Skip to main content

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Volume 480: debated on Wednesday 8 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils took GCSEs in (a) media studies, (b) psychology and (c) law in each year since 1997, broken down by type of school. (221760)

The information required for the last three years is given in the following table. Figures for earlier years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Comprehensive

Selective

Modern

Other maintained

Independent

Total

Media Studies

2004-05

38,432

450

1,699

16

430

41,027

2005-06

48,753

491

2,563

44

515

52,366

2006-07

55,060

490

3,008

34

479

59,071

Law

2004-05

763

37

1

1

45

848

2005-06

1,015

43

26

0

48

1,132

2006-07

1,073

37

117

0

50

1,277

Psychology

2004-05

1,668

107

74

1

1

1,865

2005-06

2,520

73

116

1

1

2,755

2006-07

3,335

79

122

7

88

3,631

1 Figures suppressed due to small numbers.

Note:

Figures relate to pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 929W, on children: disadvantaged, how many and what proportion of (a) all pupils and (b) pupils eligible to receive free school meals did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in each year since 1997-98. (223713)

Information on free school meals was first collected in 2002. Figures are provided as follows for 2002 and for the latest year 2007. Information for the intermediate years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Updated figures have been provided for 2007. So, the 2007 figure differs from that previously given in the answer of 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 929W.

The figures cover maintained schools only.

The 2007 figures are for pupils at the end of key stage 4, the 2002 figures are for 15-year-olds.

138,340 pupils did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in 2006/07. This was 23.1 per cent. of pupils at the end of key stage 4 in maintained schools.

34,176 pupils eligible to receive free school meals did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in 2006/07. This was 44.6 per cent. of eligible pupils at the end of key stage 4 in maintained schools.

132,061 pupils did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in 2001/02. This was 24.2 per cent. of 15-year-olds in maintained schools.

34,128 pupils eligible to receive free school meals did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in 2001/02. This was 45.9 per cent. of eligible 15-year-olds in maintained schools.