Watching my son fail his maths and English GCSEs again and again was painful, but what hurt most was watching his confidence slowly disappear. A capable young person started to believe he simply was not good enough.
Once I began researching I realised our story was far from unique.
One in three children fail to gain a Grade 4 or better pass in GCSE English and maths. The post- 16 re-sit pass rate for mathematics was 17.1% in the summer of 2025, with 20.9% in English. This resit picture, which has remained roughly consistent since the pandemic, was described as “utterly demoralising” by Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School Leaders”. Yet when we change the format of the exam many of those same children gain a pass. Same children, different format.
England already has two ways of assessing literacy and numeracy. GCSEs and Functional Skills. We only regard a pass grade as success in one of them.
Campaign Aim
This campaign is about creating change in how England measures a successful pass in English and maths at sixteen.
The goal is to encourage policymakers and education leaders to change GCSE pathways to include more than one way for students to demonstrate competence.
Further, to explore whether applied assessment formats, like Functional Skills, should sit alongside GCSE pathways so that more young people can demonstrate competence rather than experience repeated failure.
This is not about lowering standards and it is not about replacing GCSEs. It is about asking whether the same standards could more fairly be demonstrated in more than one way.
We understand large scale change takes years and so our solution is relatively quick to implement as it already exists in the system.
Key facts
- Around one third of students do not achieve grade four in GCSE English and maths
- Around seventy percent of students with special educational needs do not achieve a grade four
- This compares to seventy per cent of NON SEND who do.
- Only around seventeen percent of students who are both SEND and on free school meals pass
- Students who resit GCSE English and maths after sixteen pass at a rate of around twenty percent
Many young people repeat the same exam several times with the same result. By the time they reach college many have lost all motivation.
The Hidden Contrast
England already uses another way of assessing literacy and numeracy. Functional Skills qualifications measure the same core capabilities but through more applied, real-world questions. They are also criterion reference marked. Similar to a driving test, you pass or fail, it doesnt matter how anyone else scores.
- Around one third of students do not achieve grade four in GCSE English and maths
- Around seventy percent of students with special educational needs do not achieve a grade four
- Only around seventeen percent of students who are both SEND and on free school meals pass
- Students who resit GCSE English and maths after sixteen pass at a rate of around fifteen percent
Typical pass rates
- Around sixty percent pass Functional Skills maths
- Around eighty percent pass Functional Skills English
In many cases these are the same students who struggled with GCSE papers. The difference is the format and marking of the assessment.
However, Functional skills are unheard of outside education, which is confusing to employers, students and parents. A key goal of this campaign is to integrate them into GCSE’s at foundation level, to avoid stigma and simplify understanding in the wider British public. Therefore the campaign is also asking the question why we have a foundation paper in maths, but not English GCSE.
Desired Outcomes
- More young people leaving school believing they are capable
- Better progression into further education and apprenticeships
- Stronger engagement in post sixteen education
- A system that recognises practical literacy and numeracy skills
Cost
- fewer repeated GCSE resits
- reduced exam entry and administration costs
- less teaching time spent on repeating more exam preparation Confidence and wellbeing
- fewer young people leaving school believing they have completely failed
- improved self-esteem at a critical age
- greater motivation to continue learning
Education engagement
- fewer repeated GCSE resits
- reduced exam entry and administration costs
- less teaching time spent on repeating more exam preparation Confidence and wellbeing
- fewer young people leaving school believing they have completely failed
- improved self-esteem at a critical age
- greater motivation to continue learning
Wider social impact
- fewer young people becoming NEET
- better long-term employment prospects
- potential reductions in long term public costs linked to unemployment and mental health
Workforce readiness
- better recognition of applied maths and English skills
- closer alignment between education outcomes and employer needs
This is why we are campaigning for Functional skills style qualifications to be integrated INTO GCSE’s. The benefits are huge, with no disadvantages. No lowering of qualifications, less stigma, more confidence and opportunity for all our young people.
