Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many girls studied physics at (a) GCSE, (b) A-level and (c) bachelors degree level in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016, (iii) 2017, (iv) 2018, (v) 2019, (vi) 2020 (vii) 2021 and (viii) 2022.

The numbers of female students entering GCSE and A level exams in physics, and the numbers of enrolments from female students in a bachelor’s degree in physics, are published by the Department for Education and the Higher Education Statistics Agency respectively and can be found in the attached table.

The number entering at GCSE includes those at the end of KS4, and for physics as an individual subject, but not those entered for the combined science GCSE (of which physics is a part).

The number for A level includes all entries by female students aged 16 to 18 in that academic year.

Enrolments for bachelor’s degrees are in first degree level physics courses at UK higher education providers.