2025 UK Classics Education Round-ups #1

Steven Hunt
6 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Here’s the first in a series of brief round-ups for the end of 2025 for Classics Education in the UK

#1: Examination entries in England and Scotland 2025

Examination entries in 2025: England

England has a number of different examination boards which offer examinations in Classics Education. For Latin, both WJEC / Eduqas and Cambridge OCR offer examinations up to GCSE. Cambridge OCR offers examinations for Classical Greek, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History at GCSE, AS and A level. The independent Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek offers a sub-GCSE. It is not accredited by Ofqual.

I have been collecting UK examination statistics since 1988. To make the tables manageable, I have chosen to include in Figures 1-12 entries only from 2015 -2025. If you use any of the information in this blog, please credit me!

The statistics for examination entries here are drawn from figures provided by WJEC/Eduqas, Cambridge OCR, ICCG and SQA examinations boards. They include state-maintained and private school entries added together. Additionally, in the case of SQA, I have also provided the entries for state-maintained schools (figures courtesy of Alex Imrie).

Entry level Latin (OCR): 476

Fig. 1. Cambridge OCR Entry Level Latin (c) Steven Hunt

Level 1 Certificate in Latin (WJEC-Eduqas): 494

Fig. 2. WJEC / Eduqas Level 1 Certificate in Latin (c) Steven Hunt

These two sub-GCSE examinations remain fairly popular, acting as a stepping-off point for starter classes or clubs, or as incentives for students working towards GCSE.

GCSE Latin (OCR & Eduqas): 8,403

Fig. 3. Cambridge OCR & Eduqas GCSE Latin (c) Steven Hunt

AS Latin (OCR): 65

A level Latin (OCR): 989

Fig. 4. Cambridge OCR AS and A level Latin (c) Steven Hunt

Both GCSE Latin and AS / A level Latin show fair stability after a long period of decline since the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988. Numbers are not dropping much; nor are they rising.

Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek (ICCG): 454

GCSE Classical Greek (OCR): 933

Fig. 5. ICCG and Cambridge OCR GCSE Classical Greek (c) Steven Hunt

The ICCG was developed for those who wanted to teach / learn Classical Greek but found that there was insufficient time allocated in school to teach the full GCSE. It has also been found to be a good course for students enrolled online and in clubs. Entries appear good, almost half that for the full GCSE, but without, it appears, abstracting students from that qualification. It seems, therefore, to be attracting a new and different audience and adding to total numbers of those gaining a qualification in Classical Greek. This has to be seen as a good thing. GCSE Classical Greek shows a small rise in entries this year, although there has been a slow decline over the decade.

AS Classical Greek (OCR): 29

A Level Classical Greek (OCR): 206

Fig. 6. Cambridge OCR AS and A level Classical Greek (c) Steven Hunt

Both GCSE Classical Greek and AS / A level Classical Greek show fair stability after a long period of decline since the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988. Numbers are not dropping significantly; nor are they rising.

GCSE Classical Civilisation (OCR): 5,187

Fig. 7. Cambridge OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (c) Steven Hunt

AS Classical Civilisation (OCR): 224

A level Classical Civilisation (OCR): 4,123

Fig. 8. Cambridge OCR AS and A level Classical Civilisation (c) Steven Hunt

Both GCSE Classical Civilisation and AS / A level Classical Civilisation are increasing in popularity year on year. GCSE Classical Civilisation is the highest it has ever been. A level seems to have dropped back a little from its peak at 4,325 in 2024.

GCSE Ancient History (OCR): 1,553

Fig. 9. Cambridge OCR GCSE Ancient History (c) Steven Hunt

AS Ancient History (OCR): 75

A level Ancient History (OCR): 1,024

Fig. 10. Cambridge OCR AS and A level Ancient History (c) Steven Hunt

Both GCSE Ancient History and AS / A level Ancient History are increasing in popularity year on year. Examination entries are the highest they have ever been.

Examination presentations (entries) in 2025: Scotland

Scotland has its own set of examinations – the Scottish Qualifications Agency (SQA) sets several levels of examinations for both Latin and Classical Studies. These range from the National 5s, through to Highers and finally to Advanced Highers.

N5 Latin: 421

Higher Latin: 158

Advanced Higher Latin: 25

Fig.11. SQA Latin (all levels) (c) Steven Hunt

In Latin, numbers seem to be improving for N5s. Both Highers and Advanced Highers are faring not too badly, but numbers are small and do not seem yet to be growing. Perhaps the N5s might deliver more next year?

Latin in the state-maintained schools in Scotland is small, with only one state school presentation (entry) for Latin Advanced Higher in 2025. There were 34 presentations (entries) at Higher and 97 at N5 (these figures are courtesy of Alex Imrie).

N5 Classical Studies: 310

Higher Classical Studies: 603

Advanced Classical Studies: 40

Fig.12. SQA Classical Studies (all levels) (c) Steven Hunt

The total number of presentations (entries) for Classical Studies at N5 and Higher levels shows improvement. While this is not seen so much in the Advanced Highers, there is still reason to be pleased.

Classical Studies in the state-maintained schools in Scotland is growing. There were 8 presentations (entries) for the Advanced Highers, 439 for Highers, and 257 at N5 (these figures are courtesy of Alex Imrie). Together, these make up a significant number of presentations (entries) for the 2025 cohort of students taking Classical Studies at all levels.

I am unable to access entries for the International Baccalaureate. If anyone can help, I would be pleased to receive information.

For details of the education systems in the different parts of Britain, see my book Teaching Classics Worldwide (Hunt & Bulwer 2025) and read the contributions from Aisha Khan-Evans for England, Danny Pucknell for Wales, Alex Imrie for Scotland, and Amber Taylor & Arlene Holmes-Henderson for Northern Ireland.

Details of qualification types can be found in my CUCD article School Qualifications in Classical Subjects in the UK (Hunt, 2020).

Qualifications sites

Any errors are my own.