As students eagerly open their A-level results today (Thursday, August 14) it has been revealed that the number of candidates receiving top grades (A*-A) has risen once again this year. The percentage of candidates receiving top grades has increased for the second consecutive year and remains higher than pre-Covid-19 levels, with students in London out-performing those elsewhere in England.
A total of 28.3 per cent of entries were awarded either an A or A*, up from 27.8 per cent in 2024 and above 25.4 per cent in 2019. This is the highest proportion on record outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22 (the figure peaked at 44.8 per cent in 2021).
Of those receiving top grades, 9.4 per cent of entries received an A*. This is also an increase compared with last year (9.3 per cent) and higher than the figure for 2019 (7.7 per cent).
Excluding the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22 – when the figure peaked at 19.1 per cent in 2021 – 9.4 per cent is the highest proportion since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010.
In further good news for students, 77.9 per cent of entries received a C grade or above, up from 76.4 per cent in 2024 and above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9 per cent in 2019. This is again the highest percentage for this level of grade outside the pandemic (the figure peaked at 88.5 per cent in 2021). Overall, the total A-level pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.5 per cent, up from 97.2 per cent in 2024 but below 2019, which was 97.6 per cent.
London students excelling
Across England, London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded grades of A or A* (32.1 per cent, up from 31.3 per cent in 2024) while north-east England had the lowest (22.9 per cent, down from 23.9 per cent in 2024).
The disparity between these two regions now stands at 9.2 percentage points, an increase from 7.4 points last year and the largest since the current grading system was introduced in 2010, according to analysis by the PA news agency. Some 30.4 per cent of entries in Northern Ireland received A or A*, higher than the equivalent figure for Wales (29.5 per cent) and England (28.2 per cent).
Boys overtake girls
Boys have overtaken girls in achieving top grades for the first time since 2018. The proportion of boys’ entries awarded A or A* this year was 28.4 per cent, 0.2 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for girls’ entries (28.2 per cent).
Last year, girls led boys by 0.4 percentage points (28.0 per cent for girls, 27.6 per cent for boys). Boys have also extended their lead over girls in achieving the highest grade, A*. The proportion of boys’ entries awarded A* this year was 9.9 per cent, 0.8 points higher than girls (9.1 per cent).
Last year, boys led girls by 0.4 percentage points (9.5 per cent for boys, 9.1 per cent for girls).
Boys led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019, before girls moved ahead during the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22, after which boys reclaimed a lead in 2023.
Maths still the most popular subject
The most popular subject this year was maths, for the 12th year running. It had 112,138 entries, up 4.4 per cent from 107,427 in 2024. Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 75,943 entries, down 3.3 per cent from 78,556 in 2024. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 71,400 entries, a decrease of 4.0 per cent from 74,367.
Business studies has entered the top five most popular subjects for the first time, ranking in fifth place and replacing history which has dropped to seventh. Physics has jumped from ninth place to sixth. In total, 882,509 A-levels were awarded this year, down 0.5 per cent on last year’s 886,514.
Record gap between London and North-East
The gap between the proportion of A-level entries in London awarded the highest grades and those in north-east England is at its widest since the current system of grading was introduced, the 2025 exam figures show.
Some 32.1% of entries in the capital were awarded A or A* this year, the highest for any region in England and up from 31.3% in 2024. By contrast, north-east England had the lowest regional percentage this year at 22.9%, down from 23.9% in 2024.
The gap between these two regions now stands at 9.2 percentage points, up from 7.4 points last year and the largest since the present system of grading began in 2010, according to analysis by the PA news agency.
North-east England is one of just two regions to see a year-on-year drop in entries receiving top grades, the other being West Midlands (down from 24.8% to 24.2%).
It is also the only region where the proportion of entries awarded A or A* this year, 22.9%, is lower than the equivalent figure in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (23.0%).
For entries receiving the top grade of A*, London again had the highest proportion (11.6%, up from 11.3%) and north-east England the lowest (6.8%, down from 7.8%).
