Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4)

Published 10 October 2018

Last updated 14 May 2019 - see all updates

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Contents

1. Main facts and figures

• in 2016/17, there were 527,859 pupils at the end of key stage 4 in state-funded schools, and ethnicity was known for 521,048 (99%) of them

• of these, 77% were White, 10% were Asian, 5% were Black, 5% were Mixed, 1.6% were in the Other ethnic group, and 0.4% were in the Chinese ethnic group

• pupils from the Chinese ethnic group were the most likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, while Gypsy/Roma pupils were the least likely to

• across all ethnic groups, girls were more likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE than boys – overall, 45.7% of girls did so, compared with 39.6% of boys

• across all ethnic groups, pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) were less likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE than those not eligible – overall, 21.7% of FSM-eligible pupils did so, compared with 45.8% of those not eligible

• White Irish girls eligible for FSM were the least likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, with 14% doing so

Things you need to know

In 2017, pupils sat reformed GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths for the first time, graded on a 9 to 1 scale (where 9 is the highest grade and 1 is the lowest). The new headline attainment measure requires pupils to achieve a grade 5 or above in either English language or literature (with no requirement to take both) and to achieve a grade 5 or above in EBacc maths.

Please be aware that some of the statistics quoted here for some ethnic groups are based on very small numbers of pupils (for example, only 131 Chinese children were eligible for free school meals in 2016/17) and are highly variable over time.

Attainment is lower for children from a Traveller of Irish heritage background – however, there were only 118 pupils from this background at the end of key stage 4 in 2016/17. This was a much smaller number than for other ethnic groups (for example, there were 21,323 Pakistani pupils at the end of key stage 4). Therefore, data comparisons between Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils and other ethnic groups may be unreliable.

The ethnicity of 1.3% of pupils (6,811) is not known. This includes pupils whose ethnicity was not surveyed, pupils who refused to be surveyed, and pupils whose ethnicity could not be determined.

The Department of Education (DfE) has excluded, or ‘suppressed’, very small numbers (for example, values of 1 or 2, a percentage based on 1 or 2 pupils who achieved, or 0, 1 or 2 pupils who did not achieve a particular level).

This is because, where the size of the ethnic group population is small enough that an individual’s identity could be revealed, information is suppressed to preserve confidentiality. This is consistent with DfE’s statistical policy statement on confidentiality (PDF opens in a new window or tab).

Data for some Muslim, Sikh and Hindu schools was not included in the statistics for faith schools, because the small numbers of pupils make it impossible to draw meaningful conclusions about their attainment. Data for faith schools is also only provided for pupils in state-funded mainstream schools.

Schools can ask for a pupil to be removed from their performance results if the pupil:

• arrived recently from overseas and their first language isn’t English
• was admitted following a permanent exclusion from another school
• is not at the end of key stage 4
• has left England to live abroad
• has died

Pupils removed from a school’s performance results may still be included in the national figures.

What the data measures

This data measures the percentage of pupils within each ethnic group achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE.

It also looks at the total number of children achieving a grade 5 or above, and analyses each ethnic group’s percentage share of that total.

The data covers the academic year 2016/17 (September 2016 to July 2017).

Key stage 4 covers school years 10 and 11, when children are aged 14 to 16.

The ethnic categories used in this data

This data uses categories from the Department for Education’s school census, which is broadly based on the 2001 national Census, with 3 exceptions:

• Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma children have been separated into 2 categories
• Sri Lankan has been added to the Asian but is not reported separately
• Chinese pupils have been assigned a separate category

These changes were made after consultations with local authorities and lobby groups.

The categories in the school census are as follows:

White:

• White British
• White Irish
• Traveller of Irish Heritage
• Gypsy/Roma
• Other White

Mixed:

• White and Black Caribbean
• White and Black African
• White and Asian
• Other Mixed background

Asian:

• Indian
• Pakistani
• Bangladeshi
• Sri Lankan
• Other Asian background

Black:

• Black African
• Black Caribbean
• Other Black background

Chinese Other

Information is provided for both detailed and broad ethnic groups where possible and when the data is available.

The 6 broad categories used are as follows:

• Asian
• Black
• Chinese
• Mixed
• White
• Other ethnic group

However, data by local authority, basis for school admission, school type, special educational needs, and religion of school is only provided for 5 broad ethnic groups. Information about the specific ethnic categories is excluded to preserve confidentiality and ensure individuals cannot be identified. Information about the Other ethnic group is not given because DfE does not publish data for this group at the local authority level.

The 5 broad categories are as follows:

• Asian
• Black
• Chinese
• Mixed
• White

2. By ethnicity

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity

Ethnicity	%	Pupils
All	42.6	527,859
Asian	49.5	52,787
Bangladeshi	48.4	8,874
Indian	61.9	13,968
Pakistani	38.6	21,323
Asian other	57.2	8,622
Black	38.4	27,922
Black African	43.5	17,466
Black Caribbean	28.7	7,097
Black other	32.1	3,359
Chinese	72.0	2,073
Mixed	43.2	23,483
Mixed White/Asian	53.9	5,147
Mixed White/Black African	42.8	2,714
Mixed White/Black Caribbean	31.1	7,038
Mixed other	46.7	8,584
White	42.0	406,342
White British	42.1	378,108
White Irish	55.0	1,676
Gypsy/Roma	4.7	1,073
Irish Traveller	9.3	118
White other	41.4	25,367
Other	43.6	8,441
Unknown	34.7	6,811

Download table data (CSV) Source data (CSV)

Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity Summary

The data shows that:

• in 2016/17, 42.6% of all pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, making this the national average
• pupils from the Chinese ethnic group were the most likely to achieve grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (with 72% doing so), followed by pupils from the Indian group (61.9%)
• the Gypsy/Roma ethnic group had the lowest percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (4.7% did so), followed by children from a Traveller of Irish Heritage background (9.3% did so)

3. By ethnicity and eligibility for free school meals

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity and eligibility for free school meals (FSM)

	FSM		Non-FSM
Ethnicity	FSM %	FSM Pupils	Non-FSM %	Non-FSM Pupils
All	21.7	69,261	45.8	458,598
Asian	35.5	8,824	52.3	43,963
Bangladeshi	41.9	2,438	50.9	6,436
Indian	43.4	1,016	63.3	12,952
Pakistani	29.2	4,302	41.0	17,021
Asian other	38.5	1,068	59.8	7,554
Black	29.2	6,076	41.0	21,846
Black African	34.7	3,777	46.0	13,689
Black Caribbean	19.6	1,574	31.3	5,523
Black other	21.2	725	35.1	2,634
Chinese	67.9	131	72.3	1,942
Mixed	22.9	4,297	47.7	19,186
Mixed White/Asian	24.2	723	58.7	4,424
Mixed White/Black African	27.4	541	46.6	2,173
Mixed White/Black Caribbean	16.5	1,598	35.4	5,440
Mixed other	27.5	1,435	50.6	7,149
White	17.4	46,985	45.2	359,357
White British	16.9	44,106	45.4	334,002
White Irish	18.6	194	59.8	1,482
Gypsy/Roma		325		748
Irish Traveller		66		52
White other	29.1	2,294	42.6	23,073
Other	36.1	2,012	45.9	6,429
Unknown	32.4	936	41.1	5,875

Data withheld to protect confidentiality

Download table data (CSV) Source data (CSV)

Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity and eligibility for free school meals Summary

Eligibility for free school meals (FSM) is used as an indicator of deprivation by the Department for Education. See the Methodology section for more information about who qualifies for FSM.

