Facts and figures
Here are some facts and figures about the qualifications and examinations system that you might find interesting.
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Test distribution
The test distribution is the biggest annual mailing of its kind in the country – 4.2 million test papers, in 80,000 packages, delivered over a two-week period.
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Test papers
Delivering the national curriculum tests involves producing and distributing test papers equivalent to 237 million sheets of A4.
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Pupils taking national curriculum tests
Around 600,000 pupils take national curriculum tests each year at the end of each key stage, a total of 1,800,000 pupils each year in over 20,000 schools.
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Highest entry GCSE subjects
The highest entry subjects in 2007 were GCSE mathematics, with 750,570 candidates, and GCSE English, with 721,762 candidates.
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Specifications
Schools and colleges can choose from more than 400 GCSE and A level specifications, offered by five awarding bodies.
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National Vocational Qualifications
Over six and a half million NVQs have been awarded since they were introduced.
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GCSE and A level subjects
There are more than 45 GCSE and more than 40 AS/A level subjects on offer.
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Accredited awarding bodies
Ofqual regulates over 120 accredited awarding bodies.
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Accredited qualifications
There are over 6,000 accredited qualifications.
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The 2007 summer exam series
For the 2007 summer exam series, over 21 million A level and GCSE question papers were distributed by the three awarding bodies in England.
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Size of exam system
Over 26 million separate examination scripts and items of coursework are submitted by students and marked by over 55,000 examiners each year.
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GCSE results
Over 6,418,900 GCSE results are issued each year.
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A level results
Over 800,000 A level results are issued each year.