Top GCSE Grades See Slight Rise Amid Return to Pre-Pandemic Standards
Gender attainment gap narrows to its smallest this century as students access results via new app.
Callum Smith
The proportion of top GCSE grades has edged up this year.
Almost one in four boys in England secured top grades (7, 8, or 9) in maths. Stronger performances in the subject helped Year 11 pupils reach a record level for higher grades in England, excluding the Covid pandemic years.
For maths, the proportion of entries increased by 5.8 percent. However, the rate of achieving a Grade 4 was down 1.7 percentage points on 2025.
The gap in GCSE results between boys and girls has shrunk to its narrowest point this century. These are the narrowest leads enjoyed by girls since at least 2000.
The Department for Education claims male students perform better than female classmates at A-level.
The GCSE cohort taking exams in 2026 were in Year 5 when the pandemic began in 2020, disrupting their final years of primary schooling.
Despite this, pupils in England, thought to have been among the worst affected by Covid, bounced back in their GCSE results last year. More achieved top grades.
The attainment gap for disadvantaged students is getting wider nationally.
The gap in top grades between London and the North East has widened to a record high of 10.9 percentage points. Ekhlas Rahman claims the attainment gap for disadvantaged students is getting wider nationally.
Northern Ireland recorded the highest proportion of entries awarded 7/A or higher (31.7%) and 4/C or higher (83.6%) compared to England and Wales.
Cumberland Community School in Newham reported 60% of its disadvantaged students scored at least a Grade 5 in English and Maths. The school covered uniform and equipment costs for Year 7 pupils, exceeding £100,000.
The number of entries for business studies has risen by a third in five years. Science double award remains the subject with the most entries (1,007,628), followed by Maths (912,410) and English language (882,030).
More students aged 17 and above took English and maths this year. This is likely driven by pupils in England having to retake those subjects after failing to achieve the key pass rate.
National data claims overall outcomes for the larger number of candidates aged 17 and over who sat English and maths examinations this year deteriorated. The drop in English and maths pass rates is likely caused by older pupils resitting them.
Lucy Powell claims a new Level 1 stepping stone qualification in English and maths is planned to help post-16 students. The Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys claims failing to achieve pass grades in core subjects contributes to over 500,000 young men being out of education, employment, or training.