The gap here of 4.8 percentage points is wider than in 2024 (3.5 points) but not as large as during the pandemic, when it reached 6.8 points in 2021. North-east England and the West Midlands are the only regions to see a year-on-year fall in entries receiving A*.
By contrast, all regions reported a year-on-year increase in the proportion of entries awarded a grade C or higher, with London and south-east England almost tied on the highest percentage (79.54% and 79.45% respectively) and the East Midlands having the lowest (73.6%).
At a national level, 30.4% of entries in Northern Ireland received A or A*, higher than the equivalent figure for Wales (29.5%) and England (28.2%).
For entries awarded C or above, Northern Ireland was ahead at 85.8%, above England (77.7%) and Wales (77.2%).
Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded the top grade of A* by nation and region in 2025, with the equivalent figures for both 2024 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019:
– North-east England 6.8% (2024: 7.8%; 2019: 6.7%)
– North-west England 8.3% (2024: 8.0%; 2019: 6.9%)
– Yorkshire & the Humber 7.7% (2024: 7.4%; 2019: 6.5%)
– West Midlands 7.4% (2024: 7.9%; 2019: 6.3%)
– East Midlands 7.4% (2024: 6.8%; 2019: 5.8%)
– Eastern England 9.3% (2024: 9.1%; 2019: 7.9%)
– South-west England 8.9% (2024: 8.8; 2019: 8.0%)
– South-east England 11.0% (2024: 10.9%; 2019: 9.0%)
– London 11.6% (2024: 11.3%; 2019: 8.7%)
– England 9.4% (2024: 9.3%; 2019: 7.7%)
– Wales 10.5% (2024: 10.1%; 2019: 8.9%)
– Northern Ireland 8.7% (2024: 8.2%; 2019: 8.0%)
– All 9.4% (2024: 9.3%; 2019: 7.7%)
Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded A or A*, by nation and region:
– North-east England 22.9% (2024: 23.9%; 2019: 23.0%)
– North-west England 26.6% (2024: 25.5%; 2019: 23.5%)
– Yorkshire & the Humber 25.3% (2024: 24.6%; 2019: 23.2%)
– West Midlands 24.2% (2024: 24.8%; 2019: 22.0%)
– East Midlands 23.8% (2024: 22.5%; 2019: 21.0%)
– Eastern England 28.0% (2024: 27.5%; 2019: 25.6%)
– South-west England 27.0% (2024: 26.9%; 2019: 25.8%)
– South-east England 31.2% (2024: 30.8%; 2019: 28.3%)
– London 32.1% (2024: 31.3%; 2019: 26.9%)
– England 28.2% (2024: 27.6%; 2019: 25.2%)
– Wales 29.5% (2024: 29.9%; 2019: 26.5%)
– Northern Ireland 30.4% (2024: 30.3%; 2019: 29.4%)
– All 28.3% (2024: 27.8%; 2019: 25.4%)
Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded C or above, by nation and region:
– North-east England 74.9% (2024: 74.4%; 2019: 76.3%)
– North-west England 78.2% (2024: 75.9%; 2019: 75.6%)
– Yorkshire & the Humber 76.8% (2024: 74.4%; 2019: 74.7%)
– West Midlands 74.2% (2024: 73.4%; 2019: 72.8%)
– East Midlands 73.6% (2024: 71.8%; 2019: 73.0%)
– Eastern England 77.8% (2024: 76.1%; 2019: 75.7%)
– South-west England 77.3% (2024: 76.3%; 2019: 76.0%)
– South-east England 79.45% (2024: 78.1%; 2019: 78.0%)
– London 79.54% (2024: 77.5%; 2019: 74.8%)
– England 77.7% (2024: 76.0%; 2019: 75.5%)
– Wales 77.2% (2024: 76.5%; 2019: 76.3%)
– Northern Ireland 85.8% (2024: 85.1%; 2019: 85.0%)
– All 77.9% (2024: 76.4%; 2019: 75.9%)
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
