Demographics
Black African GCSE Attainment 8 Score
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DescriptionBlack African pupils in England achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 50.9 out of 90 in 2021-22, outperforming the national average of 48.8.
What This Means
Understanding Attainment 8
How This Compares
Context & Factors
Source & Methodology
Related Insights
Black African GCSE Attainment 8 Score | UK Black Demographics
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50.9
out of 90
Black African GCSE Attainment 8 average score
Black African pupils consistently achieve above the national average at GCSE level.
With an Attainment 8 score of 50.9, Black African students outperform the national average of 48.8 by 2.1 points, demonstrating strong educational outcomes.
Black African pupils in England achieved an average Attainment 8 score of
50.9 out of 90
in the academic year 2021 to 2022. This is
2.1 points above the national average of 48.8
, placing Black African pupils among the higher-performing ethnic groups in England.
This achievement reflects strong educational aspiration, family support for education, and the concentration of Black African families in London, where school quality tends to be higher. It also demonstrates that when structural barriers are addressed, Black pupils can and do excel academically.
Attainment 8
measures a pupil's average performance across eight GCSE subjects:
English (double weighted)
Mathematics (double weighted)
Three English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects (sciences, languages, history, geography, computer science)
Three other subjects (any GCSE or approved qualification)
The maximum score is 90 points. Grades are converted to points: Grade 9 = 9 points, Grade 8 = 8 points, down to Grade 1 = 1 point. English and Maths count double, so they contribute up to 18 points each.
Black African
+2.1 above national average
48.8
National Average
Baseline
48.6
Black Overall
-0.2 below national average
The gap between Black African (50.9) and Black Caribbean (41.7) pupils is 9.2 points — highlighting the importance of disaggregating data within Black communities to understand different experiences and outcomes.
Several factors contribute to the strong performance of Black African pupils:
Geographic concentration:
Most Black African families live in London, where school quality and investment tend to be higher than the national average.
Educational aspiration:
Research shows high levels of educational aspiration among Black African families, with strong parental support for academic achievement.
Migration patterns:
Many Black African families are first or second-generation migrants who place high value on education as a route to social mobility.
Source:
Department for Education (DfE)
Academic Year:
2021 to 2022
Coverage:
State-funded schools in England only
Figures are based on pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 (typically age 16) in state-funded schools. Independent school pupils are excluded. Ethnicity is recorded by schools using the DfE's 18-category classification.
Black Overall GCSE Attainment 8
Close to national average
41.7
Black Caribbean GCSE Attainment 8
Persistent attainment gap
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Black African GCSE Attainment 8 Score
Black African pupils achieve above the national average at GCSE level
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