Flood of English and maths resits expected amid tougher GCSE grading

Call to change policy of forced retakes as nearly 40,000 more pupils in England likely to miss grade 4 in one - or both - subjects

Schools and colleges in England are expecting a flood of demotivated" young people forced to retake their GCSE English and maths exams next year, as nearly 40,000 more students are thought likely to fail to get the minimum grade in at least one of the two key subjects.

Students who have not gained at least a grade 4 (equivalent to a lower grade C) in English or maths have to resit the subjects until they are 18 and remain in full-time education. The numbers are likely to rise this year as GCSE grading returns to tougher, pre-pandemic levels.