England to Introduce “Stepping Stone” Qualification for Non-Pass GCSE Students

The Department for Education announced that, beginning in 2028, students in England who fail to achieve a pass in GCSE English or maths will be offered a new “stepping stone” qualification. The preparatory Level 1 qualifications sit one level below GCSEs and are intended to give learners essential knowledge and skills before they resit the GCSE, providing a recognised credential that sits below the standard GCSE grade scale.

The Guardian

Officials say the measure is designed to break the “resit treadmill” that many young people encounter. By offering a formal qualification, the government hopes to improve confidence, give students a foundation that can be shown to employers or further-education providers, and reduce the cycle of repeated exam attempts. The initiative follows concerns that many courses and jobs require GCSE passes in English and maths.

The Guardian

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the government needs a better way to equip young people with skills and confidence, rather than branding them as failures, and to allow them to gain qualifications that demonstrate a solid foundation in English and maths.

The Guardian

The announcement was accompanied by a call for comments from individuals who did not pass GCSE English and/or maths. The consultation asks how the lack of a pass has affected employment or further-study prospects, experiences with repeated resits, and opinions on the proposed stepping-stone qualification. Responses are intended to inform the final design of the new qualification.

The Guardian

• “There’s got to be a better way to give young people the skills and confidence that they need to succeed, not just branding them a failure, and also allowing them to gain other qualifications that show they have a strong foundation in English and maths.” — Lucy Powell, the education secretary in England

The Guardian