A-level results for 2025 show strong overall performance, with students achieving record top grades outside the pandemic years. Nearly one in ten entries earned an A*, reflecting high standards across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Boys edged ahead of girls this year, with 9.9% of their grades at A* compared with 9.1% for girls. For the first time since 2018, boys also led in combined A* and A grades, 28.4% versus 28.2%, despite girls making up 54% of all entries. This was the first post-pandemic cohort to sit fully graded exams, with Ofqual noting a smaller, more focused group taking A-levels.
Results for over 340,000 students showed 9.4% of grades awarded an A*, up from 9.3% last year. Professor Alan Smithers of Buckingham University highlighted boys’ strong performance in quantitative subjects like maths, physics, and economics. Sir Ian Bauckham, Ofqual chief regulator, said: “Students this year have got the grades they deserve, and their grades will hold value over time as they reflect a stable standard of achievement.”
Wales and Northern Ireland outperformed England, with 30.4% and 29.5% of students achieving at least an A, compared with 28.2% in England. Regional disparities remain, with 32.1% of London students earning at least an A versus 22.9% in the East Midlands. Overall, 77.9% of UK results were graded A* to C, up from 76% last year.
Mathematics remains the most popular subject (112,000 entries), followed by psychology (76,000), biology, chemistry, business studies, physics, history, sociology, art and design, and economics. While psychology and sociology are declining, economics and business studies continue to grow.
University admissions reached a record, with 82% of 18-year-olds accepted to their first-choice university, 226,580 students, up from 216,750 last year. Acceptances to higher-tariff universities rose 7.2%, while lower-tariff universities saw a 1.4% increase, with many selective institutions still offering places through Clearing.
Meanwhile, T-level uptake in England continues to rise, with 11,909 students receiving results, up from 7,435 last year.
On results day, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said, “Today is a time for celebration as young people across the country collect their exam results. Whether A-levels, T-levels, or technical and vocational qualifications, I wish everyone the very best of luck and thank the teachers, staff, and parents who’ve supported them.”
She added, “Every young person should have the opportunity to achieve and thrive. This government won’t accept the entrenched inequalities that limit life chances, particularly for white working-class students who have long been overlooked.”
Phillipson highlighted ongoing initiatives: “With options from degree apprenticeships and high-quality technical qualifications to traditional university routes, we are equipping young people with the tools to get great jobs, fill talent gaps, and drive economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.”
