[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-206607-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":75,"doc-detail-206607-en":125},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":68,"head_meta":70,"extra_data":72,"updated_unix":74},105,"en","national-reference-test-results-digest-2025-nrt-results-overview","National Reference Test Results Digest 2025 - NRT results overview","","National Reference Test Results Digest 2025 provides an overview of findings from the 2025 National Reference Test (NRT) in England for GCSE English language and maths at the end of key stage 4. Developed, administered and analysed for Ofqual by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), the NRT uses a representative Year 11 sample and fixed test-booklet structure to track changes against a 2017 baseline grade-boundary proficiency mapping. 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(2025) National Reference Test Results Digest 2025. Slough: NFER  \nContents  \n1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1  \n2. The sample ...........................................................................................................................2  \n2.1. Access arrangements ..................................................................................................5  \n3. Results for the test booklets in 2025 .....................................................................................6  \n3.1. English .........................................................................................................................6  \n3.2. Maths ...........................................................................................................................9  \n4. Performance in English in 2025 .......................................................................................... 12  \n5. Performance in maths in 2025 ............................................................................................ 16  \n6. Appendix A: A brief summary of the NRT............................................................................20  \n1. Introduction  \nOfqual has contracted the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to develop, administer and analyse the National Reference Test (NRT) in English and maths. The first NRT took place in 2017 and established a baseline from which any future changes in standards can be detected. This report represents an overview of the findings of the 2025 testing process.  \nThe NRT, which consists of a series of test booklets, provides evidence on changes in the performance standards in GCSE English language and maths in England at the end of key stage 4. It does this by testing content taken from the GCSE English and maths curricula. It has been designed to provide additional information to support the awarding of GCSEs in English language and maths and is based on a robust and representative sample of Year 11 students who will, in the relevant year, take their GCSEs.  \nMore information about the NRT can be found in the NRT document collection.  \nThe outcomes of the 2017 GCSE examinations in English language and maths provided the baseline percentages of students at three grade boundaries and these were mapped to the NRT for 2017 to establish the corresponding proficiency level. The percentages of students achieving those proficiency levels in each subsequent year are calculated and compared.  \nThe NRT structure remains the same each year. For each of English and maths, there are eight test booklets in use. Each question is used in two booklets, so that effectively all the tests can be analysed together to give a single measure of subject performance. This is similar to other studies that analyse trends in performance over time, for example, international surveys such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) .  \nThis report provides summarised information of the key performance outcomes for English and maths in 2025 and provides information on the changes from the baseline standards established in 2017. It also includes data on the achievement of the samples, their representativeness and the performance of the students on the tests. Further information","cbCaimTE8nKrjmPl","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimTE8nKrjmPl","pdf",369675,25,"English","# Introduction\n## The sample\n### Access arrangements\n# Results for the test booklets in 2025\n## English\n## Maths\n# Performance in English in 2025\n# Performance in maths in 2025\n# Appendix A: A brief summary of the NRT","[{\"question\":\"What is the National Reference Test (NRT) used for in 2025?\",\"answer\":\"The NRT provides evidence on changes in performance standards in GCSE English language and maths in England at the end of key stage 4, using content from the GCSE curricula to inform GCSE awarding decisions.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the NRT link 2025 results to a baseline?\",\"answer\":\"Outcomes from the 2017 GCSE examinations are used to establish baseline percentages at grade boundaries, which are mapped to NRT proficiency levels. Later years’ achieved proficiency percentages are then calculated and compared to detect changes.\"},{\"question\":\"When did the 2025 NRT take place and how large was the sample?\",\"answer\":\"The 2025 NRT took place between 21 February and 10 March 2025. In 2025, 355 schools participated in English and 356 schools in maths, both above the target of 330 schools.\"}]","National Reference Test Results Digest 2025 - NRT results overview | PDF",63]