Study suggests fear of failure and low confidence link to GCSE resit absences
New research from the University of Warwick suggests those who miss their GCSE English and maths re-sits are often struggling with low confidence and anxiety, stemming from previous negative experiences of education, revealing barriers within the wider education system.
Every year, students who do not achieve a grade 4 in GCSE English or maths are required to continue studying these subjects in college. However, attendance in GCSE English and maths resit classes is often lower than in vocational provision. This research suggests absences are frequently linked to students' previous educational experiences and feelings about the subjects, rather than a simple unwillingness to attend.
Lead researcher Dr Katie Crompton, Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, said: “Our research highlights the importance of understanding the experiences students bring with them into college. For some, returning to English and maths after repeated setbacks can reinforce feelings of anxiety or low confidence, making it harder for them to re-engage.”
As part of the study, Dr Crompton and colleagues conducted in-depth interviews with 20 members of staff from 14 Further Education colleges across England. The staff reported average attendance rates of around 71 per cent in English and maths classes, compared with approximately 85 per cent in vocational provision.
The research found that many students arrive in college with low confidence in English and maths after repeated experiences of setbacks and poor progress in these subjects at school. Staff also reported that some students struggled to understand the relevance of the subjects to their vocational studies and future careers.
Emotional barriers emerged as a major factor affecting attendance. College staff frequently cited negative classroom experiences, undermining students’ confidence, as being strongly associated with disengagement from English and maths provision.
Practical challenges, including transport costs, employment commitments and caring responsibilities, were also identified as barriers to attendance. Furthermore, college staff described the difficulty of balancing high academic expectations with the time and resources needed to rebuild students’ confidence, within a system that gives rise to college and wider system constraints.
One college staff member, explained: “A lot of it does stem from their experience of maths and English in school. Some of the students have been told that they're going to fail, they're never going to achieve…and because this has been drilled into them so much and they've had such a negative experience, when they come to college and they have to do maths and English again, all of those memories just come back and they're the associations that they have with it.”
A second college staff member, said: “I don't like a student feeling like they're a failure. That's not what we're about. And unfortunately, the current system that we've got of constant resit, resit, resit inevitably makes students feel like that.”
Further Education colleges are working hard to improve the situation. Approaches which appear to be making a difference include dedicated English and maths support hubs, timetable adjustments, creating a positive and supportive environment, and closer collaboration between vocational and English and maths staff.
The researchers conclude that improving attendance not only requires a greater focus on the student’s previous experience, school to college transition and fostering a sense of belonging, but also a consideration of the systems at play. It depends on policymakers and college staff continuing to work together to make conditions more conducive to engagement and therefore success.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Stevie Connoll, Media & Communications Officer
stevie.connoll@warwick.ac.uk / +44 (0)7824 540791
About the University of Warwick
Founded in 1965, the University of Warwick is a world-leading institution known for its commitment to era-defining innovation across research and education. A connected ecosystem of staff, students and alumni, the University fosters transformative learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold industry partnerships across state-of-the-art facilities in the UK and global satellite hubs. Here, spirited thinkers push boundaries, experiment and challenge convention to create a better world.
9 July 2026