A-level top grades reach record high outside of Covid years
Stephen Price
Students across Wales have received their A Level, AS Level and Level 3 Qualification results today, Thursday, 14 August 2025 – with 97.5% achieving A*-E at A Level.
More than 27,000 students will receive their results this year, marking the culmination of years of hard work, learning and growth.
Initial figures show that 97.5% of students achieved grades A*-E at A Level and 90.9% at AS Level. Among the most popular subjects this year were Mathematics, Sciences, Psychology and History
The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades rose again this year, remaining above pre-pandemic highs, national figures show.
Students in Wales, Northern Ireland and England received their exam results on Thursday, with many finding out if they would progress to university, an apprenticeship or work.
More than a quarter (28.3%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.5 percentage points on last year, when 27.8% achieved the top grades.
This 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.
Boys have outperformed girls in terms of top grades for the first time in seven years.
The proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has also risen, by 0.1 percentage points to 9.4%, compared to 9.3% in 2024, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7% in 2019.
The overall pass rate – the proportion of entries graded A* to E – has also risen to 97.5% this year, which is up on last year (97.2%) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6%).
Some 30.4% of entries in Northern Ireland received A or A*, with Wales at 29.5% and England at 28.2% overall. London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded grades of A or A* (32.1%, up from 31.3% in 2024) while north-east England had the lowest (22.9%, down from 23.9% in 2024)
Divides
Education leaders have warned of “stark” divides in results between different regions because of the legacy of Covid-19 and socio-economic factors.
The latest Ofqual figures show wide regional differences in outcomes, with the North East the only region in England to see a drop in the proportion of top grades down on last year and 2019.
Jill Duffy, chairwoman of JCQ board of directors and chief executive of the OCR exam board, said: “Regional inequalities are getting worse, not better.
“The gap at top grades (A*-A) has grown again. London is once again the top performing region and is now 9.2 percentage points ahead of the North East.”
She added: “These regional inequalities need more attention.”
The statistics show interest in A-level maths has soared in the last decade, with entries for the subject up by more than a fifth (21.7%) in the last 10 years.
But there is a clear gender divide, with boys significantly more likely to choose the subject than girls.
There were 70,255 boys’ entries for A-level maths this year, compared to 41,883 girls’ entries – both up on 2024.
Ms Duffy added: “There are still significantly fewer girls taking A-level maths, and proportionally there are fewer girls taking the subject than in 2019.”
Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week.
Figures released by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) showed that 78.4% of those sitting National 5 exams passed with grades A to C – up from 77.2% last year.
For Highers, 75.9% passed with the top bands, up from 74.9% last year, and for Advanced Highers 76.7% of students achieved A to C grades, up from 75.3% last year.
Milestone
Councilor Lis Burnett, WLGA spokesperson for Education, said: “Congratulations to everyone receiving their results today. If you are celebrating or feeling uncertain about your next steps, I want to acknowledge the hard work that has brought you to this point – you should be extremely proud.
“These results reflect not only your commitment, but the support of teachers, support staff, and families who have helped you along the way. Thank you to everyone who has played a part in supporting students to reach their potential.
“If you’re still working out what’s next, there are people who can help. Careers Wales, your school or college are great places to start – whether you’re thinking about university, work, training, or taking some time to plan your next move.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, has congratulated learners across Wales who have received their A-level, AS, Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales and vocational qualification results this morning.
She said: “Today marks a significant milestone for students across Wales as they receive their results. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to every student, alongside our dedicated teachers and education staff, whose commitment and effort have brought us to this moment.
“Every learner opening their results today has earned the right to feel immense pride in what they’ve accomplished, and these achievements demonstrate remarkable determination.
“As you look towards your future, whether that involves starting an apprenticeship, entering employment, or beginning studies at university, I wish you ‘good luck’.
“For those seeking guidance on their next steps, support remains available through your school or college and the Young Person’s Guarantee, which provides a range of options.
“I will continue to work on raising educational standards and ensure every young person has the support they need to achieve their goals.”
Commenting on A-Level results day, Amanda Wilkinson, Director of Universities Wales, said: “Congratulations to everyone collecting results today.
“Students can be proud of their achievements and can now look forward to the next stage of their journey, which for many will involve studying at university.
“University can be a truly transformative time, opening up doors and opportunities which can change the lives of learners. Students joining a Welsh university this autumn can look forward to a high-quality and rewarding university experience that supports them to achieve their ambitions and fulfill their potential.
“For those who are still undecided or did not get the results they had hoped for, there are many options in Wales available through clearing. Our universities have advisors waiting to advise prospective students on the options available to them.”
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