The data shows that:

• 13.3% of pupils (69,261 children) at the end of key stage 4 were eligible for free school meals (FSM) in 2016/17
• 23.8% of pupils from the Other ethnic group were eligible for FSM, followed by 21.8% of Black pupils, 18.3% of pupils of Mixed ethnicity, 16.7% of Asian pupils, 11.6% of White pupils and 6.3% of pupils from the Chinese ethnic group
• across all ethnic groups, FSM-eligible pupils were less likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE than those not eligible – overall, 21.7% of pupils eligible for FSM achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, while 45.8% of all other pupils did so
• of the broad ethnic groups, pupils from the Chinese ethnic group had the highest percentage of FSM-eligible pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (67.9% did so)
• White FSM-eligible pupils were least likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (17.4% did so)
• Irish pupils had the largest gap in attainment between those eligible for FSM and those not eligible, with 18.6% of FSM-eligible pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 59.8% of those not eligible (a 41.2 percentage point gap)

4. By ethnicity and area

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils attaining a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity and area

	All		Asian		Black		Chinese		Mixed		White
Geography	All %	All Pupils	Asian %	Asian Pupils	Black %	Black Pupils	Chinese %	Chinese Pupils	Mixed %	Mixed Pupils	White %	White Pupils
All - England	42.9	524,932	50.1	52,087	38.8	27,595	73.1	2,038	43.4	23,359	42.1	405,100
Barking and Dagenham	43.1	2,185	58.2	428	45.3	601		3		124	35.1	970
Barnet	60.3	3,528	77.0	539	50.8	478	81.8	55	59.5	343	58.6	1,728
Barnsley	38.8	2,110			33.3	9			46.7	30	38.8	2,051
Bath and North East Somerset	41.9	2,001	57.6	33		22		5	34.7	72	42.4	1,838
Bedford	37.9	1,827	36.5	266		88		5	24.3	144	40.3	1,294
Bexley	49.9	3,141	73.9	203	61.4	567	75.0	48	51.9	185	43.7	2,086
Birmingham	40.2	12,127	42.0	4,710	32.8	1,453	70.9	55	39.1	923	40.7	4,326
Blackburn with Darwen	41.9	1,746	52.1	764		20		4	42.6	54	33.9	890
Blackpool	27.1	1,190	57.1	21		3		4	22.2	18	26.8	1,134
Bolton	38.8	3,263	48.9	659		145		6	38.4	86	36.5	2,313
Bournemouth	47.8	1,611	65.7	35	42.1	19	72.7	11	49.3	75	47.0	1,428
Bracknell Forest	43.2	1,119	51.9	52					30.4	46	43.4	989
Bradford	35.1	5,786	37.1	2,598	31.6	79	70.0	10	29.6	226	34.1	2,743
Brent	49.8	2,908	56.5	894	36.7	698	100.0	4	45.1	195	43.8	507
Brighton and Hove	47.2	2,197	46.7	60	32.6	43	100.0	6	45.7	164	47.5	1,847
Bristol, City of	41.0	3,236	48.5	229	31.6	326	58.3	12	37.7	244	41.8	2,376
Bromley	47.6	3,258	70.3	182	51.4	296	72.1	43	49.5	303	47.1	2,231
Buckinghamshire	56.2	5,599	56.7	979	45.0	171	81.5	27	55.7	305	56.3	4,016
Bury	38.0	2,120	34.0	262		35		11	45.1	82	38.4	1,697
Calderdale	45.1	2,475	42.9	359		26		7	39.1	69	45.7	1,997
Cambridgeshire	46.7	5,635	54.4	169	22.2	54	71.9	32	46.9	207	46.6	5,032
Camden	48.3	1,513	44.0	277	41.8	318	100.0	7	49.2	191	52.0	577
Central Bedfordshire	42.5	2,591	64.8	54		53		7	34.3	105	42.6	2,347
Cheshire East	46.9	3,582	58.9	56		12		12	47.2	89	46.5	3,378
Cheshire West and Chester	39.8	3,328	34.1	41	50.0	10	62.5	8	46.5	71	39.6	3,181
City of London	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*
Cornwall	38.4	5,133	38.1	21					45.9	98	38.2	4,928
County Durham	34.7	4,608	50.0	28		5		12	45.7	46	34.6	4,459
Coventry	36.2	3,374	48.2	635	34.1	305		9		171	33.4	2,198
Croydon	40.6	3,579	56.1	462	35.6	1,031		10		503	41.4	1,338
Cumbria	42.2	4,915	52.4	21		10		17	59.7	62	42.2	4,652
Darlington	44.0	1,066		23					27.3	22	43.6	998
Derby	37.4	2,741	44.1	479		87		7	27.6	170	37.2	1,944
Derbyshire	42.3	7,249	40.7	54						133	42.0	6,965
Devon	42.5	6,704	65.6	32		5		21	52.1	96	42.5	6,265
Doncaster	38.6	2,996	50.0	86		41		11	39.1	69	37.7	2,757
Dorset	39.6	3,988	43.3	30		3		11	41.6	77	39.5	3,792
Dudley	37.1	3,484	32.7	318	35.6	90	57.1	7	36.3	190	38.0	2,820
Ealing	50.7	2,722	55.9	808	41.3	543		4		231	53.5	736
East Riding of Yorkshire	44.9	3,370	50.0	12		8		4	54.7	53	44.7	3,236
East Sussex	38.4	4,812	51.2	82	23.1	39	50.0	16	41.3	184	38.3	4,395
Enfield	42.6	3,487	62.5	277	38.9	854		9		315	40.8	1,747
Essex	42.8	14,378	71.0	348	47.5	398	82.5	57	48.0	556	41.4	12,778
Gateshead	40.1	1,909	51.1	45	30.0	10	57.1	7	53.8	26	39.3	1,784
Gloucestershire	46.2	6,165	62.3	162	22.1	77	70.6	17	42.3	215	46.2	5,633
Greenwich	41.6	2,166	52.7	188	42.7	637	68.4	19	38.4	216	38.8	1,008
Hackney	44.7	2,002	48.9	270	36.9	750		9		153	51.9	648
Halton	30.5	1,395		3					32.3	31	30.3	1,347
Hammersmith and Fulham	52.9	1,313	55.9	102	38.7	341		4		137	63.5	578
Hampshire	45.5	12,740	55.4	332	31.5	89	75.0	36	51.5	363	45.1	11,749
Haringey	43.6	2,127	47.5	139	34.8	581	57.1	7	47.9	211	47.5	1,024
Harrow	50.0	2,049	63.0	898	31.6	329		6		147	42.6	540
Hartlepool	37.6	976		23		4		0		8	37.7	939
Havering	46.6	2,794	54.7	106	50.6	340		7		132	45.4	2,141
Herefordshire, County of	44.4	1,718		7		4					43.8	1,655
Hertfordshire	50.9	12,734	64.6	851	44.4	468	79.4	68	50.7	736	50.0	10,391
Hillingdon	45.3	3,075	59.0	659	40.6	350		4		324	40.2	1,482
Hounslow	46.7	2,641	57.8	746	43.3	353	100.0	7	39.7	184	44.1	958
Isle of Wight	32.6	1,251		5					46.7	30	32.3	1,196
Isles of Scilly	68.4	19		0		0						18
Islington	43.9	1,377	54.6	163	38.5	387		5		155	43.2	525
Kensington and Chelsea	57.4	739	66.7	18	51.6	126		5		112	60.9	302
Kent	42.3	15,407	64.1	566	58.8	345	86.2	65	51.1	615	40.3	13,538
