The information requested is given in the following table:
Number of pupils achieving five GCSEs only at grades A*-C including English and maths Percentage of pupils achieving 5 GCSEs only at grades A*-C including English and maths 2008 295,170 45.2 2007 286,616 43.7 2006 288,761 44.5 2005 279,200 43.9 2004 271,723 42.2 2003 258,273 41.5 2002 253,774 41.8 2001 244,645 40.5 2000 231,657 39.9 1999 224,089 38.6 1998 212,305 36.9 1997 209,075 35.6 Notes: 1. The 2008 data are provisional and subject to change 2. The data for 2005-08 are based on pupils at the end of KS4 and years 1997 to 2004 are based on 15-year-old pupils at the start of the academic year.