Vocational and other qualifications quarterly: July to September 2025
Statistics on certificates issued for vocational and other qualifications (excluding GCSEs, AS and A levels, Advanced Extension Awards, apprenticeship end-point assessments, Extended Project Qualifications and T Level Technical Qualifications).
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Revisions
This release was originally published on 20 November 2025. On 10 February 2026 we published a revision to include an additional 83,755 certificates in quarter 3 2025. These certificates were not included at first because they were going to be reported in quarter 4 2025. After reviewing this, we decided they should be included in quarter 3, to keep reporting consistent across quarters and awarding organisations.
This revision changed the key headlines and most other breakdowns. The total number of certificates issued this quarter increased by 83,755 certificates. As a result, the change from quarter 3 2024 is now -0.9% (previously -4.7%), and the change for the number of certificates issued in the 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 compared to the previous 12 months is now +0.5% (previously -1.1%).
Numbers of certificates issued and changes from quarter 3 2024 reported for several qualification types, qualification levels and sector subject areas have also changed, with some changing from a decrease to an increase. The largest increase to numbers of certificates issued was for vocationally related qualifications and level 3 qualifications.
The table of revisions accompanying this release remains unchanged, because it shows revisions made to data from earlier quarters, not the revision made to this release.
There were additional small changes to the dataset used to produce this release which reflect updates to qualification details on Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications.
Key headlines for quarter 3 (July to September) 2025
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In quarter 3 2025, a total of 2.2 million certificates were issued across 8,231 vocational and other qualifications, a decrease in certificates of 0.9% compared with quarter 3 2024. The number of certificates issued in the 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 (5.2 million) increased by 0.5% compared with the previous 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024.
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Among qualification types, the largest absolute decrease in certificate numbers was for other general qualifications (from 371,795 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 340,215 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 8.5%). The largest absolute increase in certificate numbers was for vocationally-related qualifications (from 779,800 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 792,985 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 1.7%). Additionally, there was a 7.5% increase in certificate numbers for other life skills qualifications (from 80,950 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 87,025 certificates in quarter 3 2025).
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Most qualification levels saw a decrease in the number of certificates issued compared with quarter 3 2024. The largest absolute decrease in certificate numbers was for level 3 qualifications (from 641,760 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 625,600 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 2.5%). Additionally, there was a 17.0% decrease in certificate numbers for level 7 qualifications (from 6,350 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 5,275 certificates in quarter 3 2025). The largest absolute increase in certificate numbers was for entry level qualifications (from 321,640 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 330,710 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 2.8%). Additionally, there was a 20.4% increase in certificate numbers for level 5 qualifications (from 15,315 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 18,440 certificates in quarter 3 2025).
- Most qualification sector subject areas saw an increase in the number of certificates issued compared with quarter 3 2024. Among sector subject areas, the largest absolute decrease in the number of certificates issued was for arts, media and publishing (from 345,085 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 318,925 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 7.6%). Additionally, there was a 9.9% decrease in certificate numbers for business, administration and law (from 157,760 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 142,195 certificates in quarter 3 2025). The largest absolute increase in the number of certificates issued for a sector subject area was for construction, planning and the built environment (from 131,570 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 137,610 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 4.6%). Additionally, there was a 23.2% increase in certificate numbers for history, philosophy and theology (from 8,020 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 9,885 certificates in quarter 3 2025).
- The top 3 qualifications with the most certificates issued in quarter 3 2025 were AQA Level 2 Certificate in Further Maths with 34,280 certificates, followed by WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering (Technical Award) with 33,500 certificates and Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care with 33,120 certificates.
- The top 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in quarter 3 2025 were Pearson with 454,875 certificates, followed by City & Guilds with 229,890 certificates and Cambridge OCR with 159,105 certificates. These 3 awarding organisations also had the most certificates issued in quarter 3 2024.
- The top 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in the 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 were Pearson with 699,630 certificates, followed by City & Guilds with 542,940 certificates and NCFE with 350,365 certificates. The 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in the previous 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024 were Pearson, City & Guilds and Highfield.
Context for trends this quarter
This quarter’s trends have been affected by operational changes in certification timing by University of the Arts London which contributed to the decrease in total certificate numbers this quarter compared to quarter 3 2024.
In 2025, University of the Arts London issued certificates earlier in the year compared to 2024. This means that certificates which would have previously been issued in quarter 3 were issued in quarter 2. This change contributed to the notable decreases in certificate numbers for other general qualifications and the arts, media and publishing sector subject area for quarter 3 2025 when compared to quarter 3 2024.
Datasets
The dataset used to produce this release is available separately, and can be explored visually in our interactive visualisation for Vocational and other qualifications over time.
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Updates to this page
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A revision to the statistical release to include an additional 83,755 certificates in quarter 3 2025.
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First published.