TutorLab Research · Summer 2026 JCQ data, England, all ages

GCSE Pass Rates by Subject 2026

In summer 2026, 57.2% of GCSE maths entries in England reached grade 4 or above, the lowest of the core subjects, and 59.5% of English Language entries. Those all-ages figures include post-16 resits: among 16-year-olds, 71.8% reached grade 4 in maths and 71.4% in English Language, while 15.3% of maths entries aged 17 and over did, and 19.8% in English Language. Chemistry (separate) was highest of the major subjects at 92.1%, ahead of Physics at 91.6% and Biology at 89.6%. Across all subjects, 67.0% of entries in England reached grade 4 and 21.8% grade 7 (JCQ Table 1, published 20 August 2026, cross-checked with Ofqual).

Worried about a subject? Find a GCSE tutor or tell us what you need, about 2 minutes. Free, no account needed.

Data from JCQ's GCSE results release, Table 1 (England, summer 2026), cross-checked against Ofqual. Figures cover all ages in England, including post-16 resits. Entry numbers are JCQ's exact reported figures.

Journalists and researchers: this data is free to cite. Please attribute as “TutorLab analysis of JCQ GCSE results 2026 (Table 1, England), cross-checked with Ofqual summer 2026” and link to this page.

Get matched free

Worried about a subject above?

Tell us the subject and your area and we'll match you with a GCSE tutor. No reply within 22 hours? We’ll find you more tutors, automatically. Free, and the price you see is the price you pay.

Parents

Find a GCSE tutor

About 2 minutes. We send it to tutors who teach your subject. Free, no account needed.

Get matched free

Key figures at a glance

57.2%

Maths grade 4+ pass rate

Lowest of all core subjects, all ages

92.1%

Chemistry grade 4+ pass rate

Highest of any major GCSE

16.8%

Maths grade 7+ rate

Most Maths entries do not reach grade 7+

47.0%

Chemistry grade 7+ rate

Highest grade 7+ rate of any major subject

GCSE pass rates by subject, all major subjects

Grade 4+ = standard pass (old C). Grade 7+ = old A grade. Entry numbers are JCQ's exact reported entries (England, summer 2026, all ages including post-16 resits). Separate science figures are not comparable to combined science, because the cohort is self-selected.

Subject	Entries	Grade 4+	Grade 7+	Notes
Mathematics	851,268	57.2%	16.8%	Largest GCSE cohort by pupil numbers.
English Language	819,199	59.5%	15.2%	Most pupils sit both English Language and Literature, and grades often diverge.
English Literature	613,440	73.4%	19.7%	Lower entry numbers than Language; cohort is more self-selected.
Combined Science (Trilogy)	942,776	58.1%	9.2%	Graded on a 9-9 to 1-1 paired scale. Most common science route. JCQ counts Science: Double Award as two entries, so its entry figure is roughly double the pupil count.
Biology (separate)	167,911	89.6%	43.5%	Triple science cohort skews toward higher-attaining pupils in selective schools.
Chemistry (separate)	159,731	92.1%	47.0%	Highest grade 4+ rate of any major subject. Separate sciences are less common outside grammar and independent schools.
Physics (separate)	159,630	91.6%	45.9%	Strong grade 7+ rate driven by the self-selected cohort.
History	289,677	64.1%	26.1%	One of the most popular humanities. Essay-heavy marking means grade 7+ requires real technique.
Geography	285,745	65.6%	25.1%	Similar profile to History. Fieldwork component is assessed internally.
French	120,020	73.6%	30.2%	Spanish now has a larger entry cohort than French at GCSE.
Spanish	131,247	71.9%	28.9%	Overtaking French in entry numbers. Native speakers inflate grade 7+ rates.
German	32,354	80.2%	34.8%	Smallest of the main European languages. Specialist tutor supply is tighter.
Computer Science	82,428	70.6%	29.9%	Programming element assessed partly by on-screen exam. Grade varies with school teaching quality.
Religious Studies	218,602	73.7%	32.3%	High entry numbers, often compulsory. Written exam-heavy.
Drama	47,664	77.5%	27.8%	Practical components (devising, scripted performance) plus written exam. Grade 4+ rate above average.
Music	33,701	76.4%	33.8%	Performance and composition components require specialist input.
Art & Design	196,575	77.0%	23.4%	Portfolio-based assessment.
Business Studies	139,284	65.6%	19.5%	A-Level Business is more popular; the GCSE cohort is moderately sized.
Economics	7,265	82.9%	34.4%	Smaller, self-selected cohort. Often taken by higher-attaining pupils.
Psychology	20,534	64.3%	20.9%	AQA is the dominant board.
Sociology	30,902	67.5%	20.2%	Smaller entry numbers than History or Geography.
Latin	7,751	93.6%	73.7%	Very small cohort, heavily skewed toward independent and grammar schools. Not a fair comparison.

