Vocational and other qualifications quarterly: July to September 2025
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-20)

Statistics on certificates issued for vocational and other qualifications (excluding GCSEs, AS and A levels, Advanced Extension Awards, apprenticeship end-point assessments, Extended Project Qualifications and T Level Technical Qualifications).

Key headlines for quarter 3 (July to September) 2025

In quarter 3 2025, a total of 2.1 million certificates were issued in 8,216 qualifications for vocational and other qualifications, a decrease in certificates of 4.7% from quarter 3 2024. The number of certificates issued in the 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 (5.1 million) decreased by 1.1% from the previous 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024.
- Most qualification types saw a decrease in the number of certificates issued compared with quarter 3 2024. The largest absolute decrease in certificate numbers was seen for vocationally-related qualifications (from 779,800 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 710,275 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 8.9%). Additionally, a large absolute decrease in certificate numbers was seen for other general qualifications (from 371,795 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 339,375 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 8.7%). The largest absolute increase in certificate numbers was seen for other life skills qualifications (from 80,950 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 87,025 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 7.5%).
Most qualification levels saw a decrease in the number of certificates issued compared with quarter 3 2024. The largest absolute decrease in certificate numbers was seen for level 3 qualifications (from 641,760 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 550,500 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 14.2%). Additionally, there was a 16.9% decrease in certificate numbers for level 7 qualifications (from 6,350 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 5,280 certificates in quarter 3 2025). The largest absolute increase in certificate numbers was seen for entry level qualifications (from 321,640 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 329,885 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 2.6%). Additionally, there was a 20.4% increase in certificate numbers for level 5 qualifications (from 15,315 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 18,440 certificates in quarter 3 2025).
- Most qualification sector subject areas saw a decrease in the number of certificates issued compared with quarter 3 2024. The largest absolute decrease in the number of certificates issued for a sector subject area was seen for business, administration and law (from 157,760 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 122,020 certificates in quarter 3 2025, a decrease of 22.7%). Additionally, there was a 9.5% decrease in certificate numbers for arts, media and publishing (from 345,085 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 312,145 certificates in quarter 3 2025). The largest absolute increase in the number of certificates issued was seen for retail and commercial enterprise (from 118,105 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 123,435 certificates in quarter 3 2025, an increase of 4.5%). Additionally, there was a 20.2% increase in certificate numbers for history, philosophy and theology (from 8,020 certificates in quarter 3 2024 to 9,640 certificates in quarter 3 2025).
- The top 3 qualifications with the highest numbers of certificates issued in quarter 3 2025 were AQA Level 2 Certificate in Further Maths with 34,280 certificates, followed by WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering (Technical Award) with 33,500 certificates and Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care with 33,115 certificates.
- The top 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in quarter 3 2025 were Pearson with 371,120 certificates, followed by City & Guilds with 229,890 certificates and Cambridge OCR with 159,105 certificates. These 3 awarding organisations also had the most certificates issued in quarter 3 2025.
- The top 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in the 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 were Pearson with 615,875 certificates, followed by City & Guilds with 542,985 certificates and NCFE with 350,365 certificates. The 3 awarding organisations with the most certificates issued in the previous 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024 were Pearson, City & Guilds and Highfield.
Context for trends this quarter

This quarter’s trends have been affected by operational changes in certification timing by UAL and certification reporting by Pearson. Both changes contributed to the decrease in total certificate numbers this quarter compared to quarter 3 2024.

In 2025, UAL issued certificates earlier in the year compared to 2024. This means that certificates which would have previously been issued in quarter 3 were issued in quarter 2. This change contributed to the notable decreases in certificate numbers for other general qualifications and the arts, media and publishing sector subject area for quarter 3 2025 when compared to quarter 3 2024.

Also in 2025, Pearson changed their reporting systems. Some certificates will be reported later in the year, in line with when they were actually issued to students. This means that the reporting of those certificates has moved from quarter 3 to quarter 4. This change contributed to the notable decreases in certificate numbers for vocationally-related qualifications, level 3 qualifications and in the business, administration and law sector subject area.

Datasets

The dataset used to produce this release (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vocational-qualifications-dataset) is available separately, and can be explored visually in our interactive visualisation for Vocational and other qualifications over time (https://analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/apps/VTQ/VocationalAndOtherQualificationsOverTime/).

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