School and college leaders in England are calling the continuous cycle of GCSE resits in math and English a system that is "simply not working." The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) stated that a significant number of students do not achieve passing grades in these subjects and often face repeated failure when retaking the exams.
Data released on Thursday revealed that nearly a quarter of all GCSEs taken in math and English in England were by students aged 17 and older, predominantly those who had previously failed the exams. The government has acknowledged a desire to end what it describes as an "endless treadmill of unnecessary resits."
To address this, the government plans to introduce a new "stepping stone" qualification at Level 1, one level below GCSEs, starting in 2028. This qualification will be for students who do not achieve a pass in GCSE math or English. Currently, many educational courses and employment opportunities are contingent upon students securing GCSE passes in these core subjects, leading some to become trapped in a loop of resits.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of ASCL, likened the fail-resit cycle to "force feeding" students a "relentless diet of GCSE English and maths." He suggested that this approach limits educational and career options and may contribute to a high number of young people becoming not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
Pass rates for students aged 17 and older retaking math and English exams are substantially lower than those for 16-year-old students taking the exams for the first time. This disparity reportedly lowers overall GCSE grades for all age groups across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.