Education Secretary Lucy Powell has confirmed that the Andy Burnham government is reviewing the policy requiring students in England who fail to achieve a grade 4 pass in English or maths GCSE to retake those exams. The update was issued on GCSE Results Day, as thousands of students across the country received their results.
Only One in Five Pass Resits
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ms Powell highlighted the low success rate of the current resit system. She stated that only one in five students who resit English and maths go on to pass. “For some, they’re doing it many times over,” she added. “So we’re branding them a failure after failure after failure.”
The Education Secretary argued that the repeated resits are damaging students’ confidence and hindering their progress. “It’s knocking their confidence. It’s not giving them the passport that they need to go on to do something like an apprenticeship, or for others to go on to further study,” she said.
New Pathway Qualification at Level One
Ms Powell announced that the government is introducing a new “pathway qualification” at level one, which is below GCSEs at level two. She said this qualification would provide “a high level of literacy and numeracy.” She added: “I want to work with employers so that it’s credible, so that that would be a sufficient gateway to get on to the next path.”
The move is intended to offer an alternative route for students who struggle with the current resit model, allowing them to demonstrate core skills without the repeated cycle of failure.
Prime Minister’s Message to Students
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also issued a message of support to students collecting their GCSE results on Thursday. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Burnham wrote: “Congratulations to everyone getting their GCSE results today, you should be proud of the work that got you here.”
He continued: “Whatever your results, remember there isn’t just one route to success.” The Prime Minister added: “We’re creating more opportunities for young people to choose the path that’s right for them, whether that’s academic or technical. Every young person should have the chance to fulfil their potential. I’ll make sure they do.”
The government’s review of the resit policy comes as part of a broader effort to reform post-16 education and provide more flexible pathways for young people, including apprenticeships and further study.
