The most striking feature of this year's GCSE results - highlighted as "stability" by the exam boards' convenor - is their similarity to last year's.

GCSE ups and downs

Drama +6.8% Spanish +6.7% PE +5.2% Music +5% French -2.5% Geography -5.3% Home econ. -5.3% German -6.6%

Overall there is little change - pass rate exactly the same, slight rise in those getting the higher grades.

Even the gender gap has remained remarkably consistent.

But there are signs of change, as an analysis of the subject by subject results indicates.

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In the popularity stakes, the top 10 subjects based on the number of exam entries are:

1. Maths
2. English
3. English literature
4. Science (double award)
5. Design and technology
6. French
7. Geography
8. History
9. Art
10. German

But there have been shifts.

Although geography is still in the top 10, entries fell by 5.3% this year and German by 6.6%.

French went down less - 2.5% - yet Spanish went up 6.7%, although it still attracted only about a sixth of the entries that French did.

Home economics was another big loser - down 5.3%.

On the other hand the big gainers - none of them in the top 10 - were drama, up 6.8%, PE, up 5.2% and music, up 5% - maybe it was the popularising effect of the Pop Idol TV show.

Getting religion

But the biggest changes were in the GCSE Short Courses - taken over one or two years and equivalent to half a GCSE.

Overall there was an increase of 10.9% in the number of entries, to almost 350,000.

The two big gainers - accounting for eight out of every 10 entries - were information technology, up 12.7%, and religious education - soaring 22% on the numbers sat last year.

The vocational Foundation and Intermediate GNVQs together accounted for more than 80,000 entries.

Information technology boom

Although intended for post-16 study, the Intermediate GNVQ, which is worth the equivalent of four top GCSEs in league table terms, has proved popular with an increasing number of schools.

The top-performing Thomas Telford City Technology College - a pioneer in many ways - has made millions of pounds by selling its online Intermediate GNVQ course in information technology to other schools.

Its star this year was Jamie Waller, 16, who gained 10 A*s, and two As in his GCSEs and a merit in his GNVQ in information technology.

Altogether there were 8,081 entries for this qualification last year, and 22,734 this year, mostly boys - an increase of 181%.

Health and social care also enjoyed a big rise, from 5,984 entries to 8,566 - all but 677 of them taken by girls.