School and college leavers wake up to A-level results

14 Aug 2025 • 2:04 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results today, with over a quarter of entries expected to achieve top grades.
  • Pre-pandemic grading standards for A-levels in Wales and Northern Ireland returned in 2024, following England's return to normal grading for GCSEs in 2023.
  • Education leaders have warned of persistent and stark divides in A-level results between different regions, largely due to the legacy of the pandemic and long-standing socio-economic factors.
  • Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated the government will not “stand by and accept the entrenched inequalities” that blight the life chances of many young people.
  • Many students will use their results to confirm university places, with a record number of 18-year-olds potentially securing their first-choice university, and thousands of clearing places available.

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