Kingston upon Hull, City of	30.0	2,253	60.5	43		32		5	43.9	41	29.7	2,018
Kingston upon Thames	61.3	1,517	74.8	333	42.5	40	100.0	22	58.6	128	56.6	915
Kirklees	41.4	4,383	36.4	1,233		92		8	27.1	221	44.7	2,794
Knowsley	24.6	978		5					35.3	17	24.5	944
Lambeth	39.3	1,949	53.9	76	34.8	990	73.9	23	36.9	244	44.8	504
Lancashire	42.8	12,078	42.6	1,238	41.4	29	81.3	32	45.4	273	42.6	10,415
Leeds	39.3	7,427	33.6	921	31.2	417	71.8	39	37.3	362	41.8	5,420
Leicester	35.6	3,310	44.6	1,526		357					26.5	1,139
Leicestershire	45.0	6,867	63.0	497	29.1	55	66.7	24	43.2	236	43.7	5,987
Lewisham	37.9	2,247	40.9	132	32.6	952	64.7	34	43.2	285	41.6	675
Lincolnshire	42.4	7,549	73.1	93	41.9	43	66.7	21	49.7	165	41.7	7,160
Liverpool	37.3	4,467	57.3	131	32.3	158	77.1	48	43.8	192	36.1	3,768
Luton	34.6	2,433	39.8	1,040		267		4	27.3	150	30.3	780
Manchester	34.9	4,574	45.7	1,056	32.7	741	51.4	37	32.9	328	29.7	2,120
Medway	41.1	2,910	63.4	134		159		10	45.3	139	38.4	2,415
Merton	49.2	1,420	56.5	230	41.4	280	57.1	7	50.8	177	49.7	672
Middlesbrough	37.0	1,386	50.0	182					36.7	49	35.5	1,061
Milton Keynes	40.8	2,841	48.8	248	34.7	352	73.3	15	37.1	167	40.6	1,985
Newcastle upon Tyne	35.4	2,362	43.7	238	23.4	77	60.9	23	38.3	60	34.5	1,888
Newham	45.8	3,523	54.0	1,618	38.8	863	78.6	14	35.7	213	36.0	597
Norfolk	39.8	7,864	62.5	72	31.9	72	65.6	32	49.1	167	39.4	7,418
North East Lincolnshire	35.7	1,592							33.3	21	37.0	1,431
North Lincolnshire	40.7	1,749	43.9	66					65.5	29	40.2	1,630
North Somerset	43.9	2,086	61.9	21		12		5	51.2	41	43.7	1,996
North Tyneside	44.0	1,959	50.0	34		9		17	51.5	33	43.6	1,845
North Yorkshire	50.4	5,904	66.0	94	50.0	16	58.3	12	54.5	99	50.1	5,632
Northamptonshire	40.2	7,287	53.3	304	37.0	303	72.2	18	37.5	349	39.8	6,228
Northumberland	39.3	3,145	41.0	39		4		6	52.5	40	39.0	3,046
Nottingham	31.0	2,505		436	28.2	277		6	26.5	249	29.0	1,453
Nottinghamshire	45.5	7,511	62.0	166	35.7	112	79.2	24	51.3	277	45.1	6,821
Oldham	37.0	2,918	37.3	869		45		8	30.4	115	37.5	1,802
Oxfordshire	48.1	5,945	46.1	310	40.4	114	67.9	28	44.1	320	48.5	5,077
Peterborough	35.0	2,237	36.9	388		73		8	33.9	115	34.5	1,608
Plymouth	38.1	2,515	45.5	22		18		5	40.0	40	37.8	2,371
Poole	54.0	1,341	74.2	31		12		4	59.2	49	53.2	1,222
Portsmouth	37.2	1,627	61.0	82	48.8	43	100.0	5	44.9	49	34.9	1,412
Reading	49.8	1,134	65.8	222	29.5	105	100.0	16	46.7	105	48.0	642
Redbridge	55.8	3,458	65.5	1,792	39.7	463	59.1	22	53.9	243	45.8	856
Redcar and Cleveland	41.7	1,584	52.9	17					45.5	22	42.0	1,480
Richmond upon Thames	57.7	1,374	55.6	90	31.1	61		8		147	59.9	1,018
Rochdale	33.6	2,238	38.0	563		83		3	19.5	77	33.3	1,493
Rotherham	37.1	3,028	33.8	213		43		5	40.0	65	37.3	2,672
Rutland	57.7	473		4							57.4	458
Salford	31.9	2,057				97			35.1	94	31.4	1,775
Sandwell	28.7	3,564	34.8	993	23.0	309					26.8	1,901
Sefton	37.2	3,013	53.8	26	23.5	17	55.6	9	44.2	43	37.9	2,833
Sheffield	39.1	5,090	39.9	501	29.5	210	68.8	16	36.0	272	39.8	3,879
Shropshire	42.3	2,777		34		5	50.0	6		45	42.2	2,647
Slough	56.1	1,648	64.0	839					51.6	122	43.0	456
Solihull	45.8	2,917	59.2	331	46.0	63		10		163	44.6	2,217
Somerset	40.2	4,837	66.7	45		18		9	41.1	90	40.0	4,648
South Gloucestershire	39.5	2,586	50.0	72		36		5	37.4	107	39.4	2,337
South Tyneside	35.1	1,500	43.4	53		4		3		20	34.9	1,388
Southampton	34.1	1,845	47.1	191		42		5	37.4	99	32.1	1,489
Southend-on-Sea	54.1	2,103	72.4	127	70.3	128	81.8	22	55.2	87	51.5	1,715
Southwark	47.8	2,328	55.6	142	43.9	1,056	59.1	22	44.7	264	53.2	656
St. Helens	37.8	1,693						5	58.8	34	38.1	1,566
Staffordshire	39.3	8,414	43.8	265	25.0	40	66.7	15	36.0	186	39.3	7,861
Stockport	44.4	2,649	53.2	173	34.1	41	43.8	16	40.0	105	43.9	2,276
Stockton-on-Tees	41.6	1,913	40.4	99					48.3	29	41.5	1,758
Stoke-on-Trent	31.8	2,198	28.0	322	38.9	36	62.5	8	31.0	84	32.6	1,706
Suffolk	40.3	6,718	58.1	93		50		7	40.2	251	40.0	6,201
Sunderland	34.1	2,769	40.5	121		11		3	38.5	26	33.6	2,590
Surrey	51.6	10,067	57.6	592	45.7	197	77.8	45	55.0	467	51.0	8,621
Sutton	61.3	2,759	86.8	551	54.0	226		45		228	52.6	1,644
Swindon	35.7	2,038	35.3	201		39		5	39.2	79	35.2	1,667
Tameside	39.3	2,407	45.6	283		37		5	38.2	68	38.6	1,995
Telford and Wrekin	41.5	1,835	48.0	100	32.6	43		10		74	40.9	1,596
Thurrock	38.4	1,633	71.4	49		180		10	39.8	83	35.3	1,276
Torbay	50.7	1,316		13								1,186
Tower Hamlets	44.3	2,623	47.4	1,769	42.5	306		6		113	37.3	300
Trafford	62.7	2,715	70.9	327	58.8	80	84.1	44	60.5	157	61.8	2,042
Wakefield	42.1	3,402	44.9	89		41		8	42.6	61	41.9	3,161
Walsall	34.3	3,169	45.5	649	37.1	132	100.0	3	32.1	159	30.9	2,191
Waltham Forest	41.4	2,486	45.8	681	35.1	567	42.1	19	39.1	235	43.1	883
Wandsworth	50.6	1,695	53.0	353	40.5	464		12		191	58.5	556
Warrington	46.0	2,277	69.0	42		5		9	47.7	44	45.9	2,126
Warwickshire	48.1	5,489	69.1	278	37.2	43		11		180	47.0	4,875
West Berkshire	47.8	1,790		46		29		6	39.5	76	48.7	1,587
West Sussex	45.3	7,782	49.2	329	27.8	97	61.1	18	46.4	252	45.3	7,007
Westminster	55.4	1,535	61.8	186	51.3	351	61.1	18	55.1	158	59.5	385
Wigan	37.8	3,337	41.2	34		25		9	41.8	55	37.7	3,172
Wiltshire	43.5	4,732	67.6	68	34.4	32	64.7	17	45.1	113	43.8	4,225
Windsor and Maidenhead	50.1	1,547	49.1	212	55.6	27	33.3	9	37.4	91	51.3	1,159
Wirral	44.0	3,349	69.4	62	58.3	12	77.3	22	51.5	68	43.0	3,158
Wokingham	55.1	1,642	57.1	182		59		7	51.7	89	55.2	1,270
Wolverhampton	35.6	2,505	51.2	601	33.2	244		11		246	31.6	1,362
Worcestershire	44.1	5,348	49.4	176	27.6	29		11		152	44.2	4,937
York	48.1	1,608	53.3	30	37.5	8	57.1	7	48.6	37	47.9	1,512

