Following the publication of results from the summer 2024 GCSE examination series, we reviewed trends in subject entries and results. This document examines trends in humanities:

Firstly, the trend in subject entries since 2021 is shown in the figure below. The plot is interactive. Click on items in the legend to add or remove them from the visible plot. Double click to view only one line:

None of these subjects are compulsory to sit a GCSE in, however, even if students opt to not take this subject to GCSE level, they must still be taught it until they leave education.

Changing pass rates:

The table below shows is how the proportion of awarded grades has changed since 2023. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on exams, results from 2020 to 2022 are not comparable. 2023 saw the proportion of passing grades awarded return to close to the level seen in 2019:

Subject Grade 7 or higher awarded, 2023 (%) Grade 7 or higher awarded, 2024 (%) Grade 4 or higher awarded, 2023 (%) Grade 4 or higher awarded, 2024 (%)
Geography 25.0 24.9 65.6 65.6
History 25.8 26.2 64.4 64.6
Religious Studies 31.2 31.4 72.8 72.7

Data used in this report sourced from the Joint Council for Qualifications- https://www.jcq.org.uk/