Whilst GCSE candidate achievement has risen this year, inequities remain in attainment across regions, sectors and gender.
Entries for Art and Design GCSE
The numbers of entries for art and design this year are down but as a percentage of the total numbers sat, art and design has remained stable at 3.4% in 2025 and 2024.
| Subject | Year | Number Sat, and percentage of total of numbers sat |
| Art and Design subjects | 2025 | 206,598 (3.4% of total) |
| Art and Design subjects | 2024 | 208,934 (3.4% of total) |
Table 1. The total number of art and design GCSEs and percentage of total number sat.
National attainment
There has been a slight increase in the percentage of art and design candidates achieving a 7/A and above, with 24.1% achieving this grade in 2025 compared to 23.7% in 2024 (a 0.4 percentage point increase on last year). Nationally for all subjects, there has been a 0.2 percentage point increase on last year. Meaning attainment in art and design has increased more than all subjects combined.
For the percentage achieving 4/C and above, 77.1% achieved this grade compared to 76.5% in 2024 (a 0.6 percentage point increase on last year). Nationally for all subjects, there has been a 0.1 percentage point decrease on last year. Meaning attainment in art and design has increased significantly more than expected.
| Data JCQ | All subjects 7/A and above % | All subjects 4/C and above % | Art and design 7/A and above % | Art and design 4/C and above % |
| 2025 | 21.8% (0.2 percentage point increase on last year) | 67.1% (-0.3 percentage point decrease on last year) | 24.1 (0.4 percentage point increase on last year) | 77.1 (0.6 percentage point increase on last year) |
| 2024 | 21.6% | 67.4% | 23.7 | 76.5 |
Table 2. The percentage increase in achievement (7/A and above and 4/C and above) for 2024-25: for all subjects and for art and design (data JCQ)
Changes in attainment across nations
For grades 7/A and above, and across the nations, Wales has this year seen the biggest percentage increase, rising from 23.0% to 24.1%. This is a 1.8 percentage point increase.
Northern Ireland has seen a 0.9 percentage point increase from 27.9% to 28.9%, whilst England saw the smallest percentage increase of 0.2 percentage point increase, from 23.6 to 23.8%.
| Country | Subject Art and Design subjects | Year | Number Sat | 7/A and above % | 4/C and above % |
| GCSE England | Art and Design subjects | 2025 | 191715 | 23.8 | 76.9 |
| GCSE England | Art and Design subjects | 2024 | 194099 | 23.6 | 76.3 |
| GCSE NI | Art and Design subjects | 2025 | 4174 | 28.7 | 84.0 |
| GCSE NI | Art and Design subjects | 2024 | 4192 | 27.9 | 83.5 |
| GCSE Wales | Art and Design subjects | 2025 | 9461 | 24.8 | 77.3 |
| GCSE Wales | Art and Design subjects | 2024 | 9343 | 23.0 | 76.2 |
Table 3. The percentage changes in achievement (7/A and above and 4/C and above) across three nations. Source JCQ
Gender
Gender and attainment
This year boys’ art and design results have improved more than girls. For example: for 7/A and above – between 2025 and 2024 – boys' results have seen a 0.8 percentage point increase; this compares to an increase of 0.1 percentage point increase for 7/A* for girls.
Ofqual report that for all subjects combined, boys’ results improved slightly while girls’ results fell marginally.
| Art and Design subjects | Gender | Year | Number sat | % of Total number sat | 7/A and above % | 4/C and above % |
| Art and Design subjects | Male | 2025 | 68,510 | 2.2 (33.2%) | 13.2 (+0.8) | 65.0 (+0.9) |
| Art and Design subjects | Male | 2024 | 69,668 | 2.2 (33.4%) | 12.4 | 64.1 |
| Art and Design subjects | Female | 2025 | 138,088 | 4.5 (66.8%) | 29.5 (+0.1) | 83.1 (+0.4) |
| Art and Design subjects | Female | 2024 | 139,266 | 4.5 (66.7%) | 29.4 | 82.7 |
| Art and Design subjects | Male & Female | 2025 | 206,598 | 3.4 | 24.1 (+0.4) | 77.1 (+0.6) |
| Art and Design subjects | Male & Female | 2024 | 208,934 | 3.4 | 23.7 | 76.5 |
Table 4. 2024-2025 Male and female entries and achievement. JCQ
Gender and participation
Of the total number of art and design entries, the percentage of boys’ entries has decreased very slightly this year from 33.4% (2024) to 33.2% (2025). Girls have increased from 66.7% (2024) to 66.8% (2025).
Regional
There are persistent regional differences: JCQ report that attainment has risen in all nations, with the biggest rises in Wales and Northern Ireland. And in England, there is considerable variation between regions. Between 2024 and 2025 the number of grades awarded at 7 and above, have either increased or remained the same in all regions apart from the North-East, where the percentage fell from 22.2% to 21.2%. The percentage across all regions at this grade was 23.8%, an increase from 23.6% last year. The County of Rutland remains an outlier with 46.9% of grades awarded at 7 and above – but this represents a small number of students; the regional average for the East Midlands was 21.8%. The gap between the highest number of grades at 7 and above (Greater London at 28.5% and the lowest (Yorkshire and Humber at 21.2%)) persists, with geographical location continuing to be a key indicator of outcomes. The regional attainment gap continues to widen: in 2019 the gap between the regions achieving the most and least grades at 7 and above was 4.3%. In 2025 it is 7.3%.