^* Not applicable Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity and area Summary

The data shows that:

• Isles of Scilly in the South West had the highest percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (68.4%), but this area only includes 19 pupils so this result should be treated with caution; Trafford in the North West had the next highest percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (62.7%)
• Knowsley in the North West had the lowest percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (at 24.6%)
• 86.8% of Asian pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE in Sutton (London), compared with 28.0% in Stoke-on-Trent (West Midlands), making these the local authorities where Asian pupils were most and least likely to achieve a grade 5 or above
• 70.3% of Black pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE in Southend-on-Sea (East of England), compared with 22.1% in Gloucestershire (South West)
• 100% of Chinese pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE in 8 local authorities, compared with 33.3% in Windsor and Maidenhead (South East)
• 65.5% of pupils with Mixed ethnicity achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE in North Lincolnshire (Yorkshire and the Humber), compared with 19.5% in Rochdale (North West)
• 63.5% of White pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE in Hammersmith and Fulham (London), compared with 24.5% in Knowsley (North West)

5. By ethnicity and gender

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity and gender

	All		Boys		Girls
Ethnicity	All %	All Pupils	Boys %	Boys Pupils	Girls %	Girls Pupils
All	42.6	527,859	39.6	268,527	45.7	259,332
Asian	49.5	52,787	47.0	27,070	52.1	25,717
Bangladeshi	48.4	8,874	47.1	4,349	49.6	4,525
Indian	61.9	13,968	59.0	7,294	65.1	6,674
Pakistani	38.6	21,323	36.5	10,903	40.8	10,420
Asian other	57.2	8,622	52.8	4,524	62.1	4,098
Black	38.4	27,922	34.1	13,919	42.7	14,003
Black African	43.5	17,466	39.5	8,703	47.6	8,763
Black Caribbean	28.7	7,097	24.2	3,530	33.2	3,567
Black other	32.1	3,359	27.1	1,686	37.2	1,673
Chinese	72.0	2,073	67.9	1,080	76.5	993
Mixed	43.2	23,483	40.9	11,749	45.5	11,734
Mixed White/Asian	53.9	5,147	51.8	2,602	56.0	2,545
Mixed White/Black African	42.8	2,714	40.2	1,340	45.3	1,374
Mixed White/Black Caribbean	31.1	7,038	28.3	3,471	34.0	3,567
Mixed other	46.7	8,584	44.6	4,336	48.9	4,248
White	42.0	406,342	39.0	206,635	45.1	199,707
White British	42.1	378,108	39.1	192,325	45.2	185,783
White Irish	55.0	1,676		846		830
Gypsy/Roma	4.7	1,073	4.3	560	5.1	513
Irish Traveller	9.3	118		54		64
White other	41.4	25,367	37.8	12,850	45.1	12,517
Other	43.6	8,441	40.7	4,471	46.9	3,970
Unknown	34.7	6,811	31.7	3,603	38.0	3,208

Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity and gender Summary

The data shows that:

• across all ethnic groups, boys were less likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE compared with girls: overall, 45.7% of girls achieved a grade 5 or above compared with 39.6% of boys
• of the broad ethnic groups, Chinese girls had the highest percentage achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (76.5%), while Black boys had the lowest (34.1%)
• the largest gap between boys and girls was in the Other Black ethnic group, where 37.2% of girls achieved a a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE compared with 27.1% of boys (a gap of 10.1 percentage points)

6. By ethnicity, gender and eligibility for free school meals

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity, gender and eligibility for free school meals (FSM)

	FSM Boys		FSM Girls		Non-FSM Boys		Non-FSM Girls
Ethnicity	FSM Boys %	FSM Boys Pupils	FSM Girls %	FSM Girls Pupils	Non-FSM Boys %	Non-FSM Boys Pupils	Non-FSM Girls %	Non-FSM Girls Pupils
All	19.5	34,903	24.0	34,358	42.7	233,624	49.1	224,974
Asian	33.6	4,362	37.3	4,462	49.6	22,708	55.1	21,255
Bangladeshi	40.7	1,187	43.1	1,251	49.6	3,162	52.1	3,274
Indian	41.3	491	45.3	525	60.2	6,803	66.8	6,149
Pakistani	27.4	2,106	31.0	2,196	38.7	8,797	43.4	8,224
Asian other	35.1	578	42.4	490	55.4	3,946	64.7	3,608
Black	25.0	3,019	33.3	3,057	36.6	10,900	45.3	10,946
Black African	30.9	1,855	38.3	1,922	41.8	6,848	50.2	6,841
Black Caribbean	14.3	798	25.0	776	27.1	2,732	35.4	2,791
Black other	18.3	366	24.2	359	29.5	1,320	40.7	1,314
Chinese	62.3	69	74.2	62	68.2	1,011	76.7	931
Mixed	21.3	2,136	24.4	2,161	45.2	9,613	50.2	9,573
Mixed White/Asian	23.9	377	24.6	346	56.5	2,225	60.9	2,199
Mixed White/Black African	26.6	256	28.1	285	43.5	1,084	49.8	1,089
Mixed White/Black Caribbean	14.3	781	18.6	817	32.3	2,690	38.5	2,750
Mixed other	25.5	722	29.6	713	48.4	3,614	52.8	3,535
White	15.3	23,786	19.6	23,199	42.0	182,849	48.5	176,508
White British	14.8	22,338	19.1	21,768	42.3	169,987	48.7	164,015
White Irish	23.4	94	14.0	100	59.7	752	59.9	730
Gypsy/Roma		165		160		395		353
Irish Traveller		28		38		26		26
White other	26.7	1,161	31.5	1,133	38.8	11,689	46.5	11,384
Other	34.0	1,054	38.5	958	42.8	3,417	49.5	3,012
Unknown	30.3	477	34.6	459	38.1	3,126	44.4	2,749

Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity, gender and eligibility for free school meals Summary

Eligibility for free school meals (FSM) is used as an indicator of deprivation by the Department for Education. See the Methodology section for more information about who qualifies for FSM.

The data shows that:

• overall, in every ethnic group, boys and girls not eligible for FSM did better than those who were eligible
• across all ethnic groups, FSM-eligible girls were more likely to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE than FSM-eligible boys, except for White Irish pupils
• Chinese boys and girls eligible for FSM had the highest percentage achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, at 62.3% and 74.2% respectively
• White Irish girls eligible for FSM had the lowest percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE (14%)
• the largest gap between FSM-eligible girls and boys, at 11.9 percentage points, was found among Chinese pupils

