STUDENTS in England recorded a new high in the proportion gaining A* grades in A-level subjects, with 9.7 per cent receiving the top grade, up from 9.4 per cent last year and above pre-pandemic levels.
Northern Ireland recorded the highest proportion of A and A* grades at 30.7 per cent, followed by Wales at 29.6 per cent and England at 28.7 per cent.
A total of 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have earned university places this year, including more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, said Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK.
Results improved across subjects, with mathematics showing a rise despite more candidates taking the subject. Just under 10 per cent of 300,000 candidates taking level 3 qualifications, including BTecs and Cambridge Technicals, gained top grades.
Regional differences remained, with nearly a third of candidates in London gaining A*s and As, compared with 23.1 per cent in the East Midlands and north-east.
Myles McGinley, managing director of Cambridge OCR, said: “The gap between boys and girls has widened: at A* and A grades in England boys are now a full percentage point ahead. However, with more girls taking A-levels the absolute number of girls achieving these grades is higher.”
Exam boards rejected suggestions of grade inflation, saying grades continued to represent the same level of attainment as in previous years.
