UK GCSE PASS RATE DECLINES- The GCSE pass rate for English and maths has hit its lowest level in a decade

The GCSE pass rate for English and maths has hit its lowest level in a decade.

Just 58.3 per cent of all pupils across the UK passed their maths GCSE this year, down from 59.5 per cent last year to reach the lowest level since 2013.

Meanwhile, the pass rate for English dropped 1.7 percentage points to hit 60.2 per cent this summer, matching a previous low for the subject in 2016 and marking the worst result since 2004.

It comes after Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, warned that failure to ensure children leave school with solid English and maths skills was holding Britain back.

Today’s results means two in five pupils are now failing the two compulsory GCSE subjects, despite most jobs requiring applicants to prove that they passed them.

Falls in both subjects were driven by a surge in the number of children retaking them and failing aged 17 or over, since pupils who fail are required to resit them if they stay on for sixth form.