7. By ethnicity, gender and area

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity, gender and area

	All			Asian			Black			Chinese			Mixed			White
Geography	All All (%)	All Boys (%)	All Girls (%)	Asian All (%)	Asian Boys (%)	Asian Girls (%)	Black All (%)	Black Boys (%)	Black Girls (%)	Chinese All (%)	Chinese Boys (%)	Chinese Girls (%)	Mixed All (%)	Mixed Boys (%)	Mixed Girls (%)	White All (%)	White Boys (%)	White Girls (%)
All - England	42.9	39.9	45.9	50.1	47.7	52.6	38.8	34.6	43.0	73.1	69.2	77.3	43.4	41.1	45.7	42.1	39.1	45.2
Barking and Dagenham	43.1	38.9	47.6	58.2	55.9	60.6	45.3	37.9	53.1							35.1	31.7	39.0
Barnet	60.3	57.9	62.7	77.0	79.8	73.7	50.8	45.9	55.5	81.8	80.0	84.0	59.5	56.1	62.9	58.6	55.6	61.8
Barnsley	38.8	35.9	41.8				33.3						46.7			38.8	36.0	41.7
Bath and North East Somerset	41.9	32.8	51.1	57.6	52.9	62.5							34.7	26.9	39.1	42.4	33.2	51.7
Bedford	37.9	34.5	41.2	36.5	31.1	42.0							24.3	21.3	27.5	40.3	37.9	42.5
Bexley	49.9	46.1	53.7	73.9	68.8	78.2	61.4	54.3	67.5	75.0	70.0	83.3	51.9	49.4	53.7	43.7	41.0	46.5
Birmingham	40.2	38.3	42.1	42.0	41.6	42.4	32.8	29.7	35.9	70.9	69.2	72.4	39.1	35.9	42.5	40.7	38.2	43.1
Blackburn with Darwen	41.9	39.3	44.5	52.1	47.2	57.3							42.6	43.3	41.7	33.9	32.2	35.6
Blackpool	27.1	23.9	30.1	57.1	40.0	72.7							22.2			26.8	23.8	29.5
Bolton	38.8	35.4	42.3	48.9	45.7	52.7							38.4			36.5	32.3	40.9
Bournemouth	47.8	45.9	49.9	65.7	65.0	66.7	42.1			72.7			49.3	54.2	40.7	47.0	44.5	49.6
Bracknell Forest	43.2	40.5	45.8	51.9				27.3					30.4	25.0	34.6	43.4	40.4	46.3
Bradford	35.1	33.4	36.9	37.1	35.2	39.0	31.6			70.0			29.6	26.9	32.0	34.1	32.6	35.6
Brent	49.8	49.1	50.5	56.5	54.5	58.4	36.7	34.6	38.5	100.0			45.1			43.8	41.6	45.8
Brighton and Hove	47.2	43.5	51.4	46.7	39.4	55.6	32.6	30.4	35.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	45.7	48.1	43.5	47.5	43.5	52.1
Bristol, City of	41.0	35.9	46.1	48.5	45.4	51.8	31.6			58.3			37.7	29.0	44.5	41.8	36.1	47.7
Bromley	47.6	44.7	50.2	70.3	67.1	73.0	51.4	50.4	52.2	72.1	81.0	63.6	49.5	46.3	52.1	47.1	44.3	49.7
Buckinghamshire	56.2	50.2	62.5	56.7	48.4	65.3	45.0			81.5			55.7	49.1	63.0	56.3	50.6	62.2
Bury	38.0	34.4	41.8	34.0	35.4	32.6			33.3			100.0	45.1	41.7	47.8	38.4	34.2	42.9
Calderdale	45.1	43.3	47.1	42.9	35.4	51.8							39.1	41.7	36.4	45.7	44.8	46.6
Cambridgeshire	46.7	43.0	50.4	54.4	50.0	59.3	22.2			71.9			46.9	48.6	44.8	46.6	42.7	50.4
Camden	48.3	46.3	49.8	44.0	44.7	43.4	41.8	32.2	47.3	100.0			49.2			52.0	50.2	53.3
Central Bedfordshire	42.5	39.3	46.1	64.8	60.7	69.2							34.3	38.3	28.9	42.6	39.3	46.2
Cheshire East	46.9	45.3	48.5	58.9	63.3	53.8			50.0			100.0	47.2	54.5	40.0	46.5	44.7	48.3
Cheshire West and Chester	39.8	37.0	42.9	34.1	29.4	37.5	50.0			62.5			46.5	35.5	55.0	39.6	37.0	42.6
City of London	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*
Cornwall	38.4	34.8	42.1	38.1	62.5	23.1							45.9	47.7	44.4	38.2	34.4	42.2
County Durham	34.7	32.3	37.3	50.0	33.3	57.9							45.7	34.6	60.0	34.6	32.3	37.0
Coventry	36.2	33.7	38.7	48.2	44.0	52.4	34.1	33.6	34.6							33.4	31.3	35.4
Croydon	40.6	37.6	43.4	56.1	52.3	60.2	35.6	31.0	40.0		100.0			41.5		41.4	38.6	43.8
Cumbria	42.2	39.3	45.1	52.4	50.0	53.8			57.1			100.0	59.7	54.8	64.5	42.2	39.5	44.8
Darlington	44.0	40.7	47.1					N/A*					27.3			43.6	40.3	46.7
Derby	37.4	36.5	38.5	44.1	45.7	41.9			24.4			100.0	27.6	19.0	36.0	37.2	35.9	38.8
Derbyshire	42.3	38.8	45.8	40.7										51.7		42.0	38.8	45.3
Devon	42.5	39.7	45.7	65.6	53.8	73.7							52.1	53.3	51.0	42.5	39.6	45.6
Doncaster	38.6	36.4	40.8	50.0	46.5	53.5		40.0			100.0		39.1	37.8	40.6	37.7	35.7	39.8
Dorset	39.6	36.6	42.7	43.3	54.5	36.8							41.6	33.3	51.4	39.5	36.6	42.6
Dudley	37.1	35.5	38.8	32.7	32.7	32.7	35.6	25.6	44.7	57.1			36.3			38.0	36.5	39.8
Ealing	50.7	49.1	52.4	55.9	54.3	57.7	41.3	38.1	44.4							53.5	52.4	54.7
East Riding of Yorkshire	44.9	42.8	46.9	50.0									54.7	52.9	55.6	44.7	42.6	46.8
East Sussex	38.4	36.3	40.7	51.2	45.9	55.6	23.1			50.0			41.3	36.5	46.6	38.3	36.6	40.1
Enfield	42.6	40.9	44.5	62.5	62.3	62.6	38.9	36.5	41.3		100.0			44.9		40.8	39.1	42.9
Essex	42.8	39.6	46.0	71.0	69.0	73.6	47.5	37.4	55.7	82.5	76.7	88.9	48.0	48.7	47.4	41.4	38.1	44.8
Gateshead	40.1	36.7	43.9	51.1	54.5	47.8	30.0			57.1			53.8	41.7	64.3	39.3	36.1	42.8
Gloucestershire	46.2	43.6	48.9	62.3	63.4	60.9	22.1			70.6			42.3	42.5	42.2	46.2	43.3	49.1
Greenwich	41.6	40.2	43.1	52.7	49.5	56.0	42.7	43.4	42.0	68.4			38.4			38.8	37.2	40.7
Hackney	44.7	42.3	46.7	48.9	43.8	53.5	36.9	32.6	40.6			100.0			38.3	51.9	49.0	54.4
Halton	30.5	25.1	35.4										32.3			30.3	24.8	35.4
Hammersmith and Fulham	52.9	47.6	58.5	55.9	50.0	63.0	38.7	36.1	42.0							63.5	58.6	67.6
Hampshire	45.5	41.7	49.5	55.4	51.1	60.8	31.5	25.5	38.1	75.0	76.5	73.7	51.5	47.3	55.9	45.1	41.3	49.0
Haringey	43.6	41.1	46.3	47.5	45.3	49.3	34.8	27.2	42.5	57.1			47.9			47.5	48.4	46.4
Harrow	50.0	47.3	52.7	63.0	59.7	66.5	31.6	29.6	33.5		N/A*			44.2		42.6	39.5	45.5
Hartlepool	37.6	35.0	40.4													37.7	34.8	40.8
Havering	46.6	43.8	49.5	54.7	42.9	62.5	50.6	49.4	51.8							45.4	42.6	48.4
Herefordshire, County of	44.4	43.5	45.3													43.8	42.6	45.0
Hertfordshire	50.9	47.8	54.1	64.6	60.2	69.1	44.4			79.4			50.7	45.8	55.0	50.0	47.4	52.7
Hillingdon	45.3	42.5	48.5	59.0	57.0	61.5	40.6	34.2	47.9							40.2	36.9	43.9
Hounslow	46.7	44.6	49.1	57.8	52.0	64.3	43.3	43.4	43.3	100.0	100.0	100.0	39.7	37.6	42.2	44.1	44.7	43.3
Isle of Wight	32.6	30.9	34.6										46.7	46.7	46.7	32.3	30.7	34.1
Isles of Scilly	68.4																37.5
Islington	43.9	42.9	45.0	54.6	54.7	54.5	38.5	30.9	46.1							43.2	45.2	41.0
Kensington and Chelsea	57.4	61.4	51.6	66.7			51.6	52.3	50.8							60.9	69.1	46.8
Kent	42.3	38.3	46.4	64.1	62.2	66.2	58.8	56.6	60.9	86.2	81.3	90.9	51.1	45.0	56.9	40.3	36.5	44.4
Kingston upon Hull, City of	30.0	27.5	32.7	60.5									43.9	34.8	55.6	29.7	26.8	32.9
Kingston upon Thames	61.3	58.7	63.7	74.8	68.6	80.2	42.5	40.0	45.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	58.6	66.7	53.2	56.6	55.1	58.0
Kirklees	41.4	37.1	46.0	36.4	30.5	42.6							27.1	23.6	30.6	44.7	41.0	48.7
Knowsley	24.6	26.0	23.1										35.3			24.5	25.9	22.8
Lambeth	39.3	33.4	45.8	53.9			34.8	26.2	42.6	73.9			36.9			44.8	40.8	50.5
Lancashire	42.8	39.5	46.2	42.6	42.8	42.4	41.4			81.3			45.4	44.3	46.5	42.6	38.9	46.5
Leeds	39.3	37.4	41.2	33.6	31.2	36.1	31.2			71.8			37.3	39.6	34.7	41.8	39.7	44.1
Leicester	35.6	33.3	38.1	44.6	42.7	46.7		27.3								26.5	22.9	30.5
Leicestershire	45.0	42.2	48.0	63.0	57.3	69.2	29.1	26.5	33.3	66.7	60.0	71.4	43.2	41.9	44.9	43.7	41.0	46.5
