Before we get started, a word on the definition of ‘the basics’. In this piece, I’ll be using this to refer to achieving a grade 4 or above in GCSE maths, and in either GCSE English language or GCSE English literature. ‘Basics’ is also sometimes used to refer to achieving a grade 5 or above in the same subjects, but here I’ll be sticking to grade 4 or above.
Overall, 34% of pupils in our sample did brazil rcs data not achieve the basics in 2023/24, almost the same as in the official figures for the 2022/23 cohort (33%). The chart below shows how this breaks down by gender and disadvantage status.
Boys were slightly more likely to fall short of the basics than girls, but the difference between disadvantaged pupils and their peers was far larger. More than half of disadvantaged pupils did not achieve the basics, compared to just over a quarter of their peers.
What grades did these pupils achieve?
Now we’re going to take a look at the grades of pupils who did not achieve the basics in more detail.
The majority of pupils were not far off achieving the basics. Close to half did achieve a grade 4 or above in either English or maths, and a further 11% achieved a grade 3 in both subjects.