Provisional November 2024 exam entries: GCSE English language and mathematics
Published 28 November 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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Key headlines
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Total GCSE entries in November 2024 increased by 21%, from 125,615 in November 2023, to 152,610 in November 2024.
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GCSE English language entries in November 2024 increased by 28% from 60,365 in November 2023, to 77,005 in November 2024.
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GCSE mathematics entries in November 2024 increased by 16% from 65,250 in November 2023, to 75,605 in November 2024.
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Year 12 entries increased by 13% from 75,555 in November 2023 to 85,725 in November 2024.
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Year 13 entries increased by 34% from 50,035 in November 2023 to 66,880 in November 2024.
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Introduction
The provisional figures below show the number of entries for GCSE English language and mathematics for exams sat in November 2024. Schools and colleges submitted the data to awarding organisations by 25 October 2024.
The November series is usually restricted to students who were aged 16 and over by the end of the preceding August and this is the case from 2022 onwards and before the pandemic. However, there were alternative arrangements in 2020 and 2021, because of summer exams being cancelled due to the pandemic. This meant that any students, including younger students, who were entered in the summer and wished to do so could sit these exams.
The 2020 and 2021 November series were also open to students the awarding organisations believed had intended to enter in the summer but were unable to do so or who chose not to do so when exams were cancelled. Further information about arrangements for the November series is available on the Ofqual website.
In addition to the different entry requirements, different grading policies were in place during and in the years immediately following the pandemic, before the return to pre-pandemic standards in summer 2023. For example, the policy for summer 2022 was for grading to be at a midpoint between summer 2021 and summer 2019. The differences in grading policies in the summer series will have impacted on the number of students entering for subsequent re-sits.
November GCSE entries over time
GCSE entries in November 2024 increased by 21%, from 125,615 in November 2023, to 152,610 in November 2024.
Table 1. GCSE entries from November 2020 to November 2024
| Year | Total entries | Percentage change with previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 131,300 | Not applicable |
| 2021 | 114,040 | -13% |
| 2022 | 102,405 | -10% |
| 2023 | 125,615 | 23% |
| 2024 | 152,610 | 21% |
Variations in entries over recent years may reflect a number of factors such as:
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The alternative awarding arrangements for the summer 2020 and summer 2021 series and changes in eligibility criteria for entry in November 2020 and November 2021 series
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the approach to grading in summer 2022 (when results reflected a midpoint between summer 2021 and summer 2019)
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the return to pre-pandemic standards in [summer 2023](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/grading-exams-and-assessments-in-summer-2023-and-autumn-2022
The size of the 16-year-old cohort has also increased by 13.0% in 2024 compared with the past 5 years, from 624,590 16-year-olds in 2020 according to ONS population estimates in 2019 to 706,006 16-year-olds in 2024 according to ONS population estimates in 2023.
November GCSE entries by subject
GCSE English language entries in November 2024 increased by 28% from 60,365 in November 2023, to 77,005 in November 2024.
GCSE mathematics entries in November 2024 increased by 16% from 65,250 in November 2023, to 75,605 in November 2024.
Table 2. GCSE English language and mathematics entries from November 2020 to November 2024
| Year | Subject | Total entries | Percentage change with previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | English language | 59,185 | Not applicable |
| 2021 | English language | 50,345 | -15% |
| 2022 | English language | 46,900 | -7% |
| 2023 | English language | 60,365 | 29% |
| 2024 | English language | 77,005 | 28% |
| 2020 | Mathematics | 72,115 | Not applicable |
| 2021 | Mathematics | 63,695 | -12% |
| 2022 | Mathematics | 55,500 | -13% |
| 2023 | Mathematics | 65,250 | 18% |
| 2024 | Mathematics | 75,605 | 16% |
November GCSE mathematics entries by tier
GCSE mathematics is a tiered qualification with foundation and higher tiers. The tier of entry determines the possible range of grades. The November entries followed a similar pattern to previous years with the majority (96%) of entries being for the foundation tier.
Table 3. GCSE mathematics entry by tier from November 2020 to November 2024
| Exam series | Foundation tier entries | Higher tier entries | Percentage of foundation tier entries | Percentage of higher tier entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2020 | 66,935 | 5,180 | 93% | 7% |
| November 2021 | 60,910 | 2,785 | 96% | 4% |
| November 2022 | 52,755 | 2,750 | 95% | 5% |
| November 2023 | 61,955 | 3,295 | 95% | 5% |
| November 2024 | 72,510 | 3,095 | 96% | 4% |
GCSE entries by year group
Year 12 entries increased by 13% from 75,555 in November 2023 to 85,725 in November 2024.
Year 13 and above entries increased by 34% from 50,035 in November 2023 to 66,880 in November 2024.
Year 11 and below entries were lower in November 2022, 2023 and 2024 than in November 2020 and 2021. This is a result of the entry arrangements for the November 2020 and 2021 series, following the alternative assessment arrangements that were in place in summer 2020 and 2021.
Table 4. GCSE entries by year group from November 2020 to November 2024
| Year group | November 2020 | November 2021 | November 2022 | November 2023 | November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 11 and below | 1,285 | 1,380 | 30 | 25 | Fewer than 5 |
| Year 12 | 62,565 | 64,830 | 60,395 | 75,555 | 85,725 |
| Year 13 and above | 67,450 | 47,830 | 41,980 | 50,035 | 66,880 |
| Total entry | 131,300 | 114,040 | 102,405 | 125,615 | 152,610 |
English language entries in November 2024 increased by 18% for students in year 12 and increased by 44% for students in year 13 and above, when compared with November 2023.
Mathematics entries in November 2024 increased by 9% for students in year 12 and increased by 26% for students in year 13 and above, when compared with November 2023.
Table 5. GCSE English language and mathematics entries by year group in November 2023 and November 2024
| Subject | Year group | November 2023 | November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| English language | Year 11 and below | 10 | Fewer than 5 |
| English language | Year 12 | 38,280 | 45,220 |
| English language | Year 13 and above | 22,075 | 31,785 |
| Mathematics | Year 11 and below | 10 | Fewer than 5 |
| Mathematics | Year 12 | 37,275 | 40,505 |
| Mathematics | Year 13 and above | 27,965 | 35,095 |
Background information
In this release, Ofqual presents data on the number of provisional entries for GCSE English language and mathematics received by awarding organisations for the November 2024 exam series. In England, GCSE English language and mathematics exams are routinely available in November. Since 2017, entry to the November series has been limited to students who were aged 16 or above on 31 August of the year of the November series. In 2020 and 2021, any students, including younger students, who were entered in the summer and wished to do so could sit the November exams. The 2020 and 2021 series were also open to students the awarding organisations believed had intended to enter in the summer but were unable to do so.
The figures for entries can change daily up to the day of the exams. We collect provisional data at the point when it is reasonably complete, although final entry numbers may be slightly different. The figures presented here are the provisional figures as submitted by schools and colleges to awarding organisations by 25 October 2024.
In this release, all figures are rounded to the nearest 5 to ensure confidentiality of data.
Further information is available in the detailed background information and data tables accompanying this release.
Head of profession: Ben Cuff