Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students were entered for a GCSE in (a) Computer Science or (b) Information Technology in each of the last four years.

The proportion of all pupils[1] [2], who were at the end of key stage 4, who entered for (a) Computer Science and (b) Information Technology are attached.

The proportion of all pupils[1] [2], who were at the end of key stage 4, not eligible for free school meals[3] and were entered for a GCSE in Information Technology are attached.

Pupil characteristics information will be published, for the year 2016/17, in January 2018.

1. Based on pupils at the end of key stage 4, who sat an exam in GCSE (excluding equivalents) in Computer Science or Information Technology. Pupils are identified as being at the end of key stage 4 if they were on roll at the school and in year 11 at the time of the January school census for that year. Age is calculated as at 31 August for that year, and the majority of pupils at the end of key stage 4 were age 15 at the start of the academic year. Some pupils may complete this key stage in an earlier or later year group.
2. On roll at a state-funded school which includes academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14- to 16-year-olds (further education sector colleges were included in secondary school performance tables from 2015) and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.
3. As recorded in the school census for that year. Includes pupils not eligible for free school meals (FSM) and for whom FSM eligibility was unclassified or could not be determined.