GCSE entries fall as A level and AS numbers rise in Wales

Nation.Cymru staff

The number of GCSE entries in Wales has fallen by 6% this summer, while entries for AS and A levels have increased, according to provisional examination data.

The figures, published in an annual report on summer 2026 exam entries, show 293,865 GCSE entries were made across Wales, down from the previous year.

The decline was largely driven by a sharp fall in the number of Year 10 pupils entered for GCSEs. There were 1,845 Year 10 entries this summer, almost 90% fewer than in 2025, accounting for just 0.6% of all GCSE entries.

The report notes, however, that many Year 10 pupils are now taking individual units of the first wave of reformed GCSE qualifications, which are not included in the figures because the release only counts entries for full qualifications.

Year 11 pupils continued to account for the vast majority of GCSE entries, making up 94.7% of the total. Their entries fell by just 0.5% compared with last year.

Entries from learners aged Year 13 and above increased and made up 2.2% of all GCSE entries.

In contrast, post-16 qualifications continued to grow.

There were 42,860 AS level entries this summer, a 5% increase on 2025. Entries from Year 12 learners rose by 0.8%, while Year 13 entries increased by 27.4%.

A level entries also rose after several years of decline.

There were 32,800 A level entries in Wales this summer, up 2.6% on 2025. The increase follows annual falls since entries peaked at 36,420 in 2022.

Year 13 students accounted for just over 90% of all A level entries, with their entries increasing by 2.5%. Entries from Year 14 learners and older rose by 6.7%.

The report cautions that changes in entry numbers can be influenced by a range of factors, including population changes, reforms to qualifications, when pupils are entered for exams and the number of qualifications taken by individual learners.

It also notes that comparisons with previous years continue to be affected by changes to exam arrangements during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the introduction of Wales’ new GCSE qualifications.

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