Ofqual report that the number of students receiving a result in art and design as a percentage of all GCSE entries in England in 2025, has fallen from 18.5% in 2024 to 17.8% in 2025. Uptake has fallen in all regions, with the biggest fall seen in the North East.
| Region | 2019 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2019-2025 | Change 2024-25 |
| % | % | % | Percentage point changes | Percentage point changes | |
| All England | 22.7 | 23.6 | 23.8 | +1.1 | 0.2 |
| London | 24.3 | 27.2 | 28.5 | +4.2 | +1.3 |
| South East | 24.4 | 23.3 | 23.8 | +1.1 | +2.3 |
| East | 22.2 | 23.6 | 24.7 | +2.5 | +1.4 |
| South West | 23.2 | 23.3 | 23.8 | +0.6 | +0.5 |
| North West | 22.1 | 22.6 | 22.6 | +0.5 | No change |
| East Midlands | 20 | 21.3 | 21.8 | +1.8 | +0.5 |
| North East | 20.7 | 21.3 | 21.8 | +1.1 | +0.5 |
| West Midlands | 22 | 21.7 | 21.7 | -0.3 | No change |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 22.5 | 22.2 | 21.2 | -1.3 | -1.0 |
Table 5. Attainment by region (England only) GCSE Art and Design awards at 7/A+
| 2019 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2019-2025 | Change 2024-2025 | |
| All England | 18.5 | 18.5 | 17.8 | -0.7 | -0.7 |
| London | 16.1 | 15.2 | 14.2 | -1.9 | -1.0 |
| South East | 20.1 | 218.60.1 | 19.4 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| East | 18.7 | 19.7 | 18.9 | -0.2 | -0.8 |
| South West | 22.8 | 22.9 | 21.8 | -1.0 | -1.1 |
| North West | 18.6 | 18.3 | 17.7 | -0.9 | -0.6 |
| East Midlands | 18.5 | 17.5 | 17.1 | -0.6 | -0.4 |
| North East | 21.9 | 23 | 21.4 | -0.5 | -1.6 |
| West Midlands | 16 | 16.8 | 16.3 | -0.3 | -0.5 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 16.8 | 18.6 | 17.6 | -0.7 | -1.0 |
Table 6. Uptake by region (England only) Percentage of students receiving a result in Art and Design. Ofqual
Centre type
The divide in attainment between the independent sector and all state-funded schools has grown again this year.
Fifty-nine percent of independent school candidates achieved a 7/A and above this year; whilst in all state-funded schools, 21.7% achieved this grade. In 2024, 57.5% of students in independent schools achieved this grade – representing a widening gap or1.5 percentage point uplift. In the same year, 21.4% achieved this grade state-funded schools – an increase by contract of only 0.3%.
| Sector | Year | 7/A and above % | Percentage point difference between 2025 and 2024 | Number of results |
| Independent | 2025 | 59.0 | (+1.5 up from 2024) | 13,640 (-2.8) |
| All state-funded | 2025 | 21.7 | (+0.3 up from 2024) | 163, 215 (-1.3% decrease) |
| Independent | 2024 | 57.5 | 14,040 | |
| All state-funded | 2024 | 21.4 | 165,415 |
Table 7. Achievement in independent and all state-funded schools
Michele Gregson, CEO and general secretary of NSEAD says:
Art and design is a subject where pupils shine – this year, across the UK, we see even more pupils achieving the highest grades at GCSE, with an increase in the number reaching Grade A/7+ and much greater proportion achieving a good pass in Art and design compared to all GCSE subjects. We should celebrate the creativity and engagement of our students – and the teachers who inspire them.
Encouragingly, the gender attainment gap has shifted slightly, with boys' attainment at the highest grades improving slightly this year. This is a small but welcome move in the right direction.
Art and design continues to be a popular arts option, holding a stable position overall. However, the equity gaps persist and there is so much work to be done to close them. There has been a slight shift in the attainment gap between boys and girls, but girls are still far more likely to achieve a higher grade. There is also a gender participation gap – the percentage of boys' entries compared to girls remains at 1:2 males to females.
The gap in attainment for all students that grew during the pandemic – between the independent sector and all state-funded schools – has grown again this year, as has the gap between regions. Where you go to school, and the kind of school you go to, is still a key indicator of outcomes. This needs urgently addressing. Too many children are being left behind.
Whilst the percentages shifts may seem small when plotted on a graph, we should remember that every percentage point represents thousands of young people who have not pursued their arts potential, and a loss to the creative workforce of the future. In a world where creativity is more important than ever, where the enjoyment of arts and culture are so valued, can we really afford to lose the artists, makers and designers of the future?