Lewisham	37.9	36.1	39.9	40.9	35.3	46.9	32.6	29.0	36.4	64.7	59.1	75.0	43.2	43.2	43.1	41.6	39.8	43.7
Lincolnshire	42.4	39.9	44.9	73.1	71.1	75.0	41.9	44.0	38.9	66.7	70.0	63.6	49.7	38.2	63.2	41.7	39.5	44.0
Liverpool	37.3	34.5	40.2	57.3	62.7	51.6	32.3	30.7	33.7	77.1	78.3	76.0	43.8	40.5	46.3	36.1	33.1	39.2
Luton	34.6	32.5	36.7	39.8	37.3	42.4							27.3	30.9	23.2	30.3	28.8	31.6
Manchester	34.9	30.6	39.1	45.7	42.7	48.5	32.7	28.3	37.2	51.4	45.5	60.0	32.9	25.8	39.3	29.7	25.0	34.4
Medway	41.1	37.8	44.5	63.4	60.9	65.7							45.3	37.8	53.8	38.4	34.9	42.0
Merton	49.2	46.1	52.5	56.5	61.5	50.9	41.4	35.6	46.6	57.1			50.8			49.7	45.5	54.2
Middlesbrough	37.0	32.8	41.8	50.0	42.2	57.6						N/A*	36.7			35.5	31.8	39.7
Milton Keynes	40.8	38.3	43.4	48.8	47.6	50.0	34.7			73.3			37.1	34.4	40.5	40.6	38.1	43.2
Newcastle upon Tyne	35.4	32.2	38.6	43.7	39.7	48.6	23.4	25.0	21.6	60.9			38.3			34.5	31.3	37.8
Newham	45.8	42.8	48.7	54.0	52.0	56.0	38.8	35.1	42.6	78.6			35.7			36.0	31.7	40.1
Norfolk	39.8	36.3	43.3	62.5	61.1	63.9	31.9	23.7	41.2	65.6	50.0	77.8	49.1	48.3	50.0	39.4	35.9	42.9
North East Lincolnshire	35.7	32.8	38.7								N/A*		33.3			37.0	33.6	40.5
North Lincolnshire	40.7	34.8	46.4	43.9	34.4	52.9							65.5	57.1	73.3	40.2	34.5	45.9
North Somerset	43.9	38.8	49.1	61.9									51.2	47.8	55.6	43.7	38.6	48.7
North Tyneside	44.0	39.9	48.2	50.0	42.9	55.0							51.5	58.8	43.8	43.6	39.2	48.2
North Yorkshire	50.4	46.3	54.6	66.0	66.7	65.1	50.0			58.3			54.5	50.0	58.8	50.1	46.0	54.4
Northamptonshire	40.2	38.0	42.5	53.3			37.0			72.2			37.5	33.7	41.4	39.8	37.5	42.1
Northumberland	39.3	37.2	41.4	41.0				N/A*					52.5	73.3	40.0	39.0	36.8	41.3
Nottingham	31.0	28.8	33.3		42.5		28.2						26.5			29.0	26.4	31.9
Nottinghamshire	45.5	42.7	48.4	62.0	57.1	67.1	35.7			79.2			51.3	47.4	55.0	45.1	42.6	47.6
Oldham	37.0	34.4	39.8	37.3	32.6	42.4							30.4	32.3	28.3	37.5	35.5	39.6
Oxfordshire	48.1	44.6	51.7	46.1	48.4	43.9	40.4	42.0	37.8	67.9	53.8	80.0	44.1	39.9	49.0	48.5	44.9	52.1
Peterborough	35.0	33.4	36.8	36.9	37.2	36.5		39.5			100.0		33.9	30.4	37.3	34.5	31.9	37.1
Plymouth	38.1	34.6	41.7	45.5	30.0	58.3							40.0	25.0	55.0	37.8	34.8	41.0
Poole	54.0	48.6	59.6	74.2									59.2	52.2	65.4	53.2	48.1	58.4
Portsmouth	37.2	32.2	42.9	61.0	56.4	65.1	48.8			100.0			44.9	32.0	58.3	34.9	30.4	40.1
Reading	49.8	47.8	51.9	65.8	58.8	71.2	29.5	25.6	32.3	100.0	100.0	100.0	46.7	38.5	54.7	48.0	48.9	46.9
Redbridge	55.8	52.6	59.4	65.5	63.1	68.1	39.7	32.6	46.6	59.1			53.9			45.8	42.5	49.6
Redcar and Cleveland	41.7	39.8	43.5	52.9					N/A*				45.5	45.5	45.5	42.0	39.7	44.2
Richmond upon Thames	57.7	52.1	63.5	55.6	51.1	60.5	31.1	29.4	33.3			100.0			59.4	59.9	54.5	65.3
Rochdale	33.6	30.7	36.7	38.0									19.5			33.3	29.7	37.1
Rotherham	37.1	35.3	39.0	33.8	38.2	29.7							40.0	36.4	43.8	37.3	35.4	39.3
Rutland	57.7	56.7	58.8													57.4	56.5	58.4
Salford	31.9	26.9	36.9								N/A*		35.1	37.8	32.7	31.4	26.7	36.0
Sandwell	28.7	28.1	29.3	34.8	33.5	36.4	23.0	21.7	24.2							26.8	26.0	27.5
Sefton	37.2	34.9	39.5	53.8	61.5	46.2	23.5			55.6			44.2	45.0	43.5	37.9	35.2	40.8
Sheffield	39.1	37.2	41.2	39.9	42.3	37.5	29.5			68.8			36.0	31.6	40.4	39.8	37.4	42.4
Shropshire	42.3	39.0	45.8							50.0						42.2	39.1	45.5
Slough	56.1	51.0	61.3	64.0	60.8	67.7							51.6	50.8	52.4	43.0	32.3	53.5
Solihull	45.8	41.9	49.7	59.2	51.9	65.7	46.0	44.4	47.2							44.6	41.2	48.1
Somerset	40.2	36.7	43.7	66.7	60.9	72.7			37.5			100.0	41.1	40.4	42.1	40.0	36.5	43.5
South Gloucestershire	39.5	35.8	43.6	50.0	51.2	48.3							37.4	28.3	46.3	39.4	35.5	43.6
South Tyneside	35.1	30.9	39.5	43.4	55.0	36.4										34.9	30.5	39.6
Southampton	34.1	30.5	37.6	47.1	42.7	51.6							37.4	29.5	43.6	32.1	28.9	35.1
Southend-on-Sea	54.1	52.4	55.8	72.4	73.9	70.7	70.3	64.6	76.2	81.8	73.3	100.0	55.2	53.5	56.8	51.5	50.1	52.9
Southwark	47.8	46.5	49.0	55.6	54.4	56.8	43.9	40.6	47.0	59.1	58.3	60.0	44.7	41.1	47.9	53.2	57.5	49.4
St. Helens	37.8	36.1	39.4										58.8	47.1	70.6	38.1	36.5	39.5
Staffordshire	39.3	35.5	43.1	43.8	42.4	45.1	25.0	16.7	31.8	66.7			36.0			39.3	35.4	43.2
Stockport	44.4	42.5	46.2	53.2	55.7	50.0	34.1			43.8			40.0	36.0	43.6	43.9	41.5	46.2
Stockton-on-Tees	41.6	39.7	43.4	40.4	34.1	44.8		50.0			N/A*		48.3	47.1	50.0	41.5	39.7	43.1
Stoke-on-Trent	31.8	28.0	35.5	28.0	24.8	30.9	38.9	33.3	44.4	62.5			31.0			32.6	29.1	36.0
Suffolk	40.3	38.3	42.3	58.1	56.8	59.2							40.2	38.5	42.2	40.0	38.1	42.0
Sunderland	34.1	31.3	37.1	40.5	43.3	37.7							38.5	26.7	54.5	33.6	30.6	36.8
Surrey	51.6	49.1	54.3	57.6	52.1	63.5	45.7	41.6	50.0	77.8	75.0	80.0	55.0	54.9	55.2	51.0	48.8	53.4
Sutton	61.3	60.5	62.0	86.8	86.0	87.5	54.0	47.1	61.7							52.6	51.9	53.4
Swindon	35.7	31.6	39.8	35.3	31.0	39.6							39.2	34.3	43.2	35.2	31.1	39.5
Tameside	39.3	36.3	42.2	45.6	42.4	48.9							38.2	33.3	42.1	38.6	36.0	41.1
Telford and Wrekin	41.5	38.7	44.5	48.0			32.6	31.8	33.3							40.9	37.8	44.3
Thurrock	38.4	32.1	44.9	71.4	66.7	76.0			60.5			100.0	39.8	39.5	40.0	35.3	29.0	41.6
Torbay	50.7																49.0
Tower Hamlets	44.3	41.7	47.0	47.4	44.2	50.6	42.5	39.2	45.6			100.0			44.8	37.3	39.9	34.7
Trafford	62.7	59.5	66.0	70.9	65.2	78.1	58.8			84.1			60.5	61.8	58.8	61.8	58.4	65.1
Wakefield	42.1	39.5	44.7	44.9	39.0	50.0		31.6			100.0		42.6	41.4	43.8	41.9	39.5	44.4
Walsall	34.3	32.4	36.1	45.5	42.7	48.7	37.1	30.9	43.8	100.0			32.1			30.9	29.3	32.5
Waltham Forest	41.4	39.9	43.0	45.8	46.4	45.2	35.1	32.3	37.8	42.1			39.1			43.1	39.5	46.7
Wandsworth	50.6	48.6	52.9	53.0	53.3	52.6	40.5	36.3	45.2		100.0			51.6		58.5	58.0	59.1
Warrington	46.0	42.2	50.0	69.0	55.0	81.8							47.7	36.8	56.0	45.9	42.3	49.7
Warwickshire	48.1	46.0	50.3	69.1	69.4	68.6	37.2	38.9	36.0							47.0	44.2	49.7
West Berkshire	47.8	44.7	51.2										39.5	25.7	51.2	48.7	45.8	52.0
West Sussex	45.3	42.2	48.8	49.2	44.6	54.0	27.8			61.1			46.4	44.5	48.7	45.3	42.1	48.8
Westminster	55.4	49.7	60.5	61.8	60.9	63.2	51.3	48.0	54.5	61.1			55.1			59.5	44.0	68.4
Wigan	37.8	33.7	42.1	41.2	36.4	50.0							41.8	37.0	46.4	37.7	33.7	41.9
Wiltshire	43.5	39.5	47.6	67.6	48.3	82.1	34.4			64.7			45.1	41.9	49.0	43.8	40.3	47.3
Windsor and Maidenhead	50.1	44.9	54.8	49.1	42.2	55.5	55.6			33.3			37.4	34.4	39.0	51.3	46.4	56.1
Wirral	44.0	41.7	46.4	69.4	78.3	64.1	58.3			77.3			51.5	38.2	64.7	43.0	40.8	45.4
Wokingham	55.1	50.8	59.7	57.1	52.0	63.8							51.7	51.2	52.2	55.2	51.3	59.2
Wolverhampton	35.6	28.2	42.8	51.2	42.2	59.2	33.2	27.9	39.1							31.6	24.0	39.0
Worcestershire	44.1	40.9	47.3	49.4	46.5	52.2	27.6									44.2	40.9	47.6
York	48.1	45.0	51.5	53.3	54.5	50.0	37.5			57.1			48.6			47.9	44.7	51.2

