Number of girls taking GCSE computing grows three years in a row

The number of girls choosing to take computing at GCSE level is on the rise, with 2024 marking the third consecutive year of growth.

This year, 21,020 female students in the UK took the GCSE computing exam, up from 19,061 in 2023. Despite this increase, girls are still outnumbered by the 74,821 male students who also sat the exam.

Mairead O’Connor, practice operations director at Node4, expressed her delight at the increasing number of girls studying computing and engineering at GCSE level. She noted a positive trend over the past three years, but highlighted that the pool of female students remains relatively small.

O’Connor pointed out that stereotypes of computing and engineering being male-dominated fields can deter girls from pursuing these subjects. Lack of understanding about computing careers, a shortage of visible role models, and budget constraints in schools are also contributing factors.

In schools offering GCSE computing, the overall number of students taking the subject rose from 90,558 in 2023 to 95,841 in 2024. Performance also improved, with 28.3% of students achieving at least an A/7 grade compared to around a quarter in the previous year.

Despite their lower numbers, girls outperformed boys in terms of grades. In 2024, 35% of girls achieved at least an A/7 grade, compared to 26.4% of boys. Additionally, 75.5% of girls achieved at least a C/4 grade, while 66.3% of boys did.

While the past five years have seen fluctuations in computing grades due to the pandemic, Rachel Phillips, UK and Ireland vice-president at Okta, emphasized that GCSE results do not determine future career paths.

Phillips shared her own experience of taking an access course after A-levels to study engineering, highlighting the diverse pathways available to students beyond their exam results.

Although not all girls continue studying STEM subjects, the increase in girls taking computing at A-level in the UK this year is a positive sign for gender equality in the tech industry.