Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children left school with no (1) GCSEs, or (2) equivalent qualifications, in each of the last three years.

In 2020, 2.2% of pupils at the end of key stage 4 (age 16) in state funded schools in England had no GCSEs and equivalent passes. This is a small improvement compared with both 2019 and 2018 when the figure was 2.4%.

At age 16, the percentage of pupils without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent) was 27.3% in 2019/20, 35.7% in 2018/19, and 35% in 2017/18.

After the age of 16, pupils should stay in full-time education, be in an apprenticeship or traineeship, or spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training. During this period they should gain further qualifications. Of those leaving at age 18 in 2019/20, 20.6% of pupils left school without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent), an improvement of 14.5% compared with the same cohort at age 16.