Source: JCQ GCSE results, Table 1, summer 2026 (England). These figures are a dated snapshot refreshed each results season, not a live feed. Entries are JCQ's exact England all-ages figures for summer 2026, including post-16 resits.

The five subjects with the lowest pass rates

These subjects consistently produce the highest volumes of pupils who need tutoring support. Maths and English are compulsory, and failing to achieve grade 4 requires resits post-16. For other subjects, a grade 4 is increasingly a sixth form entry requirement.

Combined Science (Trilogy)

Why GCSE pass rates vary so much between subjects

Pass rates differ for three main reasons: cohort self-selection, assessment design, and curriculum difficulty. Separate science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) have high grade 4+ and grade 7+ rates not because the content is easier, but because only around 40% of pupils take them, typically in higher-attaining sets at grammar schools and independent schools. The average ability of the cohort is higher.

Maths and English Language are sat by almost every pupil in England (851,268 and 819,199 entries respectively in summer 2026). Because the full ability range sits the exam, pass rates are lower than for optional subjects, and the all-ages figure is lower again because it includes 219,135 maths and 187,558 English Language entries from students aged 17 and over, most of them post-16 resits. This is why comparing Mathematics (57.2%) to Chemistry (92.1%) tells you more about who sits the exam than about subject difficulty.

Art & Design illustrates a genuine assessment-design effect: portfolio-based coursework, developed and refined over two years, produces a grade 4+ rate of 77.0%, higher than exam-heavy subjects such as Religious Studies (73.7%) or Computer Science (70.6%). This reflects the assessment format itself, not cohort self-selection.

For parents and pupils, the most useful figure is not the raw pass rate but the gap between where a pupil currently sits and grade 4 or grade 7. A pupil working at grade 3 in Maths needs different support to one working at grade 6 aiming for grade 8+ at A-Level. A specialist tutor diagnoses that gap and closes it systematically.

Find a GCSE tutor for any subject

TutorLab tutors cover all major GCSE subjects. Browse profiles, compare rates and contact tutors directly.

Maths tutors English tutors Science tutors History tutors French tutors All subjects

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What GCSE grade is a pass?+

Grade 4 is the standard pass, equivalent to the old grade C. It is the minimum required for most post-16 pathways, employer requirements and many university foundation programmes. Grade 5 is sometimes called a strong pass: it is required by many sixth forms as an entry condition for A-Level subjects.

What happens if you fail GCSE Maths or English?+

Pupils who do not achieve grade 4 in GCSE Maths or English Language must continue to study those subjects in post-16 education and resit the exams. This is a legal requirement in England, and it is the most common reason for mandatory post-16 resits.

Which GCSE subjects are hardest to pass?+

By grade 4+ pass rate: Mathematics (57.2%), Combined Science (58.1%), English Language (59.5%), History (64.1%) and Geography (65.6%) are the subjects with the lowest pass rates among large-cohort GCSEs. However, pass rate alone does not measure difficulty: it is also a function of who sits the exam.

How does private tutoring affect GCSE outcomes?+

These tables cannot show it, because JCQ does not record who was tutored. A tutor can target the topics where a pupil lost marks, which matters most for a pupil working just below a boundary, such as a grade 3 aiming for a 4. How much it helps depends on the pupil, the tutor and the time left before the exam.

Methodology and sources

All pass rate figures are based on JCQ's GCSE results data (Table 1), published following the summer 2026 examination series (England), and cross-checked against Ofqual's summer 2026 release. Figures include all ages and all entries, including post-16 resits, unless otherwise noted. Entry numbers are JCQ's exact reported figures, not rounded. Grade boundaries differ between exam boards, so figures shown are blended across all boards sitting each subject.

Grade 7+ equates to the old A grade under the pre-2017 grading system. Grade 4+ equates to the old C grade (standard pass). Grade 9 is the highest grade and represents exceptional performance above the old A* level.

Free to use:This data is free to cite with attribution to “TutorLab analysis of JCQ GCSE results 2026 (Table 1, England), cross-checked with Ofqual summer 2026.” Contact press@tutorlab.uk for additional data cuts or press enquiries.

Are you a tutor? Start free.