A-level top grades rise for third year in a row, likely driven by maths scores
The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades has risen for the third year in a row, likely driven by the popularity of maths and students scoring highly in it.
Hundreds of thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results on Thursday, with many finding out if they would progress to university, an apprenticeship or work.
The total number of A-level entries has topped 900,000 for the first time, with the population of 18-year-olds increasing this year.
More than a quarter (28.5%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.2% percentage points on last year, when 28.3% achieved the top grades.
The proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has also risen, by 0.2 percentage points to 9.6%, compared to 9.4% in 2025, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7% in 2019.
Maths remained the most popular subject at A-level this year – the 13th year in a row it has topped the table.
More than one in eight of all UK A-level entries (12.7%) were for the subject, the latest figures showed.
Speaking about England only, the head of exams regulator Ofqual said the “sheer size” of maths impacts the overall data.
On top grades rising, Sir Ian Bauckham told the Press Association: “It’s largely driven by those changes in maths, growing popularity at maths and the high achievements that we’re seeing in maths.
“It’s a successful subject, maths A-level is a significant driver of economic growth, and we know that it correlates to higher earning potential for those people who hold A-level maths in their future lives.
“It does, because of its sheer size, have that impact on the overall cohort figures.”
There is a clear gender divide, with more boys choosing the subject than girls.
There were 72,619 boys’ entries for A-level maths this year, making up 63% of entries, compared to 42,761 for girls’ (37%).
Boys have outperformed girls in terms of top grades again, after doing so for the first time in seven years last year.
Overall, 28.9% of boys’ A-level entries scored an A* or A this summer, compared to 28.0% of their female classmates’ entries – a gap of 0.9 percentage points.
Economics has seen a leap in popularity this year.
It is now the fifth most popular subject for students, climbing up from 10th in 2025. In total, there were more than 47,000 UK entries for economics.
Sir Ian said it was “plausible to suggest” that job prospects are influencing the choices students make in terms of what they study.
“Maths is the obvious one that we’ve talked about already, further maths is another one, economics, law,” Sir Ian told PA of the England data.
“These are all subjects that have a very strong either vocational flavour or are proven to be linked to higher earning potential, and in students’ minds will be associated with the trends that we’re seeing in the economy.
“So, I do think it’s plausible to suggest that those considerations are, for most, in students’ minds.”
Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, told PA: “More than ever, young people are asking a simple question: where will the opportunities be? In a world of rising living costs, student debt and AI, they want confidence that their investment of time and money will lead to a fulfilling and secure career.
“Students are increasingly choosing subjects with one eye on the labour market. That’s entirely understandable.”
The proportion of entries achieving either A or A* was higher than in 2019, the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic, when 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades.
It is the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22, according to the figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The overall pass rate – the proportion of entries graded A* to E – has remained at 97.5%, which is lower and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6%).
Students who are receiving their A-level, T-level and Level 3 vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) results were in Year 7 when schools closed because of the pandemic.
Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week.
Figures showed the number of passes at National 5 reached record levels.
Pass rates for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher increased across the board, to 79.2%, 76.7% and 77.6% respectively.
The proportion of pupils who achieved an A also rose for National 5 and Higher to 40.3% and 20.9%, while the rate for Advanced Higher fell to 30.9%.
Published: by Radio NewsHub