A level results 2025: Economics and Politics still popular with students, while other social sciences and humanities continue to decline

New A level entry data reveals that Economics and Politics continue to grow in popularity with students – with entries up by +5.5% and +1.2% respectively compared to last year.

Meanwhile, other social science subjects are declining after years of popularity; since 2024, Geography entries have dropped significantly by -5.5%, and Psychology and Sociology have also dipped slightly (-3.3% and -1.1% respectively).

Today’s A level entry data for England, Northern Ireland and Wales released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and analysed by the British Academy also reveals a continued decline in students choosing humanities subjects, but signs of growth in some languages. It shows:

• SHAPE subjects accounted for a majority of A level entries, making up 58.6% of all entries in 2025 across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
• In the modern languages, Spanish and Other Modern Languages, which includes Arabic, Chinese and Polish, have both increased by +1.1% and +3.8%, respectively. French entries, however, fell by -9.1%, one of the sharpest declines of any A level subject, and German dropped -8.5%, continuing its steep and long-term decline.
• English Literature dropped -4.4%, reversing its modest recovery in 2024 and continuing a longer-term downward trend, while English Language and Literature as a combined subject saw a sharper -6.4% decline, contributing to an overall contraction in English subject entries.
• In other SHAPE subjects, History entries fell by –5.5%, its second consecutive year of decline and a steeper drop than seen in 2024. Classics declined by -1.5% after a spike in popularity in 2024.
• Drama saw a notable -7.1% drop, consistent with its long-term fall in entries, and Art and Design fell slightly by -1.3% but still remains one of the higher-entry SHAPE subjects.
• Philosophy, with results recorded separately by JCQ for the first time, recorded a slight increase in entries of +0.3% since 2024.

President of the British Academy, Professor Susan J. Smith, said: “Today is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our brilliant A level students and their teachers. Congratulations on your efforts and achievements! I am, nevertheless, concerned to see falling enrolment in some key SHAPE subjects. The arts, humanities and social sciences provide the skills employers need, and the job prospects young people deserve. They help navigate an increasingly complex world and are the glue that holds communities and cultures together. Furthermore, in an age increasingly driven by AI, there is an ever-greater premium on the critical and creative thinking these subjects nurture.  As the national body for these all-important disciplines, the British Academy stands ready to work with government, educators and employers to restore their popularity and vitality.”

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