Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cause of the downward trend in students in England taking A-level English since 2013; and what steps they are taking to reverse this trend.

Young people are free to choose the A level subjects they take. While there have been declines in entries in recent years, English remains one of the most popular A level subjects. Entries for A level English Literature increased by 8% in 2024, and for English Literature and Language combined by 6% compared to 2023.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy. The review and its recommendations will be driven by evidence and a commitment to high standards for all our young people, irrespective of background.

The review group ran a call for evidence and held events over the autumn term to gather the views of education professionals and other experts, parents, children and young people, and other stakeholders. The feedback received will help the review group to consider its next steps and recommendations.