^* Not applicable Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity, gender and area Summary

The data shows that:

• in most local authorities, a higher percentage of girls achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE than boys
• among Asian pupils, the biggest gap between girls and boys was in Cornwall – 62.5% of boys achieved a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 23.1% of girls (a gap of 39.4 percentage points)
• among Black pupils, the biggest gap between girls and boys was in Dudley in the West Midlands – 44.7% of girls achieved a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 25.6% of boys (a gap of 19.1 percentage points)
• among pupils from the Chinese ethnic group, the biggest gap was Norfolk in the East – 77.8% of girls achieved a grade 5 or above, compared with 50.0% of boys (a gap of 27.8 percentage points)
• among pupils with Mixed ethnicity, the biggest gap between girls and boys was in Northumberland in the North East – 40.0% of girls achieved a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 73.3% of boys (a gap of 33.3 percentage points)
• among White pupils, the biggest gap between girls and boys was in Westminster in London – 68.4% of girls achieved a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 44.0% of boys (a gap of 24.4 percentage points)
• please be aware that the statistics quoted here for attainment in English and Maths by ethnic group, gender and local authority may be based on small numbers of pupils and can therefore be highly variable over time

8. By ethnicity, gender and type of selection

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity, gender and basis for school admission

	Selective schools			Non-selective schools in highly selective areas			Non-selective schools in other areas (inc. low selective areas)			All state-funded mainstream schools
Ethnicity	Selective schools All (%)	Selective schools Boys (%)	Selective schools Girls (%)	Non-selective schools in highly selective areas All (%)	Non-selective schools in highly selective areas Boys (%)	Non-selective schools in highly selective areas Girls (%)	Non-selective schools in other areas (inc. low selective areas) All (%)	Non-selective schools in other areas (inc. low selective areas) Boys (%)	Non-selective schools in other areas (inc. low selective areas) Girls (%)	All state-funded mainstream schools All (%)	All state-funded mainstream schools Boys (%)	All state-funded mainstream schools Girls (%)
All	90.5	88.5	92.5	31.4	28.3	34.6	42.1	39.4	44.9	43.5	40.7	46.3
Asian	94.5	93.0	96.2	42.2	38.0	46.7	46.8	44.4	49.3	50.2	47.8	52.6
Black	93.6	90.6	96.2	39.1	34.8	43.6	37.4	33.4	41.3	39.1	35.1	43.1
Chinese	96.2	94.5	98.3	61.5	54.0	71.7	67.4	62.6	72.4	72.7	68.7	77.1
Mixed	92.6	90.8	94.3	33.8	29.8	37.8	41.8	39.9	43.7	44.0	42.0	46.0
White	89.0	86.8	91.2	30.1	27.1	33.1	41.8	39.1	44.6	42.8	40.1	45.6

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity, gender and type of selection Summary

This data groups schools into the following 3 categories, according to whether they select their pupils by ability:

• selective schools
• non-selective schools in highly selective areas (where 25% or more of state-funded secondary places are in state-funded selective schools)
• all other non-selective schools (including schools in local authorities with some selection, as well as those with no selection)

In 2016/17, 22,715 of pupils (4%) at the end of key stage 4 were in selective schools, 33,611 (6%) in non-selective schools in highly selective areas, and 460,255 (89%) in non-selective schools in other areas.

The data shows that:

• across all ethnic groups and in all types of school, a higher percentage of girls than boys achieved a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE
• Chinese girls in selective schools did best: 98.3% achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE
• White boys in non-selective schools in highly selective areas did least well: 27.1% achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE

9. By ethnicity and type of school

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity and school type

	All		Asian		Black		Chinese		Mixed		White
Type of School	All %	All Pupils	Asian %	Asian Pupils	Black %	Black Pupils	Chinese %	Chinese Pupils	Mixed %	Mixed Pupils	White %	White Pupils
All state-funded schools	42.6	527,859	49.5	52,787	38.4	27,922	72.0	2,073	43.2	23,483	42.0	406,342
All state-funded mainstream schools	43.5	517,756	50.2	52,047	39.1	27,385	72.7	2,053	44.0	23,009	42.8	398,259
Local authority maintained mainstream schools	41.0	172,106	45.6	19,620	37.0	10,604	66.0	583	41.1	7,638	40.5	128,774
Academies and free schools	44.8	343,917	52.9	32,383	40.5	16,747	75.3	1,466	45.5	15,314	43.9	268,974
Sponsored academies	32.3	86,459	40.7	8,424	34.9	6,204	55.9	261	34.4	4,182	30.6	64,659
Converter academies	49.4	250,283	57.6	22,782	44.3	10,066	80.1	1,183	50.1	10,770	48.5	199,607
Free schools	47.7	3,362	57.6	847	43.1	260	47.4	19	44.4	196	44.9	1,860
University technical colleges	27.9	2,555	32.9	252	23.2	190			21.7	120	28.2	1,802
Studio schools	21.0	1,258	26.9	78	29.6	27			21.7	46	19.9	1,046
Further education colleges with provision for 14- to 16-year-olds	4.9	1,175		12		11	N/A*	0		7	6.4	78
State-funded special schools	0.3	10,103		740		537		20		474	0.3	8,083

^* Not applicable Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity and type of school Summary

In 2016/17, 33% of pupils were in local authority-maintained mainstream schools, 65% were in academies and free schools, and 2% were in state-funded special schools.

The data shows that:

• pupils from the Chinese ethnic group were the most likely group to achieve a grade 5 or above both in academies and free schools (where 75.3% did so) and in local authority-maintained mainstream schools (where 66.0% did so)
• Black pupils were the least likely group to achieve a grade 5 or above both in local authority-maintained mainstream schools (where 37.0% did so) and in academies and free schools (where 40.5% did so)

10. By ethnicity, special education needs and gender

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE by ethnicity, special education needs and gender

	No identified SEN			All SEN			SEN Support			SEN with a statement or EHC plan
Ethnicity	No identified SEN All (%)	No identified SEN Boys (%)	No identified SEN Girls (%)	All SEN All (%)	All SEN Boys (%)	All SEN Girls (%)	SEN Support All (%)	SEN Support Boys (%)	SEN Support Girls (%)	SEN with a statement or EHC plan All (%)	SEN with a statement or EHC plan Boys (%)	SEN with a statement or EHC plan Girls (%)
All	47.6	45.7	49.5	12.8	11.8	14.7	15.5	14.4	17.2	5.3	5.7	4.4
Asian	53.8	52.1	55.5	13.6	12.8	14.8	16.1	15.1	17.5	6.4	6.8	5.7
Black	43.3	39.7	46.5	11.2	9.8	13.4	13.3	11.8	15.4	4.8	5.1	3.9
Chinese	75.2	71.5	79.0	24.2	24.1	24.4	29.7			10.8
Mixed	48.3	47.1	49.4	13.4	12.4	14.9	16.6			4.0
White	46.9	45.0	48.7	12.8	11.7	14.8	15.6	14.4	17.3	5.3	5.6	4.3

Data withheld to protect confidentiality

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Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity, special education needs and gender Summary

Pupils with special education needs (SEN) have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age.

