More students choosing traditional subjects for GCSEs and A-levels

Maths, English and sciences are growing in popularity following government’s efforts to encourage study of core academic disciplines

Traditional academic subjects are becoming increasingly popular in schools, with more students sitting GCSEs and A-levels in maths, English and the sciences this summer, according to the exams regulator Ofqual.

The trend follows sustained government efforts to encourage pupils to study the more traditional, core academic courses, often termed “facilitating subjects”, which are favoured by elite Russell Group universities.

“Other subjects – sometimes described as “soft subjects” – have in turn seen a sharp fall in exam entries; A-level general studies is plummeting in popularity, with a 25% fall in exam entries, and numbers down a third at AS-level, according to provisional Ofqual data.

There has also been an 18% drop in the number of entries for GCSE citizenship studies, and a 45% drop in those studying the short course version of citizenship studies.

The number of students taking modern foreign languages has also dropped again, though the once sharp decline in the study of French, Spanish and German appears to be tailing off.”

Next week, hundreds of thousands of students will find out how they did in their AS and A-levels when national results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are published. The following week, on August 20, GCSE results will be issued, bringing to an end weeks of anxious waiting by teenagers.

According to Ofqual’s chief regulator, Glenys Stacey, it should be a relatively stable year for qualifications this summer compared with last year, when structural changes affected results, but she said there were interesting changes to exam entry patterns.

“The subjects that are proving to be more popular are the more traditional subjects, so we have seen modest increases in the sciences – what the Russell Group of universities would call facilitating subjects.

“I assume that’s in response to some of the performance measures you see now with the Ebacc (English baccalaureate), and no doubt there will be a good number of students who are thinking about their futures and where they wish to go to university.”

Earlier this summer, education secretary Nicky Morgan made clear her commitment to the Ebacc subjects when she announced that from this September pupils starting at secondary school would be expected to take GCSEs in English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography – which make up the government’s Ebacc suite of core subjects.

Morgan said parents would be encouraged to choose schools based on published Ebacc performance, with Ebacc entries given greater prominence in league tables. However, critics fear the move will marginalise creative subjects such as design, drama or music.

According to Ofqual’s provisional statistics, all of the sciences have seen a rise in the number of candidates sitting at both A-level and GCSE this year, with both maths and further maths noticeably more popular at A-level. More youngsters are also sitting computing at both GCSE and A-level.

Stacey said the more traditional subjects were seen as “very good currency” for some universities. “If your aspirations are to study some subjects at universities where there is a great deal of competition for places, we know that maths is sometimes an absolute requirement for some places, and also is extremely well regarded.

“It’s not surprising that some students with those sort of ambitions will focus on that.”

Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the increased uptake of traditional subjects in schools, but expressed concern about the continuing decline in the study of modern foreign languages.

“It is unsurprising that young people are turning to traditional subjects given the importance of these qualifications in gaining university places and the emphasis the government is placing on them as English baccalaureate subjects.

“It is very encouraging if there has been an increase in the take-up of A-level maths and science courses. This is key to securing a good supply of science and technology graduates in the future, which employers say they desperately need. Having a strong science and technology sector is essential for the economic health and wellbeing of the country.

“It is disappointing to hear, however, that there has been a decrease in the take-up of modern foreign languages at GCSE.”

Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, welcomed the increase in the number of A-level students taking traditional – or so-called facilitiating – subjects.

“The Russell Group has made concerted efforts over the last few years to spread the message about the importance of facilitating subjects.

“But there is still some way to go in improving other areas of advice and information for students. For example, too few bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds are being encouraged to apply to a leading university.”

She added that there was also concern about the continuing decline in the number of students studying foreign languages at GCSE. “Languages are vitally important to the UK if it is to be fully engaged with the world,” she said.

A DfE spokesperson said: “This government is determined that every child is given an education that allows them realise their potential. It is pleasing to see that our reforms are working and more young people are sitting the facilitating subjects at A-level that are valued by employers and top universities. Thanks to the focus on rigorous EBacc subjects at GCSE more young people are leaving school with the skills that prepare them for life in modern Britain.”

• This article was amended on 7 August 2015. An earlier version said that there was an “exceptional” 50% drop in the number of pupils taking GCSE citizenship studies since last year, according to inaccurate provisional Ofqual data. This has been corrected.

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Sally Weale Education correspondent

The GuardianTramp

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