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SHAPE Observatory

About the Observatory

The SHAPE Observatory is an evidence hub that monitors the health and development of social sciences, humanities and the arts (SHAPE) across the UK, providing data-driven insights on the state of these disciplines in education, research and business sectors, as well as their significance to society and the world around us.

Through interactive tools like data dashboards, it provides independent, authoritative and objective analysis and in-depth reports on new trends and issues.

Designed for policymakers, higher education, research and business sector leaders, education professionals, subject specialists, and academics, the SHAPE Observatory provides evidence and insights into the health of SHAPE disciplines.

By highlighting trends and challenges, it helps inform policy, strengthen decision-making and demonstrate how the SHAPE disciplines nurture valuable skills, sustain major growth sectors in the UK economy and help us better understand the world we live in.

Evidence and analysis

Secondary and post-16 education

Tracking student choices and patterns of GCSE, A level and Scottish equivalents to understand subject uptake and progression.

Higher education and research

Analysing enrolment, staff distribution and research funding to understand access, participation, and impact.

Graduates and skills

Investigating graduates’ career paths, their employability and the skills they develop and contribute to society.

Subject analyses

Monitoring the health of SHAPE disciplines by combining data on teaching and research, including our languages programme.

SHAPE in numbers

  • Secondary and post-16 education: SHAPE subjects made up 54% of GCSE entries, 58% of Highers and 59% of A levels in 2025 (School Indicators, 2025)

  • Higher Education: SHAPE disciplines accounted for 58% of student enrolments in UK higher education in 2023/24 (HESA, 2025)

  • Graduates: In 2023, there were over 7.3 million SHAPE graduates in the UK, just under 60% of the graduate workforce; they use SHAPE skills to navigate a rapidly changing world of global and technological challenges in a variety of key roles (Understanding SHAPE Graduates, 2025).
More SHAPE in numbers facts

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