Girls are still outperforming boys in GCSE results, but the gender gap has narrowed to its smallest level this century as hundreds of thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their grades on Thursday. The results will determine whether many teenagers can move on to sixth form, college, apprenticeships or training, and pupils who are concerned about a grade should speak to their school or college about the available review process.
Figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) show that 24.4% of girls’ GCSE entries achieved at least a grade 7 or A, compared with 19.6% of boys’ entries.
That leaves a gap of 4.8 percentage points, down from 5.1 points in 2025 and the narrowest recorded in JCQ data going back to 2000.
The gap also narrowed at the standard pass level. Some 70.2% of girls’ entries received at least a grade 4 or C, compared with 64.4% for boys. The difference fell to 5.8 percentage points from 6.2 last year.
Boys close GCSE gender gap as maths results improve
Boys made particularly strong progress in maths in England.
Among 16-year-olds, 24% of boys achieved grades 7 to 9 in maths, compared with 20.5% of girls. Across both sexes, 22.3% secured one of the top maths grades.
Girls continued to lead strongly in English, however. Some 76.8% achieved grade 4 or above, compared with 66.1% of boys.
Richard Harry, executive director of qualifications and assessment at exam board WJEC, cautioned against reading too much into small annual movements in the gender gap, saying the change this year was only slight.
Across the UK, 22% of GCSE entries were awarded at least a grade 7 or A this year, up slightly from 21.9% in 2025.
The overall standard pass rate — grade 4/C or higher — slipped from 67.4% to 67.3%. That brings it back to the same level recorded in 2019, the last full examination year before the Covid pandemic disrupted education.
In England, where GCSEs use grades from 9 to 1, grade 9 is the highest. A grade 7 is broadly comparable with the old A grade, while a grade 4 is broadly equivalent to the old C and is generally described as a standard pass.
Regional GCSE divide remains a concern
While the gender gap has narrowed, there remains a large difference between different parts of England.
London recorded the highest share of top grades, with 28.6% of entries receiving grade 7 or above. The North East recorded the lowest at 17.7%, leaving a gap of 10.9 percentage points.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said there were still “stubborn disparities” in attainment and said the government was working with schools, councils and education leaders to improve results in areas falling behind.
The government is also placing greater emphasis on vocational and technical routes for teenagers who do not want to follow a purely academic path.
New Daily Prime recently reported on plans to expand apprenticeships, college places and skills training for young people, including increased support for under-25s.
That could become increasingly important for pupils deciding what to do after GCSEs, particularly those considering apprenticeships rather than A-levels and university.
English and maths resits remain difficult
One area of concern is the performance of older students retaking English and maths.
In England, young people who fail to achieve at least grade 4 in either subject are normally expected to continue studying them during post-16 education.
This year, only 18.8% of students aged 17 and over achieved grade 4 in English resits, while 13.6% reached the required level in maths. Both figures were lower than last year.
Education leaders have questioned whether repeatedly putting young people through the same examinations is the best approach.
The government is considering new “stepping-stone” qualifications in English and maths to give struggling pupils another route towards recognised skills needed for employment and apprenticeships.
The issue also links to wider concerns about young people who are not in education, employment or training. New Daily Prime has reported on government efforts to help more young people gain qualifications and enter work.
For pupils receiving results, the immediate priority is to check whether their grades meet the requirements for their chosen sixth form, college, apprenticeship or training programme.
Those who believe a marking error may have occurred should first speak to their school or college. Reviews of marking are normally requested through the examination centre rather than directly by the pupil, and JCQ guidance says awarding bodies must receive GCSE review requests by 24 September 2026.
For teenagers eventually considering university, GCSE results are only one stage of their education. New Daily Prime has also examined how UK degrees and graduate career prospects are changing as young people weigh academic study against technical and vocational routes.
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