Overview
This briefing covers entries and attainment for STEM subjects at GCSE and Scottish National 5s for 2025. It also looks at the changes from 2024, as well as gendered differences in entries and attainment across STEM subjects. It includes trends back to 2021.
GCSE and Scottish National 5 results day briefing 2025
Who this is for
- Professional Engineering Institutions
- Policymakers
- Researchers
- Employers
Key findings
- Statistics had the largest percentage increase in entries among STEM subjects — up 9.5% from 2024
- Triple science entries (biology, chemistry, physics) fell by around 6%, while science: double award entries rose by 0.9%, continuing a shift toward combined science
- Male students outnumber female students in 15 of 17 STEM GCSE subjects
- Female students outperformed males in 10 of 17 STEM subjects at grade 7/A and above
- Applications of mathematics saw a 14% increase in entries from 2024 and has grown over 500% since 2019, becoming the second most popular STEM subject at National 5 level
