Who studies what subjects at school and why does it matter?

It isn’t just about student choice. Curriculum requirements, subject availability and prior attainment all shape the routes open to young people, affecting their future study, training and career options.

The British Academy has analysed GCSE, A level, National 5 and Highers take-up of SHAPE subjects (Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy) over the past two decades, measured through exam entries. When entry numbers shift, as they have across the SHAPE disciplines, they can show where some subject pathways are becoming stronger, while others may be narrowing. Such shifts can, over time, limit the range of subjects young people encounter and the breadth of skills, knowledge and perspectives they are able to develop.

Subject groups

Today, SHAPE subjects still account for the majority of UK-wide A level entries: 58.3% in 2026. But looking beyond the headlines, composition is clearly changing. Several social science A levels have grown strongly: Economics (106% increase since 2010) and Politics (81% increase) are among the fastest growing A level options. Humanities subjects, by contrast, have declined by 25% over the same period.

But interest in the humanities is not uniformly disappearing. History grew by 5% this year after two years of decline and remains one of the most popular A levels. While French and German A level entries have declined dramatically since 2010, by 50% and 59% respectively, Spanish has followed a different trajectory, increasing by 11%. We need to know more about what these patterns tell us about changing demand, perceptions of value and the policy landscape.

Meanwhile, arts subjects are under pressure, but not evenly. Drama A level entries declined by 8% this year and have roughly halved since a peak in the late-2000s. Music entries slipped by 6% after a steep decline throughout the 2010s. But Art and Design now accounts for roughly three quarters of all arts A level entries and has proven more resilient. Our previous research found that in England, almost all arts A level subjects have seen a decline in provider availability, with Art and Design the main exception. If availability and take-up are falling together, this may reflect not only changing preferences but shrinking opportunities.

Gender 

We have also analysed how A level subject take-up differs between male and female students (the binary classification available in the data). Some patterns are familiar: Psychology (76%) and English (79%) A levels are strongly female-majority, with Economics (70%) and Business Studies (59%) male-majority. Others are less predictable. Boys currently make up 57% of Music A level entries, despite arts subjects generally being considerably more popular among girls. German, in contrast to other languages, is 58% male. Meanwhile, Politics has changed over time, moving from 43% female in 2010 to over 50% in 2026.

Paying attention to these patterns matters, because subject choices at A level shape who may later see related higher education courses, careers and areas of public life as realistic options. All students should feel like they can take on any subject that engages them.

Across the UK

The picture looks different across the UK. Over the last decade or so in England, humanities A levels have fallen from around 28% to 23% of total entries - while social sciences have risen from 26% to 33%. Across the same period in Scotland, humanities went from 33% to 30% of all Highers entries, and social sciences barely moved at all. While A levels and Highers are not exact equivalents, the difference is nonetheless striking.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, SHAPE has dropped from 57% of A level entries to 48% since 2010. Wales has similarly seen a fall from 60% to 51% of entries from SHAPE subjects, with the decline concentrated in the humanities (31% to 22%). Neither has experienced the rise in popularity of social sciences A levels seen in England. While there are of course common themes, there are also clearly distinct patterns of subject take-up emerging across the UK, with most policy decisions on education sitting with devolved governments.

Why does it matter?

Choosing a subject for A levels or Highers doesn’t always map neatly onto studying it at university. But our analysis of SHAPE Higher Education student numbers finds first-degree enrolments do often echo the school data. Many social sciences, including economics, politics, psychology and sociology, have grown at A level and show strong growth in higher education at first degree level over the past decade, while English and history have declined at both school and university level. But some subjects, such as music, show the relationship is not always straightforward. While A level Music entries have largely declined from 2008 onwards, we have seen Music enrolments at undergraduate level grow since 2015/16.

When subjects decline across the education system, there is a risk that this relationship can lead to self-reinforcing patterns. French and German A level entries have fallen sharply for over 20 years and our cold spots analysis shows that degree provision for these subjects has also contracted significantly in many areas of the UK. Languages education faces a “vicious circle”: as schools struggle to recruit and retain language teachers, provision becomes more limited, fewer pupils can study languages at GCSE and A level, and so fewer people later enter language degrees or train as language teachers.

Exam entries don’t tell us exactly why students choose a subject, why schools offer it, or why some routes become easier to access than others. But they give us a clearer set of questions, where further analysis, policy attention and better data are needed. Why have Economics and Politics A levels grown so strongly? Why have Spanish entries increased while French and German have declined? Why has Politics become more gender-balanced, while Economics remains strongly male dominated? Starting with the numbers helps us see where a pathway may be beginning to narrow, before it appears in degree enrolments, and, later, skills shortages.

For further information contact the Press Office on [email protected]  / 07500 010 432.