Nearly 100,000 entries were made for GCSE English language and maths exams in the November 2021 series in England according to the latest JCQ figures.  This is 11% down on the November 2020 figure and represents only 6.6% of the summer 2021 entries in these subjects.

Whilst GCSE English and maths exams are usually available every November, unlike in a normal year but as in 2020, entry was extended to students who wanted to improve their summer 2021 grade or if they were unable to get a grade in the summer.

In a typical year, not all students who re-sit exams improve their grade. This year, as in 2020, the November series was even more unusual in that students had not taken any GCSE exams at all in the summer.

Nearly two-thirds of entries in the November 2021 series were from students that already had a grade from summer 2021. Of those students, around a third improved their grade, just over 40% got the same grade, and just under 25% received a lower grade in November.  Grading was aligned with the summer 2021 series.

In English, 36.7% of the total overall entries achieved a grade 4 or above in the November 2021 series and 21.4% achieved a grade 4 or above in maths.

Students who did not improve their grade will be able to use their grade from the summer.