GCSE Results: Gender Gap Narrows As Boys Excel in Maths and English

Exciting news from this year’s GCSE results with a surprising twist!

Hundreds of thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland anticipate grades

By Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

It’s that time of the year again! Pupils from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are eagerly awaiting their GCSE results.

The 2025 results showed an overall improvement in grades for 16-year-olds taking GCSEs. Notably, boys made significant strides in subjects like maths and English, while girls experienced a decline in traditionally strong areas such as English.

This year marks the smallest gender gap in favor of girls since data collection began in 2016 for 16-year-olds in England.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, pupils in England bounced back in their GCSE results last year, with an increased number achieving top grades.

Key highlights include a 23% achievement of grades 7 and above in 2025, up from 22.6% the previous year. Additionally, the pass rate for grades 4 and above was 70.4%, showing a slight increase from the previous year.

Results in Northern Ireland saw a rise in A and A* grades to 31.4% and grades C or above to 63.8%. In Wales, pupils achieving top grades increased to 20.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point uptick in those attaining a C or better.

If trends from last week’s A-level results continue, this could be a record year for grades. England saw a rise in the proportion of students achieving the highest grade of A* in A-level subjects.

Follow along for updates on whether the overall pass rates in key subjects like English and maths are affected and if there are changes in girls’ overall results.