The UK government has announced plans for a new qualification in England to help secondary-school students who fail to achieve the required grade 4 in GCSE English or mathematics. The proposed level-1 qualification, called “Stepping Stone”, would target students who received grade 2 or below when taking GCSEs for the first time. The announcement was reported on August 21, 2026.

In England, 16-year-olds who do not reach grade 4 in English or maths must continue studying and retaking the subjects. This year, only one in seven students retaking maths achieved grade 4 or higher, while one in six passed English. Although about 70 percent of 16-year-olds passed both subjects, around 620,000 did not achieve grade 4 in at least one.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the current system leaves many students trapped in repeated exam cycles and that the new route could build foundations for higher education, technical training or apprenticeships. School and college leaders called the plan disappointing and ineffective, arguing that assessment methods need change. Experts also warned that disadvantaged students should not be pushed into lower-quality educational routes.