UK

Key statistics in this year’s A-level results

Maths was the most popular subject for the 11th year in a row.

How this year’s exam results compare with the equivalent figures for 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019
How this year’s exam results compare with the equivalent figures for 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (David Davies/PA)
By Ian Jones, PA

Here are the main figures in this year’s A-level results:

– The proportion of candidates receiving top grades has risen from last year and remains higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A total of 27.8% of entries were awarded either an A or A*, up from 27.2% in 2023 and above 25.4% in 2019.

A-level entries awarded A* grades
A-level entries awarded A* grades

– Some 9.3% of entries received an A*. This is also up on last year (8.9%) and higher than the figure for 2019 (7.7%).

Discounting the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22 – when the figure peaked at 19.1% in 2021 – 9.3% is the highest proportion since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010.

– The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.2%. This is down from 97.3% in 2023 and also below 2019, which was 97.6%.

It is the lowest figure since 2008, when it also stood at 97.2%.

– Some 76.4% of entries received a C or above, up from 76.0% in 2023 and above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9% in 2019.

– The lead enjoyed by girls over boys in the top grades has narrowed.

The proportion of girls’ entries awarded A or higher this year was 28.0%, just 0.4 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for boys’ entries (27.6%). Last year, girls led boys by 0.6 percentage points (27.5% girls, 26.9% boys).

– By contrast, boys have extended their lead over girls in the highest grade, A*.

The proportion of boys’ entries awarded A* this year was 9.5%, 0.4 points higher than girls (9.1%). Girls had moved in front of boys from 2020 to 2022, before boys reclaimed a 0.3-point lead last year. Boys had previously led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019.

A-level entries awarded A/A* grades
A-level entries awarded A/A* grades

– The most popular subject this year was maths, for the 11th year in a row. It had 107,427 entries, up 11% from 96,853 in 2023.

Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 78,556 entries, down 2% from 80,493 in 2023.

Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 74,367 entries, a fall of 0.4% from 74,650.

– Further maths saw the largest percentage increase in entries this year, up 20% from 15,080 in 2023 to 18,082 in 2024.

– Across the regions of England, London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded grades of A and above (31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023), while the East Midlands had the lowest (22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023).

– A total of 886,514 A-levels were awarded this year, up 2% on last year’s 867,658.