From 2015, pupils have been categorised as follows:

• no identified SEN
• SEN support: extra or different help is given from that provided as part of the school's usual curriculum, and the class teacher and SEN coordinator (SENCO) may receive advice or support from outside specialists
• SEN statement or education, health and care (EHC) plan: a pupil is given a SEN statement or an EHC plan once a formal assessment has been made

In 2016/17, there were 74,420 pupils at the end of key stage 4 with special education needs: 79% were White, 8% were Asian, 6% were Black, 5% were Mixed and 0.2% were Chinese.

Of the 74,420 SEN pupils in total, 74% had SEN support and 26% had SEN with a statement or EHC plan.

The data shows that:

• across all ethnic groups, pupils with special education needs (SEN) were less likely to achieve an a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE than non-SEN pupils – 12.8% of SEN pupils did so, compared with 47.6% of pupils without SEN
• of all pupils with special education needs, Chinese pupils were the most likely to achieve a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE (24.2%), and Black pupils the least likely (11.2%)
• looking at those with SEN support, Chinese pupils were the most likely to achieve a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE (29.7%) and Black pupils the least likely (13.3%)
• of SEN pupils with a statement or EHC plan, Chinese pupils were the most likely to achieve a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE (10.8%) and Mixed pupils the least likely (4.0%)

11. By ethnicity, religion of school and gender

• Location: England
• Time period: 2016/17
• Source: Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 and above in English and Maths by ethnicity, religion of school and gender

	All			Asian			Black			Chinese			Mixed			White
Religious character	All All (%)	All Boys (%)	All Girls (%)	Asian All (%)	Asian Boys (%)	Asian Girls (%)	Black All (%)	Black Boys (%)	Black Girls (%)	Chinese All (%)	Chinese Boys (%)	Chinese Girls (%)	Mixed All (%)	Mixed Boys (%)	Mixed Girls (%)	White All (%)	White Boys (%)	White Girls (%)
All state-funded mainstream schools	43.5	40.7	46.3	50.2	47.8	52.6	39.1	35.1	43.1	72.7	68.7	77.1	44.0	42.0	46.0	42.8	40.1	45.6
Church of England schools	45.8	43.7	48.0	54.0	53.7	54.3	40.6	35.3	45.2	73.8	76.1	69.8	45.1	45.0	45.2	45.6	43.4	47.9
Hindu school	64.6	61.4	69.2
Jewish schools	66.0	62.8	69.1	73.7			34.6			100.0			59.3	69.2	50.0	63.2	56.8	68.6
Muslim schools	65.3	67.2	64.6	66.3	67.5	65.9	55.6	61.9	50.0	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*		100.0			N/A*
No religious character	42.9	40.0	45.8	49.0	46.6	51.5	37.9	33.9	42.1	72.2	67.1	77.7	43.4	41.0	45.9	42.2	39.3	45.1
Other Christian faith schools	45.6	44.2	47.2	64.8	63.3	66.7	42.0	37.3	47.8	78.4	82.2	72.4	52.0	55.1	48.7	43.0	41.4	44.7
Roman Catholic schools	46.6	44.5	48.6	54.6	51.7	57.5	42.6	39.4	45.3	73.9	70.6	76.4	45.9	44.7	46.8	46.3	44.4	48.1
Sikh school	56.0	55.1	57.1	57.2	56.3	58.4		N/A*		N/A*	N/A*	N/A*		47.1			N/A*

^* Not applicable Data withheld to protect confidentiality

Download table data (CSV) Source data (CSV)

Summary of Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) By ethnicity, religion of school and gender Summary

This data divides schools into the following religious categories:

• no religious character
• Church of England schools
• Roman Catholic schools
• Other Christian faith schools (including those of mixed denomination or other Christian beliefs, for example, Greek Orthodox)
• Jewish schools
• Muslim schools
• Sikh schools
• Hindu schools

In 2016/17, there were 517,756 pupils at the end of key stage 4 in state-funded mainstream schools in England.

82% of these pupils attended schools with no religious character, 6% attended Church of England schools, 10% attended Roman Catholic schools, 2% attended Other Christian faith schools, 0.3% attended Jewish, 0.1% attended Muslim, 0.1% attended Sikh and 0.02% attended Hindu schools.

The data shows that:

• overall, pupils at Jewish schools were most like to achieve a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE, with 66.0% doing so
• boys with Mixed ethnicity at Muslim schools, and pupils from the Chinese ethnic group at Jewish schools, were most likely to achieve a grade 5 and above in English and Maths GCSE – 100.0% did so

12. Methodology

The key stage 4 datasets are compiled using information matched together from 3 data sources:

• prior attainment records (key stage 2 results)

• school census records

• qualification entries and results collected from awarding bodies

The census data is provided for all pupils aged 5 and over on 31 August 2016. Any information that still needs to be collected is recorded as ‘not yet obtained’.

If a pupil or parent refused to give information, this is recorded as 'refused'.

These statistics include pupils whose ethnicity was not obtained, who refused to respond, or whose ethnicity could not be determined.

Key stage 4 data received from awarding bodies are combined with pupil characteristics from the school census and prior attainment. Records are matched, using identifiers such as surname, forename, date of birth, unique pupil number, gender and postcode. This successfully matches around 98% of results.

The statistics in this commission cover the data collated for the 2017 secondary school performance tables. The performance tables and the related statistical first release report results based on pupils at the end of key stage 4, who are typically aged 15 at the start of the academic year.

The coverage of the local authority and regional statistics is state-funded schools in England. This includes city technology colleges and academies but excludes hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.

Pupils are included in the figures for free school meals (FSM) if their families have claimed eligibility for FSM at the time of the annual spring school census. This FSM definition includes all who were eligible to receive free school meals, not only those who actually received free school meals. Pupils not eligible for free school meals or unclassified pupils are described as ‘Non-FSM’ or ‘All other pupils’.

Parents are able to claim FSM if they receive a qualifying benefit.

FSM is used as an indicator of disadvantage, but when drawing conclusions, it should be remembered that not all eligible parents apply for FSM and families who don’t quite reach the eligibility threshold for FSM may still be suffering deprivation.

Suppression rules and disclosure control

Values of 1 or 2, or a percentage based on 1 or 2 pupils who achieved; or 0, 1 or 2 pupils who did not achieve a particular level are suppressed in circumstances where non-suppression would lead to disclosure of pupils. Some additional figures have been suppressed to prevent the possibility of a suppressed figure being revealed.

This suppression is consistent with DfE’s statistical policy statement on confidentiality (PDF opens in a new window or tab) (PDF).

The Code of Practice for Official Statistics requires DfE to take reasonable steps to ensure that their published or disseminated statistics protect confidentiality.

For more information about DfE’s disclosure control procedures for its statistical releases please see DfE’s statistical policy statement on confidentiality (PDF opens in a new window or tab) (PDF).

Rounding

Figures in charts and tables are rounded to the nearest whole number.

In downloads, percentages are given to 1 decimal place.

Related publications

Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2017

Quality and methodology information

13. Data sources

Source

Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017

Type of data

Administrative data

Type of statistic

National Statistics

Publisher

Department for Education

Publication frequency

Yearly

Purpose of data source

The main purpose is to measure schools’ and pupils’ performance at key stage 4 (GCSE), both to monitor and improve standards and inform parental choice.

14. Download the data

Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) by local authority - Spreadsheet (csv) 482 KB

This file contains the following: ethnicity, year, local authority, gender, value and denominator

Attainment in English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 or above for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4) in England - Spreadsheet (csv) 126 KB

This file contains the following: ethnicity, year, gender, FSM, admissions basis, type of school, SEN, religious character, value and denominator

Publication release date: 10 October 2018

Updated: 14 May 2019

full page history

1. 14 May 2019 Some headings have been changed. No data or commentary has been updated.
2. 12 April 2019 Corrected table template error where data did not load properly
3. 1 April 2019 Updated labels in charts and tables
4. 5 March 2019 In the final bullet point in the main findings, changed 'England and Maths' to 'English and Maths'.
5. 10 October 2018 Update with latest data (2017)

From: Department for Education

Previous edition:

1. 8 March 2018

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