A record number of A-level results were revealed today, with approximately 300,000 students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland discovering their grades. The milestone marks a significant step towards narrowing the participation gap, as initial UCAS analysis indicates that more students from disadvantaged backgrounds are accessing higher education than ever before.
Mathematics has officially surpassed English as the most popular A-level subject, with entries rising by 0.9% and Further Maths seeing an increase of 1.5%. In contrast, English subjects experienced a 4.6% decline – a trend some experts attribute to the 2012 GCSE grading controversies. Chemistry also gained popularity, now ranking as the fifth most chosen subject after overtaking History.
Almost one in 12 students achieved the top A* grade, with the proportion increasing by nearly 8% compared to last year's results. This represents a 0.6 percentage point rise from 2013 and is the highest rate since the A* grade was introduced in 2010. While top grades rose, other grades saw a slight decrease, resulting in an overall pass rate of 98.0%, down by just 0.1%.
Experts believe that the shift towards more challenging subjects and increased top grades may be linked to the scrapping of January exams. Andrew Hall, head of AQA exam board, suggests this change allows students and teachers to focus on the summer examination period, potentially enabling more students to aim for higher grades, such as an A*.
The university clearing system was heavily utilised, with over 3,600 courses available at approximately 359 universities and colleges in England. Notably, one in 20 courses with advertised vacancies were at Russell Group universities, although many specified grade thresholds for entry. The Office for Fair Access (Offa) highlighted an 8% increase in disadvantaged students securing university places, a trend welcomed by director Les Ebdon, who expressed interest in future analysis to see if this extends to highly selective institutions.