The government has confirmed its intention to implement a new level 1 qualification, the 'stepping stone', which will be mandatory for year 11 students who do not pass GCSE mathematics or English. According to projections, some 620,000 students will face the obligation to retake these subjects if they fail to achieve a passing grade of 4. The education secretary, Lucy Powell, stated that the government would stick to these plans, describing the current system of mandatory resits as a 'hamster wheel' that yields no results.
The new qualification is intended primarily for students who achieved a grade 2 or lower on their first attempt. The aim is to provide them with a solid foundation in English and mathematics so that they can continue with study, or enter an apprenticeship or training place. The plan was first announced in last year’s white paper on skills, and the Department for Education has positioned it as preparation for the later re-sitting of GCSEs.
Experts and school leaders have expressed deep scepticism about the policy. The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, who has stated that the policy of mandatory GCSEs after the age of 16 simply does not work. Paul Whiteman, the head of the National Association of Head Teachers, called for an end to the current practice of resits, describing it as demotivating and ineffective. It is warned that the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) could rise if pass rates remain low.
Statistics from this year show low pass rates for resits. Only one in seven students retaking mathematics achieved a grade 4 or above, while only one in six passed English. Lee Elliot, a professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, warned that the new qualification must pass the test of fairness to prevent the fragmentation of the system, noting that students from poorer backgrounds may be disproportionately targeted by lower grades.
Despite the criticism, the results for GCSEs in England have recorded record high values. 70 per cent of 16-year-olds achieved passing grades in mathematics and English. Progress was particularly noted among boys in mathematics, where 24 per cent achieved a grade 7 or above, compared with 20.5 per cent of girls. However, girls maintained an advantage in top grades across all subjects, with 25.5 per cent of entries receiving a grade 7 or higher, compared with 20.7 per cent of boys.
Education policy is decentralised within the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland, 31.5 per cent of entries received a grade of A or 7 and above, while in Wales the figure was 20.2 per cent. In Wales, 63.7 per cent of entries received at least a grade C, which is slightly below the rate in 2025. GCSEs in England use a numerical scale from 9 to 1, whereas in Northern Ireland and Wales letter grades are still used, from A* at the top.
