Entries for GCSE Computing have fallen across the UK this year, but the gender gap continues to close as more young women outperform their male peers, according to analysis by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
In England, entries for GCSE Computing dropped 4% to 88,750, compared to 92,778 in 2024. The decline was sharper among boys (–5%) than girls (–1%), leading to a slight improvement in gender balance: the male-to-female ratio shifted from 3.5:1 last year to 3.4:1 in 2025. Girls continue to outperform boys, with 36% achieving grade 7 or above, compared with 28% of boys.
Computing isn’t alone in seeing a decline. Of the 31 GCSE subjects, 18 recorded a fall in entries, with History and all three sciences each down around 6%. However, Computing remains the 15th most popular GCSE subject, despite drawing significantly fewer students than History (three times more entries) and Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (each attracting nearly double the entries).
In Wales, entries for GCSE Computer Science dropped 9% to 1,828 students, with a steeper fall among boys (–9%) than girls (–7%). The Digital Technology course, while still attracting more students overall (3,801 entries), saw a sharp 27% decline. Gender ratios remain stark, holding at 5:1 for Computer Science and 3:1 for Digital Technology.
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In Northern Ireland, Computer Science entries remain low at 640, down 3% on last year. Male entries fell by 5% while female entries rose 2%, narrowing the male-to-female ratio from 5:1 to 4:1. Digital Technology remains more popular, with the Multimedia strand seeing 2,372 entries (–3% overall) and Programming 819 entries (–8% overall).
In Scotland, entries for National 5 Computing Science fell by 2%, with female entries down 6% while male entries remained stable, widening the gender gap. The male-to-female ratio now stands at 4:1, up from 3:1 in 2024.
Julia Adamson MBE, Executive Director for Education and Public Benefit at BCS, said: “It’s encouraging to see more young women achieving top grades and closing the gender gap, even in a year where overall entries have dipped. Digital skills are essential to our economy and society, and we need diverse perspectives to make technology work for everyone. There’s a clear message here: we must build on this momentum and ensure every student feels empowered to pursue computing.”
“We know that AI and emerging technologies will shape the future in profound ways. Encouraging more girls into computing is vital if we want these systems to reflect the needs and values of everyone in society.”
