The Stage

21 Aug 2025

GCSE drama student numbers drop by 40% in 15 years – report

Article
by Flore Boitel

The number of students studying drama at GCSE has dropped by 40% since 2010, according to research by Campaign for the Arts.

The campaign body’s analysis of 2025’s GCSE results reveals that the number of students sitting all arts subjects plummeted by 40% compared with 2010 (48% since 2010 as a percentage of the total number of GCSEs sat), reaching the lowest recorded level in 15 years.