The proportion of pupils leaving school without a GCSE grade in English has nearly doubled since before the pandemic, prompting concerns about the “new normal” of teenagers left behind.
Analysis by SchoolDash reveals that 3.3 per cent of pupils received no grade in English in 2023, compared with 1.7 per cent in 2019.
There is a similar, though less extreme, picture in maths, rising from 2.5 per cent pre-pandemic to 3.3 this year.
It follows a two-year plan by regulator Ofqual to return to “normal” after teacher grades were awarded during the Covid years.
