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GCSE

Answer

The Department does not benchmark educational attainment for England against that for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.The Department does publish data on educational attainment at GCSE across the UK and for England. Equivalent data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of, and published by, the respective devolved Administrations.The following table gives a breakdown of educational attainment at GCSE across the UK since 2005:

GCE, GCSE, SCE/NQ and vocational qualifications obtained by pupils¹ and students (in their last year of compulsory education)
Percentage of pupils achieving GCSE or equivalent²	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
5 or more grades A*-C³	59.0	61.3	64.4
5 or more grades A*-C including English and maths	—	—	47.7
¹ Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year; pupils in Year S4 in Scotland. From 2004/05, pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in England.
² From 2007/08 data are for 5+ A*-C, 5+ A*-C including English and Maths and Any Passes.
³ Standard Grades 1-3/Intermediate 2 A-C/Intermediate 1 A in Scotland.
Source:
Education and Training Statistics for the United Kingdom 2009

The following table gives a breakdown for England:

GCSE and equivalent qualifications obtained by pupils at the end of Key Stage 4
Percentage of pupils achieving GCSE or equivalent	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09
5 or more grades A*-C	59.0	61.4	65.3	70.0
5 or more grades A*-C including English and maths	45.6	46.3	47.6	49.8

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

508 c1576-7W; 321321

Session

2009-10

Subjects

GCSE

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk