Data set from Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25

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Latest data

Published 24 April 2025

Last updated 24 April 2025

A table summarising the headline figures of the release, including the proportions of young people achieving level 2 and 3 (overall and for state-funded only), level 3 in maths, level 2 in English & maths and progression in level 2 English and maths.

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Data set details

• Theme: School and college outcomes and performance
• Publication: Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25
• Release: Academic year 2023/24
• Geographic levels: National
• Indicators:
  • Level 2 (5 GCSEs 9-4 or equivalent, state-funded sector only)
  • Level 2 (5 GCSEs 9-4 or equivalent)
  • Level 2 (5 GCSEs 9-4 or equivalent) (number)
• Time period: 2007/08 to 2023/24

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Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data

time_period	time_identifier	geographic_level	country_code	country_name	Level_2_percentage	Level_3_percentage	L2_em_GCSE_othL2_percentage	Level_2_progression_em	Level_3_maths_percentage	Level_2_annual_change	Level_3_annual_change	L2_em_GCSE_othL2_annual_change	Level_2_progression_em_annual_change	Level_3_maths_annual_change	Level_2_number	Level_3_number	L2_em_GCSE_othL2_number	Level_2_progression_em_number	Level_3_maths_number	Level_2_percentage_state	Level_3_percentage_state
200708	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	76.023	49.534	51.992	14.916	8.341						492218	320711	304648	49315	48875	73.771	46.12
200809	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	78.455	51.378	54.942	16.388	8.948	2.432	1.844	2.95	1.472	0.607	516554	338275	327406	52627	53320	76.31	48.15
200910	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	80.768	53.845	58.242	18.085	9.828	2.313	2.467	3.3	1.697	0.88	537220	358147	351113	55580	59248	78.767	50.75
201011	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	83.38	56.533	61.484	18.895	10.981	2.612	2.688	3.242	0.81	1.153	551719	374072	369034	53858	65908	81.656	53.562
201112	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	85.193	57.977	63.357	18.422	12.003	1.813	1.444	1.873	-0.473	1.022	545765	371410	367597	48010	69640	83.845	55.138

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Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 17 variables

Variable name	Variable description
L2_em_GCSE_othL2_annual_change	Level 2 in English and maths annual change
L2_em_GCSE_othL2_number	Level 2 in English and maths (number)
L2_em_GCSE_othL2_percentage	Level 2 in English and maths
Level_2_annual_change	Level 2 annual change
Level_2_number	Level 2 (5 GCSEs 9-4 or equivalent) (number)

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Footnotes

1. In these statistics AS levels count for 25% of Level 3 and can be aggregated, so that four AS levels or two AS levels and one A level (which counts as 50% of Level 3) are counted as achievement of Level 3.
2. Figures for English and maths are based on those educated in the mainstream state-funded sector in year 11, therefore overall attainment rates differ to headline measures (see the 'About this publication' section) although trends are comparable.
3. Condition of Funding changes for young people were introduced by the Education and Skills Funding Agency from 2014/15 onwards. This has resulted in most students having to study English and/or maths at level 2 as part of their programmes between the ages of 16 and 19 if they are yet to achieve qualifications at this level.
4. There were alternative methods of awarding qualifications during the Covid-19 pandemic when traditional exams and assessments were cancelled. In 2020, centre assessed grades (CAGs) (opens in a new tab) were used and in 2021, teacher assessed grades (TAGs) (opens in a new tab). There were also some adaptations to exams in 2022 (opens in a new tab)to ensure fairness for students.

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