A-level results day: Top grades drop to lowest proportion in more than decade as numbers going to university fall
Teenagers across the country received marks amid major exam reforms
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Hundreds of thousands of teenagers received their A-level results across the country amid major exam reforms.
The number of students who secured top A-level grades at A-level dropped to its lowest point in 12 years.
Grades were awarded in the first 13 reformed A-level subjects in England in 2017, with a further 12 reformed subjects last summer. Students received grades in a further 19 subjects on Thursday.
See below how we covered A-level results day
The new A-levels have less coursework and exams at the end of two years - and AS levels no longer count towards the A-level grade as part of the reforms.
Girls outperformed boys at the top grades this year despite predictions that the linear structure of the new qualifications would favour boys.
Females also overtook boys in A-level entries in science for first time in history following a push to diversify uptake.
The proportion of students receiving the top grade at A-level has increased slightly in Northern Ireland.
Those awarded an A* rose 0.6 percentage points from last year, and almost a tenth received the top grade. The rise was mainly driven by better performance from girls.
Thousands of students learned their results on Thursday morning.
Entries for A-level decreased by 2.3%, broadly in line with the drop in the size of the school age population.
Maths was the most popular A-level, with one in 10 studying the subject.
Participation in Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) and languages (French, German, Irish and Spanish) declined slightly, by half a percentage point or less.
The proportion of girls taking Stem subjects rose slightly.
Justin Edwards, chief executive of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland, said pupils had performed well.
He added: "The proportion of students taking Stem subjects and languages has decreased slightly, however Stem subjects continue to account for over one-third of A-level entries in Northern Ireland."
Around 28,000 students received A-level and AS-level results. Many learned them online but others attended their schools.
Maths was the most popular A-level subject for boys and biology for girls. Business studies was in the top five for both genders.
A total of 8.8% of entries received an A* overall.
Girls outperformed boys at A* by 0.9 percentage points and by 3.2 points at grade A.
Overall, the school population declined by 2.6% at A-level.
Saida Nuur celebrates her A Level results at Ark Academy in Wembley, London (PA)
Pupils celebrating A-level success at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Edgbaston, Birmingham, included 12 students with the required grades for Oxbridge places.
Among those winning a place at Oxford was Aaliyah Wallace, who only looked at her results after going outside to be with her sisters, brother and parents.
The 18-year-old, from Kings Norton, Birmingham, achieved A* grades in French, Spanish and economics, and will study Spanish and Portuguese at Merton College, Oxford.
Thanking her family for their support during her studies, Aaliyah said: "They are literally everything to me. I put in as much work as I could. I am ecstatic, It's amazing."
Jessica Tedd, from Stourbridge, won a place at Brasenose College, Oxford, to read physics thanks to 4 straight A*s at A-level in physics, Maths, further maths and biology.
The 18-year-old, who was selected for the UK Astronomy Olympiad team earlier this year, said: "I felt huge relief when I saw my grades.
"Two months is a long time to wait for results so I'm glad, obviously, that I've managed to get into Oxford."
Commenting on a record set of A-level results at the school, including 35% of grades at A*, principal Ann Clark said: " I am delighted with these exceptional results which are a testament to the determination, hard work and commitment of our students, together with the professionalism and dedication of the staff."
A piece of pertinent advice for anyone out there who did not get the grades they wanted. Your grades do not define you.
Here's the main figures in this year's A-level results:
- The proportion of students receiving top grades is the lowest since 2007. A total of 25.5 per cent of entrants scored either an A or A*, down on 26.4 per cent in 2018
- 7.8 per cent of entrants received an A*, down from 8 per cent last year. This is the lowest level since 2013
- The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.6 per cent, unchanged on last year
- Girls have reclaimed their lead over boys in the top grades. The proportion of girls who got A or higher was 25.5 per cent, 0.1 percentage points higher than boys (25.4 per cent)
- The gap between the best-performing boys and girls has fallen slightly. The proportion of boys who got A* was 8.2 per cent, 0.7 percentage points higher than girls (7.5 per cent)
- Political studies saw the biggest jump in candidates of any subject with more than 1,000 entrants, rising by 9.8 per cent on 2018
Spanish has become the most popular foreign language at A-level for first time.
In languages, there were 8,625 entries for Spanish A-level and 8,355 for French.
French has seen a decline in recent years, while Spanish has been increasing in popularity.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), suggested the growing popularity could be partly down to South America being a popular destination for gap years.
Jeremy Clarkson is the latest celebrity to take to Twitter to show that A-level results do not always equate to future success...
Whatever your results might be, don't miss out on the freebies on offer to A-level students:
The Prime Minister has sent his congratulations to students:
On A-level results day, check out our gallery of out favourite celebrity quotes on success and failure:
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