The share of pupils gaining grade 4 or above in both English and maths, a 'standard pass' equivalent to the old grade C. When it rises, more school-leavers hold the basics that employers and sixth forms look for; when it falls, more leave the two core subjects behind at 16.
Source: Department for Education
Coverage: England
Your university clearing survival guide ahead of results day
BBC News · Emily Holt · 8 August 2026
West Lothian MSP praises pupils and teachers after exam results
Daily Record · Ross Thomson · 6 August 2026
North Lanarkshire pupils celebrate improvements across National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher attainment exam results
Daily Record · Ian Bunting · 5 August 2026
Best performing Scottish council area for exam results is named
Daily Record · Eilidh Farquhar · 5 August 2026
How Burnham's education reforms could mean teenagers take fewer GCSE exams
The i · Alexa Phillips · 3 August 2026
Reporting from the left, centre and right of the press.
Kids as young as 11 using vapes laced with highly addictive drug spice trigger schools demand
Daily Mirror · Sophie Huskisson · 9 August 2026
All schools in England to get pupil attendance targets, government says
BBC News · Kate McGough · 6 August 2026
'Juice snatcher' Lucy Powell could bar schools from serving fruit drinks to pupils under anti-obesity drive
Daily Mail · David Wilcock · 9 August 2026
The latest figures across all Education metrics.
Vacancy Rate
3.5%−1.2%
2025
Teacher Numbers
466,372−1.9k
2025
Teachers · Cash
£32,916+4.0%
2025/26
University Participation
36.3%−0.1%
2025
Teacher Retention · After 1 year
89.7%−0.2%
2024/25
Persistent Absence
18.1%−1.8%
2024/25
Pupil Absence
6.8%−0.4%
2024/25
A-Level Results
24.3%+0.9%
2024/25
GCSE Results · Grade 5+ (strong pass)
45.4%−0.5%
2024/25
GCSE Results · Grade 4+ (standard pass)
64.8%−0.2%
2024/25
Student Debt
£53,010+9.8%
2024/25
Further & Higher Education · Non-graduates
£30,500+3.4%
2024
Further & Higher Education · Graduates
£42,000+5.0%
2024
Graduate Earnings
£33,300+6.1%
2023/24
Teacher Retention · After 3 years
75.8%+2.3%
2022/23
Schools · Science
500−5
2022
Schools · Maths
489−13
2022
Schools · Reading
494−10
2022
Teacher Retention · After 5 years
67.4%−0.6%
2020/21
