A-level results day: Five key stats as thousands receive grades

The Independent

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1. The proportion of UK entries receiving top grades rose for the third consecutive year to 28.5 per cent, remaining higher than pre-pandemic figures.
2. A record 9.6 per cent of entries achieved an A* grade, the highest non-pandemic figure since the grade was introduced in 2010.
3. London achieved the highest proportion of top grades at 32.7 per cent, while north-east England and the East Midlands had the joint lowest at 23.1 per cent.
4. Boys outperformed girls in terms of top grades, with 28.9 per cent of boys’ entries awarded A or A* compared to 28 per cent for girls’.
5. Mathematics retained its status as the most popular A-level subject, while economics entered the top five subjects for the first time.