business
studies
41,260 41,940 1.6%
Economics 39,660 41,880 5.6%
History 43,405 40,940 -5.7%
Art and design
subjects
40,965 40,400 -1.4%
English
literature
36,650 34,920 -4.7%
Geography 33,505 31,395 -6.3%
Media / film /
TV studies
21,245 21,435 0.9%
Political
studies
20,420 20,835 2.0%
Computing 19,475 19,010 -2.4%
Further
mathematics
17,420 18,730 7.5%
Law 14,385 14,420 0.3%
Religious
studies
14,680 14,395 -2.0%
English 13,010 12,460 -4.2%
Physical
education
11,810 11,815 0.0%
Other subjects 10,680 10,770 0.8%
Design and
technology
8,985 9,095 1.3%
Spanish 7,720 7,830 1.4%
Drama 7,895 7,410 -6.2%
English
language and
literature
7,085 6,605 -6.8%
Other modern
languages
6,280 6,555 4.4%
French 7,035 6,450 -8.3%
Classical
subjects
6,380 6,260 -1.9%
Music 5,005 4,875 -2.6%
German 2,280 2,125 -6.8%
Total 825,355 821,875 -0.4%
Change in A level entries by subject over
time
Entries in business studies have increased each year from
summer 2021 to summer 2025. Entries in other high entry
subjects have had slight fluctuations each year.
Please note that according to the JCQ subject classifications,
English includes English language, English literature, and
English language and literature specifications. Also note that
modern foreign languages contain French, German, and
Spanish as they have been grouped together to allow any trends
in entries to be shown.
Table 10. Entries in selected A level subjects from summer
2021 to summer 2025
Subject Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Summer
2023
Summer
2024
Summer
2025
Art and
design
39,370 42,100 40,930 40,965 40,400
subjects
Biology 63,765 66,220 68,870 69,040 66,100
Business
studies
35,285 38,980 41,265 41,260 41,940
Chemistry 55,485 54,865 57,620 58,845 59,850
English 57,515 53,965 53,960 56,745 53,985
Further
mathematics
14,850 14,520 14,535 17,420 18,730
History 41,585 42,885 44,545 43,405 40,940
Mathematics 90,290 89,605 90,845 101,230 105,755
Modern
foreign
languages
18,715 18,750 16,265 17,035 16,400
Physics 37,560 36,770 35,815 40,315 42,025
Psychology 68,315 76,265 78,015 76,125 73,565
Sociology 39,825 43,590 45,730 42,570 42,035
AS entries by subject
AS entries in most subjects decreased in summer 2025
compared with summer 2024, although entries increased in
further mathematics (up by 5.3%) and economics (up by 0.1%).
The biggest percentage increase from summer 2024 to
summer 2025 is in further mathematics with a 5.3% increase in
entries. The biggest decrease in entries from summer 2024 to
summer 2025 can be seen in sociology (down by 23.2%).
Please note that entries in ‘other subjects’ is the combination of
subjects with fewer than 2,000 entries as well as those grouped
as ‘all other subjects’ by JCQ.
Table 11. Percentage change in AS entries in summer
2025 compared with summer 2024
Subject
grouping
Entries in
summer
2024
Entries in
summer
2025
Percentage
change in
entries
Other
subjects
15,940 13,435 -15.7%
Mathematics 8,520 7,320 -14.1%
Further
mathematics
5,100 5,370 5.3%
Psychology 5,330 4,530 -15.0%
Biology 5,050 4,305 -14.8%
Chemistry 4,575 4,015 -12.2%
Sociology 4,365 3,350 -23.2%
Physics 3,410 3,015 -11.6%
Business
studies
2,955 2,460 -16.8%
Economics 2,390 2,395 0.1%
Art and
design
subjects
2,300 2,100 -8.7%
Total 59,935 52,295 -12.7%
Entries by centre type
In previous releases of this report, we have included figures on
the number entries broken down by centre type. We have taken
the decision this year not to publish these figures as we are
unable to validate the categorisation of entries into centre types
carried out by the awarding organisations for this data, and
therefore would have limited assurance of the accuracy of these
figures. We are currently working on securing a more reliable
data source and hope to resume the publication of centre type
breakdowns in subsequent releases of this report.
Contextual information
In this report, Ofqual presents data on the number of provisional
entries for GCSEs, AS and A levels in England received by
exam boards ahead of the summer exam series.
Schools and colleges enter students with exam boards to take
these qualifications in the summer. The figures for entries can
normally change up to the day of the exams. We collect
provisional data at around the same time every year, at a point
when it should be reasonably complete. The figures presented
here relating to summer 2025 are the provisional figures as
received by exam boards by 16 April 2025. Final entry numbers
are always expected to vary slightly from these.
In this report, all figures for the number of entries are rounded to
the nearest 5.
Background information accompanying this report includes
factors that may have an impact upon the entries in summer
2025, as well as information on data collected for this release
and definitions of important terms used in the report.
Data tables published along with this report give provisional entry
data (rounded to the nearest 5) for different subjects broken
down by year group for GCSEs, AS and A levels.
Note that we publish final figures on entries later in the year.
Please see our statistics on entries and late entries .
Head of Profession: Ben Cuff
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