We'll continue to discuss this with DfE and Ofqual, and will think hard about what more can be done to identify and respond to this issue and others that require our vigilance. 7/7

We've been raising this particular issue with policymakers, and I'm grateful to Duncan Baldwin for putting it on our agenda and to FFT for providing the analysis that needed to be done. 6/7

So, while it is important to recognise that grading standards have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the reality is that for some (many?) children, families and schools, things are not 'normal'.
5/7

An additional concern is that the system is not particularly well set up to observe this phenomenon. The data we see published on results day in August is blind to this issue: it describes the achievement of pupils entered for qualifications but doesn't say anything about those not entered. 4/7

It shows the number of children not being entered for GCSE maths and English is on the rise. This is, unfortunately, not surprising given the attendance and engagement issue described above, but it is deeply worrying. 3/7

There is a particular worry about the group of children who are disengaged from school and whose attendance is less than 50%.

Meanwhile, in a separate analysis this week, FFT Datalab published an insightful blog: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/09/the-...

2/7

Yes I think they acknowledge that. And not been reviewed yet too?

Haven’t read it all yet but it seems very interesting. It speaks to a concern I have held too.

This one? arxiv.org/pdf/2506.088...

It was amazing. Wonderful glimpses of what it is to see the world through children’s eyes. Thank you!