Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland collected their A-level results on Thursday, with the share of top grades rising for a fourth consecutive year. Figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications show 28.7 percent of entries were graded A or A*, up from 28.2 percent in 2025.

The share of A* grades reached 9.7 percent, up from 9.4 percent last year. Grades have climbed steadily since 2023, when regulators adjusted grading to bring outcomes closer to pre-pandemic levels, according to Ofqual.

The results also showed widening gaps. Boys outperformed girls in top grades for a second straight year, though girls still received more A and A* grades overall because they make up 54 percent of entries, JCQ data showed. The gap between the best and worst performing English regions widened to 9.6 percentage points, with London recording the highest share of top grades at 32.7 percent and the East Midlands and North East tied at the bottom with 23.1 percent.

Ofqual chief regulator Ian Bauckham said the qualifications are awarded to rigorous and consistent national standards that give universities and employers confidence in what students have achieved. Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio said the regional gaps reflected structural inequalities and called for more support for disadvantaged communities.

Separately, T-level results improved this year, with 92.6 percent of the nearly 19,700 participating students achieving a pass or higher, up from 91.4 percent in 2025. UCAS said 78.3 percent of 18-year-olds in England secured a place at their first-choice university as of Thursday morning, down from 81.5 percent a year earlier, while 13.6 percent got into a back-up choice.