"The results are what we hoped to see"
Sixth-form pupils in England have achieved their best A-Level results on average since 2010, surpassing previous pre-pandemic highs in the proportion of A* and A grades awarded.
This is partially due to strong performances in maths and science.
In maths, a record 42% of 18-year-olds in England got A* or As, while a third of entrants got the highest grades in physics and chemistry.
However, in Wales and Northern Ireland, the proportion of top grades awarded fell compared to 2023, in a return to pre-pandemic grade boundaries.
But results in Northern Ireland remained better than those in England.
In England, 9.3% of entries gained A* grades while 27.6% got A and A*s.
Other than in 2020, 2021 and 2022, when awards were distorted by Covid, the 2024 results are higher than any year since the A* grade was introduced in 2010.
Ian Bauckham, the head of Ofqual, said that grading standards had been maintained since last year, and described the outcomes as “broadly similar” to 2023.
Lynne Neagle, the education secretary for Wales, said:
“This year, for the first time since the pandemic, A-level and AS Levels exams and assessments took place with the same arrangements as pre-pandemic.
“The results are what we hoped to see and are broadly similar to pre-pandemic outcomes.”
England’s increase in top grades was tempered by regional and social inequalities in how they were distributed and in the lower proportion getting grades C or above compared with most pre-pandemic years.
At private schools, 49.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades, up from 45% in 2019.
Grades at state grammar schools in England also rose, with A and A*s rising from 37% in 2019 to 41% this year.
Meanwhile, academies in England increased their top grades to 26.5% of entries, while England’s remaining comprehensives increased A and A* from 20% to 22%.
Manpreet Gill said: “I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep the night before.
“My offer was AAB and I got AAA so I’m very pleased and it means I’ve got into the University of Birmingham which was my first choice.
“I’m glad results day ended on a positive because after so much hard work, it was just weeks of me waiting and wondering about how I did in my exams.
“Tonight, I’ll be celebrating with my friends and then getting ready for university.”
Mahesh Chauhan added: “The past few months have been so stressful.
“Opening that envelope and seeing ABB felt like a weight off my shoulders.
“I can now properly relax for a few weeks before heading to Leeds for university.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“The staff in our schools and colleges also deserve great credit for all they have done to support these young people in their courses and exams.
“While the dark days of the pandemic are in the past, its legacy continues to haunt us, as many of these students experienced severe disruption to their education.
“In particular, this impacted upon young people from disadvantaged backgrounds whose families were also adversely affected by the subsequent cost-of-living crisis.”
Universities reported that record numbers of applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds were being accepted on undergraduate courses starting this autumn.
UCAS said 27,600 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds had accepted a place, above the previous high in 2021.
For Komal, her successful results mean she is the first person in her family to go to university.
She said: “I’m so relieved to get the results I wanted to be able to study English Language at the University of Essex.
“I called my mum after opening the envelope and she got really emotional.
“I’m really happy to have made my family proud and become the first person in my family to go to university.”
Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, said:
“It is heartening to see that a record number of disadvantaged students have gained a place at a university or college this year.
“We know that a degree has particularly strong benefits for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this will boost earnings and career prospects throughout their lifetimes.
“Universities are on hand to support anyone who has not received the grades they were hoping for, or any prospective student who needs advice.
“There are still a wide variety of courses available through clearing this year at a range of universities.”
Alongside A-Levels, more than 250,000 vocational and technical qualifications were awarded, with more than 22,000 top grades awarded in England, according to Ofqual, while more than 7,000 students were awarded T-levels in England, with nearly 89% gaining a pass or better in the new technical qualification.
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