On August 21, 2025, the air in schools and colleges across England was thick with anticipation as students tore open envelopes containing their GCSE results. Yet, for a record number, this wasn’t the first time they’d faced the high-stakes moment. According to BBC News, a staggering 23.4% of those sitting Maths and English GCSEs this year were aged 17 or older—a clear sign that resits have become more the norm than the exception. This all-time high has ignited fierce debate among educators, policymakers, and students themselves about the effectiveness and fairness of the current resit policy.
Under England’s system, students who don’t achieve at least a grade 4—a “standard pass”—in Maths or English at age 16 are expected to keep studying and retake the exams, often alongside their next academic or vocational steps. Resits are held twice annually, in June and November. But as The Independent reports, the odds of passing dwindle with each attempt. In 2025, only 20.9% of English entries and 17.1% of Maths entries for pupils aged 17 or older achieved the passing grade.
James Bonning from Birmingham knows this struggle all too well. He finally passed his Maths GCSE on his third try this year. "It's just a relief," he told BBC News. "If I didn't pass, I wouldn't be able to go on a Level 2, and then progress to Level 3 after it. Passing opens loads of doors, whether it's electrician or any other trade." For James, the result was a gateway. But for Bethany Clarke, a fellow student at the same college, results day brought disappointment—she missed the grade 4 threshold by just six marks and will need to try again. Still, she remains upbeat: "Honestly, I feel quite happy. I didn't get a grade 4, but I was six marks off, so I'm really happy about that."
However, not everyone is as resilient. The mounting number of resits, and the low pass rates among resitters, has left many education leaders deeply concerned. Jill Duffy, chief executive of the OCR exam board, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One, "We've seen the number of 17-year-olds taking Maths increased by 8%—but 18-year-olds, this year we're seeing that number increased by almost 20%. So, they are re-sitting, and they're entering this dispiriting, if you like, cycle of resits." She called it a “resit crisis” and warned that repeated failure can sap students’ confidence and motivation.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, echoed the sentiment in The Independent: "NAHT has long called for reform of the current policy that forces students into repeated resits, which is demotivating and ineffective. What is needed are more appropriate and engaging alternatives to GCSEs in English and maths at KS4. Post-16 students who need to continue the subjects must be allowed to study for qualifications that suit their needs and ambitions, rather than defaulting to GCSE resits."
So, why are so many students caught in this cycle? Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator at England’s exams regulator Ofqual, pointed to demographic and policy shifts. He told PA that the rise in resits was linked to a "rising demographic trend"—simply put, there are more teenagers now than in previous years. Additionally, the return to pre-pandemic grading standards in 2023 has made passing slightly more challenging. "If you’ve got a larger cohort—and proportions getting a grade four are broadly stable—you’re going to see more people coming through to resit. But the reset of normal grading standards in 2023 probably also plays into it as well," he explained.
Meanwhile, the government’s stance has been evolving. The Department for Education recently updated its guidance, clarifying that resits are not strictly compulsory. Instead, students should only retake their GCSE maths or English exams when they—and their school or college—feel ready. This marks a subtle but important shift from previous policy, which was described as a requirement.
Still, the numbers are daunting. PA News Agency’s analysis of Ofqual figures indicates that 183,450 16-year-olds in England did not achieve a grade 4 or above in English language this year—1,770 more than in 2024. In maths, 174,930 16-year-olds fell short, only slightly fewer than last year. Overall, UK GCSE entries for students aged 17 and over rose by 12.1% compared with the previous year.
For colleges, the logistical burden is immense. Catherine Sezen from the Association of Colleges told BBC News, "If you think there are 3,400 secondary schools, but there are only around 190 colleges that are doing most of this work, that's where the students go. So, the logistics for the college are completely overwhelming." She added, "Those are important skills, but it's time for a rethink."
Educationalists point to deeper, systemic issues. Jill Duffy of OCR argued that the current GCSE Maths curriculum is “far too big and it includes knowledge that isn't required. For example, you have to memorise the exact values of trigonometry—and that's something we're not even asking A-level students to do.” She also highlighted that many resitters are missing fundamental skills that should have been acquired earlier, suggesting that intervention needs to happen well before GCSEs—ideally in Key Stage 3, or even earlier.
Sezen agrees, noting that only about 20% of students who are low achievers at the end of Key Stage 2 (age 11) go on to achieve a grade 4 at GCSE at 16. "This is really quite embedded—it goes right back to reception and to nursery. The government's target is that 75% of children are ready for school at four or five. What about the other 25%? I suppose I think what you're seeing there is that there are some children who never catch up." She also pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated disadvantages for many, particularly those without access to technology or stable learning environments during lockdowns.
So what’s the solution? There’s broad agreement among education leaders that "tinkering at the edges of policy won’t fix this," as Duffy put it. She called for “fundamental reform to Maths and English secondary education—especially at Key Stage 3—to support those who fall behind in these crucial subjects.” Sezen and others advocate for a more flexible, evidence-based approach, including alternative qualifications better tailored to students’ abilities and needs, and systems that allow pupils to build credits over time rather than face an all-or-nothing exam.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has acknowledged the issue, stating that the ongoing curriculum and assessment review will explore “how best we can support 16 to 19-year-olds who don’t achieve the right level in maths and English.” She added, “Of course I do want more students—particularly from less well-off backgrounds—to get a good pass at GCSE in English and maths because that’s the gateway to so much more.”
As another results day passes, the debate over resits is unlikely to quiet down. For students like James Bonning, perseverance pays off. But for thousands more, the cycle of resits remains a daunting barrier—and the calls for reform are growing louder by the day.
